Once considered to have the highest murder rate outside of an active war zone, El Salvador hasn’t historically been a prime holiday destination. Twelve years of civil war, followed by what seemed like an endless cycle of gang violence and inescapable poverty. Spurred on by consecutive governments rife with corruption and a lack of desire to do anything about it.
The sheer thought of backpacking through this tiny country even five years ago seemed borderline insane.
Now though, El Salvador is having her comeback moment.
Following the government crackdowns on the gangs from 2022 onwards, El Salvador has reopened to the world. Led by its… controversial… president, El Salvador is fast becoming a very popular place to be.
I hadn’t even planned to visit El Salvador at all, so I went in totally blind. And boy, was I surprised at how much I loved it. It has it all; charming towns, thick jungles, dramatic volcanoes and sweeping coasts and beaches that will draw you in. If you’re not careful, you might find yourself wanting to stay forever.
Start here!
Routes
El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. Marginally smaller than Wales with a population twice the size, it’s a fairly compact place. Especially compared to neighbours Guatemala and Honduras. El Salvador also has a pretty efficient bus network, connecting the main urban centres to each other and to the coast. You could cover the main sights in around two weeks, if you flew around at full speed. But if you wanted to really sink your teeth into the country, you could make a base in one of the surf towns along the coast and really take your time. Below are some suggested itineraries for El Salvador based on how much time you have.
2 weeks
Santa Ana -> Juayua -> La Union -> El Tunco
Cross into El Salvador via the northern border with Guatemala and head straight for Santa Ana. Spend at least 2 full days here; one day for the city itself and one for the Santa Ana Volcano. Then, hop on a bus to Juayua, one of the towns on the Ruta de las Flores. After a few days up here, take a bus to San Salvador (via Sonsonate), where you may need to spend a night. Then, head to La Union for the famous Volcan Conchagua. Spend the night camping up here before heading back up the coast to El Tunco, or one of the other beaches along this stretch of coast for a few days of surfing and seaside therapy.
3 weeks
Santa Ana -> Juayua -> San Salvador -> La Union -> El Tunco
Exactly the same as above, except instead of just spending a night in San Salvador, stay at least 2 and explore what the capital has to offer. If you have a few days to spare, you could even explore the nearby Santa Tecla.
1 month
Santa Ana -> Juayua -> San Salvador -> Suchitoto -> La Union -> El Tunco
After spending a few days in the capital, head up to the colonial town of Suchitoto. Spend a few days here wandering the cobblestone streets and soaking up the culture before you head down to La Union for your evening on the Conchagua volcano. From here, either take the boat to Nicaragua or the bus to Honduras.
Where to visit
Santa Ana
El Salvador’s second city, Santa Ana has become a staple on the Central American gringo trail recently. And it’s not hard to see why. If you’re entering from Guatemala, Santa Ana will be your introduction to El Salvador.
Santa Ana is the base to climb the Santa Ana volcano. An active volcano, standing at 2381m, it’s a very cool way to spend a morning. For the afternoon, Santa Ana is a hard place to beat for thrift shopping and trendy cafes. Or maybe, after your hike, you’ll want to relax in the nearby Salto de Malacatiupan, a thermal waterfall about an hour from the city. Or at Parque Turisitco Sapoapa, natural pools about 15 minutes walk from the main square. The perfect escape from the heat of Santa Ana. Round off your day with a Pupusa Cooking Class at Casa Coco before heading to one of Santa Ana’s many, many bars.
Another famous activity in Santa Ana is Hector’s Walking Tour. If you’re backpacking through Central America, you’ll hear about this tour as far north as Valladolid and as far south as Panama City. These tours are famous for a good reason. Hector mixes the history of the city with his own experience growing up in a country ruled by gangs. All the while he takes you to the street food market so you can try all the local delicacies. Pro-tip: don’t plan this tour on a day where you have something to do in the evening. These tours are famous for ending up in one or more of the local bars. Blink and suddenly it’s 1am and you’ve been drinking with Hector all day.
Getting to Santa Ana is easy. Most buses arrive and leave from the bus station at the Central Market, which is also worth a visit. You can get buses from here to San Salvador and Juayua (as well as other, less touristy destinations).
