Plenty of interesting spots will allow you to experience the diverse cultural icons that make this area worthy of appreciation. There are interesting cities with architecture ranging from colonial to republican and modern. Interaction with friendly inhabitants in some areas will put you in contact with centuries old cultures and traditions still preserved by the Lenca, one of the ethnic groups that coexisted with the Maya, and still live by their own customs and ancient ways. The Garifuna in the North coast are descendants of African slaves and Carib aborigines who settled in Central America by the 17 century. They developed their own language, and their religion, dances and traditions have recently declared Intangible Cultural World Heritage by the UNESCO.