To get to Guatemala and Honduras from Santa Ana, you can take a local bus to the border and cross on foot. Or you can catch an international Tica Bus. The stop for these is the Puma gas station in Santa Maria. These buses actually travel on to Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama to the south, and Tapachula in Chiapas, Mexico to the north.
Shuttles run to various destinations in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Shuttles aren’t as common in El Salvador, and generally only really run between Santa Ana and El Tunco.
Juayua & La Ruta de las Flores
A lot of travellers miss Juayua off of their itineraries. Often, people will come for the day from Santa Ana, and won’t stay the night. But Juayua and the surrounding towns are fantastic destinations in their own right.
Juayua (pronounced why-ooh-ah) is one of 5 picturesque towns along the Ruta de las Flores, a famous road trip through El Salvador’s highlands. The town is right in the middle of the route, making it a popular base. As such, it’s the town with the most accommodation options along the route. Each town has it’s own appeal that makes it worth a visit, for example the night market in Nahuizalco, or the the street art in Ataco.
If you’re staying in Juayua, it’s worth spending a few days here in the town. Despite it being the largest town on the route, it’s still a very laid back place. Perfect to relax after the bustle of Santa Ana. Every weekend, the town hosts a food festival, hosting a variety of local vendors cooking up a bunch of local eats. Juayua also has a wide variety of restaurants, as well as multiple cafés and coffeeshops serving locally grown coffee.
But the main attraction in Juayua is, of course, the Seven Waterfalls hike, just outside the town. You can do this independently, but I recommend doing this with a guide. The route can get a bit confusing. Equally, the route does require you to scramble up an active waterfall, and without a guide you won’t have the necessary equipment (read: a long rope). Your guide will take you on a 5 hour walk through the park, where you’ll see some absolutely spectacular waterfalls. At the end, if your group is small enough, your guide will take you to a waterfall with an infinity pool, where you can cool off after your walk.
Getting to and from Juayua is pretty straightforward. There are no shuttles connecting Juayua with the rest of the country, so you’ll have to take the bus. From Santa Ana, take the 238 bus from the bus station in the central market. The journey should take around 45 minutes. From San Salvador, catch the 205 to Sonsonate, then the 249 to Juayua. This journey should take no longer than 3 hours, but depending on the traffic around San Salvador, it can take much longer. I wrote about my experience taking the bus from Juayua to San Salvador here.
El Tunco
El Tunco (and neighbouring El Zonte and El Sunzal) are really the main tourist draw for El Salvador. So much so, that the Salvadoran government has named this whole section of coast Surf City. The development stretches almost 200 miles and has become the prize pig (haha) for El Salvador’s tourism industry. El Tunco, in particular, is a bit of a hub for both surfers and backpackers.
El Tunco is tiny. And I mean, tiny. It’s about 3 streets deep and bookended by the highway at either end. The name comes from a local Salvadoran word for a pig: tunco. Supposedly, the big rock just off the beach used to resemble a pig if you looked at it from a certain angle. I’m not convinced.
But for its small size, it packs a punch. There are a multitude of surf shops offering board rental and lessons. And for accommodation, you can find options ranging from the cheapest, dirtiest hostel dorms imaginable to 5* beachfront hotels. Local eats like Pupuseria El Sol, and international cuisine like Bao House, as well as a plethora of bars and beach clubs. If you want a party, you can’t get much better than El Tunco! If you’re after something quieter, El Sunzal may be more your speed. Or El Zonte, the pioneer for El Salvador’s Bitcoin economy experiment. I’ll let you decide how successful it seems.
Be careful when booking your accommodation in El Tunco. A lot of hotels and hostels will say they’re in El Tunco, when they’re actually a few towns over. I met someone who booked a hotel that said it was in El Tunco, but was actually in the nearby city of La Libertad. It’s about 8km away, and doesn’t have the best reputation in terms of safety!
The beach itself at El Tunco isn’t the nicest. Like many beaches along this stretch of the Pacific, it’s a black volcanic sand beach. Meaning between 10am and 5pm the sand is just too hot to stand on. But if you’re a surfer, you can’t really do better than this stretch of coastline. A few miles up is El Sunzal, a fantastic beach for beginners. And also nearby is the world famous Punta Roca, known for hosting many WSL competitions. Be aware that the tide in El Tunco is strong At high tide, the water comes all the way up to the board walk. If you’re hanging around the sea-front bars like La Guitarra, be careful leaving at night.
Getting to El Tunco is super easy. Part of the Surf City development included a brand new highway from the capital to La Libertad. From Santa Ana and La Union, you’ll have to head to San Salvador, then catch the 102A from the Terminal de Occidente and tell the driver you want to get off at El Tunco. It’s important you get the 102A, not the 102, which only goes as far as La Libertad. Also, you can catch this bus from the stop at Ceiba de Guadeloupe, about 15 minute walk from the hostel.
From Juayua, you can get the 249 to Sonsonate then jump on the 287. This passes El Tunco en route to La Libertad.
El Tunco is one of only two places in El Salvador that is accessible by tourist shuttle, the other being Santa Ana. You can travel between these places, and also to Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua from El Tunco. You can get to El Tunco by taxi/Uber, but leaving is a challenge, as taxi’s only really come here to drop people off. If you’re looking to get a cab to the airport, for example, ask your hotel or hostel to book one for you in advance.
La Union & Volcan Conchagua
Tourists come to La Union for two reasons. One, to get the boat to Nicaragua. Two, to spend the night atop a volcano where, on a clear day, you can see El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua all at once, spread out along the Gulf of Fonesca. For many people, it’s the last thing they do in El Salvador before heading to Honduras and Nicaragua, and what a closer it is.
You don’t actually climb Conchagua. If you book with a tour company, they drive you up to El Espiritu de la Montaña, a viewpoint at the top of the volcano. They will also provide you with basic camping gear and then, it’s just you and the view. And the other tourists. There’s a small snack bar at the top but otherwise, you should look to bring some food for dinner.
Where should you buy this food? Well, in La Union, of course! To be totally honest, La Union isn’t a particularly exciting place. Touristically speaking, there isn’t much going on here. There are some stunning beaches and nature parks nearby, but La Union is really just a city where people live and work. It just happens to be near a stop on the Gringo Trail. There seems to be only one hostel and a handful of hotels in the city itself, and some people even stay in homestays here before or after their volcano climb or gulf crossing. Nonetheless, you will probably find yourself spending at least one night here.
To get to La Union, you can get the 324 or 342 from Terminal de Oriente in San Salvador. Alternatively, if you’re just coming to get the boat, you can get here by shuttle from Santa Ana and El Tunco.
San Salvador
In general, you’re better off avoiding the major cities in Central America. At best, they’re a bit boring, like Tegucigalpa and San José. And at worst, they’re a bit dangerous, like Guatemala City and San Pedro Sula. None of these places are known for being tourist traps. The exception has always been Panama City, but I want to make the case for San Salvador for your list of Cities in Central America Worth Visiting.
In the past, San Salvador was ground zero for gang violence in El Salvador. It had a higher murder rate than any other city in Central America. Seldom did foreigners visit, let alone stay a few days to sightsee. Now, however, it’s a totally different story. San Salvador still isn’t a super popular destination, particularly among backpackers. But those who do make the journey are rewarded with sights like the Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador (which houses the crypt of Oscar Romero), the Centro Historico (including the BINAES library; the locals are very proud of this one) and the Iglesia El Rosario. And just outside the city, you can “climb” the San Salvador volcano. That’s just for starters!
San Salvador is a big city and it can be easy to get a bit overwhelmed. I took a walking tour with Dave Mendez, who runs all kinds of tours and experiences in San Salvador. His free walking tour departs from Parque Cuscutlán every day at 9:45am and 4:30pm. Personally I think it’s the best free tour in San Salvador, as he doesn’t just focus on what San Salvador used to be, as some other tour operators sometimes can. If you do join Dave’s tour, bring something to cover your shoulders and knees. The tour takes you into a few churches and the crypt and you cannot enter wearing shorts and vests.
Getting to San Salvador is incredibly easy from almost everywhere. From Santa Ana, take the 201 from the main bus station. If you’re coming from Juayua or any other town on the Ruta de las Flores, take the 249 to Sonsonate then the 205. From El Tunco, catch the 102A from the entry gate to the town on the highway. All of these buses terminate in Terminal de Occidente.
Internationally, you can grab a Tica Bus as far north as Tapachula in Mexico and as far south as Panama City. The terminal is in Zona Rosa, San Benito, right across the street from La Zona Hostel. The airport is about 40 minutes southeast of the city.
Getting here and around
Getting to El Salvador and Entry Requirements
El Salvador is part of the CA-4 Visa Zone, along with Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Meaning if you enter with a 90 tourist visa, you have 90 days in all these countries collectively. Most passports can enter El Salvador visa-free, including UK, US and most EU passport holders. El Salvador has abolished their tourist card fee in theory, but in practice certain nationalities have to pay a $12 fee at land borders.
El Salvador shares land borders with Guatemala and Honduras, and both are pretty easy to cross. You may get approached by fixers offering to help you with your paperwork for a “small fee” of $20. Don’t accept their help, as there is no paperwork, and for the majority of travellers there is no fee either.
El Salvador has one international airport, El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez, near San Salvador. It’s mostly connected to other destinations in the Americas, however there are a few flights to Madrid every week. If you’re coming from elsewhere in Europe, you’ll probably have to connect through the USA or Colombia.
While there is no land border, it is possible to enter El Salvador from Nicaragua by sea. Boats cross the Gulf of Fonesca multiple times a week, and it is quickly becoming a popular way of entering and leaving the country. I’ve written about my experience on the boat here.
When to visit
The high season in El Salvador coincides with the dry season – November to April. During this time, prices are higher and accommodation and activities book out a bit earlier. However, the weather is drier and milder, making inland destinations especially much nicer to visit.
May to October is the wet season, and also the low season. The air is humid and the temperatures are higher, but it’s also cheaper and easier to plan things off the cuff. The exception is if you’re looking to surf. Swells are bigger during this time of year and for experienced surfers, this is the peak season. Keep an eye out for competitions in Surf City if you’re travelling at this time of year. Very cool to watch, but hostels in and around El Tunco may book out a week or two in advance.
Getting around
Getting around El Salvador by bus is easy. The network here is very easy to navigate, with all the buses displaying the number and end destination in the front. The busier, more popular routes often have an attendant out front shouting the name of the final destination. Pretty much all the big tourist spots are connected by bus, either directly or with a connection in either San Salvador or Sonsonate.
With most buses in El Salvador, you pay the driver as you get on, however on some busier routes the attendant will come and take your fare once you’re on the move. An average bus fare will cost you around $1, although if you’re carrying a big bag you may be charged a bit extra as the attendant will need to strap it to the roof.
To work out where you’re going, you should ask in your accommodation. Most hostels in El Salvador have local, up-to-date bus routes printed out in or near the reception. If not, the staff and volunteers will know how to get to where you need to go. Otherwise, ask around at the bus stop. Don’t rely on travel websites like Rome2Rio. They’re generally a bit useless anywhere north of Costa Rica. Centrocoasting is a pretty good resource for buses in El Salvador, but it doesn’t seem to have been updated since 2018. It served me well in 2025 but use it with caution in the more rural regions.
Uber and inDrive are both available in the bigger cities, like San Salvador and Santa Ana. It’s pretty common to get an Uber from San Salvador to El Tunco. If you’re doing a journey like this, be advised you probably won’t be able to get an Uber back.
Tourist shuttles are nowhere near as common in El Salvador as they are in nearby Guatemala and Nicaragua. This is partly due to how easy the buses are to use but also as the tourism industry in El Salvador is still in its infancy, comparatively. You can get shuttles from Santa Ana to El Tunco, and vice versa, as well as international services to Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (both via Honduras and by boat).
Hitchhiking isn’t super common in El Salvador among locals. It’s not impossible – in fact, in rural regions you may find yourself offered lifts before you’ve even ask. I don’t really ever advise hitchhiking, to be honest. It’s never 100% guaranteed to be safe.
El Salvador is also serviced by international coach companies such as Tica Bus. There are stops in San Salvador and in Santa Ana. It’s essentially one long bus route from Tapachula, Mexico, all the way down to Panama City.
Tips
Money
The official currency of El Salvador is the United States Dollar. Interestingly, they still use the $1 coin here and you will find they love giving these out as change. Frustratingly, you literally cannot use these anywhere else in Central America except El Salvador and a single ice cream vendor at the immigration office in Potosí, Nicaragua. They are apparently legal tender in the US though, and if you’re not from the US, then it’s a cute keepsake.
El Salvador does have another official currency – Bitcoin. In theory you can pay for goods and services by Bitcoin across the country, and businesses that accept it will have a little sign outside to indicate this. I will say, I only saw these signs in El Tunco and San Salvador. El Zonte is, apparently, ground zero for this experiment and has been named Bitcoin Beach.
Despite Bukele’s best attempts at turning El Salvador into a cryptocurrency state, cash is still king in most parts of the country. Cash points are pretty common, even in smaller towns, but it’s probably still a good idea to always make sure you have some notes on you at all times, just in case.
Most ATMs will charge somewhere between $3-$5 per transaction, which can add up. Some banks don’t charge a fee, such as ScotiaBank, so have a look around before you commit. Most ATMs in El Salvador are inside supermarkets or inside secure, dedicated pods. There will almost always be more than one ATM in each spot so check each one for their transaction fee
Language
Spanish is the official language of El Salvador and is spoken across the country. In rural parts of the country, such as in the highlands, it’s highly unlikely that people will speak much, if any English. In Juayua and the nearby towns, for example, you might have a harder time with no Spanish. However, Salvadorans are generally a very friendly bunch and will really appreciate it if you just try. A few words is better than nothing, and your Spanish doesn’t have to be perfect. Most people will understand what you’re getting at.
A few basic words and phrases you could commit to memory include:
- Buenas Dias/Tardes/Noches – Good morning/afternoon/evening (you can also use Buenas as a casual greeting
- Por favor – Please
- Gracias/Muchas gracias – Thank you/Thank you very much
- Disculpe/Pérdon – Excuse me/Sorry
- Donde esta… – Where is…
The major cities, however, are a different story. English is now mandatory in schools, and many Salvadorans now returning to the country having spent years living in the USA. Don’t be too surprised if you crack out your best Spanish to ask for directions in San Salvador, only for the other person to answer you in New York accented English, as happened to me on many an occasion.
Food
All you really need to know about food in El Salvador is that you will try a pupusa, you will love the pupusa, you will eat the pupusa for every meal. I’m kidding. Kind of.
Pupusas are considered to be the national dish. It’s a cornflour pocket stuffed with a filling of your choice (my go to is frijoles, queso y jalapeño), and fried on a griddle. It’s is always served with a tangy tomato sauce and curtido, a kind of pickled slaw. These go for around 75¢-$1 per pupusa in most places, although in San Salvador and El Tunco you may find yourself paying around $1.50. Either way, these are an incredibly cheap and fulfilling meal and they are so damn tasty.
Other popular street foods in El Salvador include Yuca con Chicarrón (cassava topped with crispy pork) and Elote Loco (corn on the cob covered in sauces like mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, of all things). Wash it all down with Salvadoran horchata, which has a unique taste thanks to the use of Morro seeds. This gives it a nutty flavour that sets it apart from other horchata’s in the region.
El Salvador is also, like it’s neighbours, a coffee growing country. Until recently, coffee grown here was all exported abroad, and many Salvadorans had never tasted the coffee they dedicated their lives to growing. Now, it’s a different story. Most cafe’s in the country sell local coffee, and trendy coffee shops can be found in most towns and cities. My favourites are Beats Coffee in Santa Ana, Bloom Coffee in Juayua and Normada Cafe in El Tunco. If you’re buying the 50¢ coffee from the carts on the streets though, this will be Kenco Instant, fyi.
Wifi, Mobile Data and Communication
WiFi is pretty widely available in El Salvador. Most hostels offer free WiFi, though in more rural areas you may find it’s only available in the common areas. You can also find free WiFi in cafes and bars in most parts of the country.
You can get a SIM card here from most tiendas (small, locally owned shops), and in most bus stations. The main companies are Claro and Tigo, and you will see signs for them everywhere. It’s incredibly cheap and the coverage is pretty much equal for them both. You literally just go into any shop with a sign of either company outside it, and ask for the package you want. They’ll usually help you set it up as well. If you want to top it up, you’ll likely need to go back to a shop to buy more minutes and data.
Personally I’d opt for this over an eSim. The eSims are great in a pinch but to be honest the local packages here are so cheap, getting an eSim isn’t the better financial choice.
Safety
“Is El Salvador safe now” is probably up there with one of the most popular google searches in the last few years. It’s a bit of an “elephant in the room” sort of topic. You tell someone you’re going to/have been to El Salvador and they’ll clutch their pearls and ask you if you were scared.
The short answer is yes: El Salvador is much safer to visit now. In fact, as a tourist, it’s probably the safest country in Central America to visit at the moment. I say as a tourist that because there are still a few things to take into consideration.
Violent crime is waaaaaay down in the country compared to a few years ago. Locals and foreigners just aren’t getting kidnapped and held for ransom like they used to anymore! However opportunistic crimes like petty theft and pickpocketing are still occurrent. Try not to leave valuables in your main bag when taking buses as they will probably be either loaded on to the roof or put under in the hold (I almost lost my passport in San Salvador this way!).
Parts of San Salvador are still quite dangerous, and it’s not always clear when you have accidentally wandered into the wrong part of town. The safest places to stay are in Zona Rosa/San Benito, and this is where most hostels and hotels are anyway. Alternatively, the Centro Historico has a high police presence and is considered a safe area of the city to stay.
Unfortunately, this new ‘safe’ El Salvador does come at a cost. Salvadorans have next to no rights. People can be detained without trial almost indefinitely and free speech is being restricted at a rate of knots, with many journalists . Technically, the locals can talk openly about the government, but you’ll notice that it is almost always behind closed doors. As a tourist, this probably won’t affect you too much. However, if you look even remotely mestizo and you have tattoos, you may find yourself being stopped by the police.
Travelling in El Salvador as a woman, you will probably find yourself the centre of attention in smaller towns, and you will probably be catcalled in the bigger cities and tourist-y towns like El Tunco or San Salvador. The machismo in El Salvador is nowhere near as bad as in nearby Nicaragua, but it can get tiring.
Of course, the general travel rules do apply. It’s generally not advisable to be wandering around alone at night, particularly if you’ve been drinking. Santa Ana is known for it’s bars and nightlife and is usually very safe, but take care and try not to walk home alone at night. The town of El Tunco can attract some seedy characters, especially around the weekends. If you’re planning a night out here take care. And be careful in San Salvador. While it’s much safer than it was, it’s still a major city in Central America and certain areas are still dangerous for tourists.
There are around 20 active volcanoes in El Salvador, with the last eruption in 2022. The popular Santa Ana volcano last erupted in 2005. El Salvador also sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, meaning earthquakes are extremely common here, although most are so minor you can’t feel them. All along the coast, there are tsunami escape routes. In the incredibly rare event of a natural disaster, familiarise yourself with the escape routes and follow local guidance.
Renting motorbikes is incredibly common in Juayua and El Tunco. Be careful when riding these, especially on the highways. Accidents are incredibly common and in the event of a serious accident you may be hours away from the nearest emergency room.
Before going swimming off the coast, learn what a riptide looks like and how to get out of one safely. The currents around La Libertad can be incredibly strong. The swells here can get to some pretty impressive heights, and the beaches generally are not patrolled by lifeguards. If you’re not a confident swimmer, it may be best to give it a miss here.
Customs
In parts of El Salvador, particularly in the highlands and in the major cities, locals dress more on the conservative side. Think jeans and t-shirts that cover your shoulders. The locals don’t necessarily expect you to stick to the unofficial dress code, but in some towns you may find yourself the centre of attention if you’re wearing shorts and strappy tops. Besides, if you’re planning on visiting any of the churches, you will need to at least cover your shoulders and knees.
Along the coast is a different story. In Surf City and El Cuco, it’s pretty common to walk around town in swimwear. In the beach clubs of El Tunco, for example, you’d be hard pressed to find a man wearing a shirt. But some businesses further way from the beach and boardwalk do operate a no shoes, no shirt, no service policy so make sure you check before you go inside.
Tipping is a bit of a mixed bag. In the tourist hotspots along the coast, tipping is more likely to be expected, likely to a sharp increase in tourism from the US and Canada. However in the rest of the country it really depends. Street food stands, comedores and pupuserias will often have a tip jar for loose change, but sit-down restaurants will usually add a service charge to your final bill. Tour guides, like walking tour guides or hiking guides, are tipped – usually between $5-$15, depending on what the activity is.
Pushy street merchants are less common in El Salvador than in nearby countries like Nicaragua and Guatemala, but they do exist, particularly in the markets and, incredibly, on the buses. Merchants will board a moving bus at the front, walk through the bus trying to sell you quite literally anything, then get off the back door. My friend nearly got strong-armed into buying an extension lead on the bus from Santa Ana to Juayua. A polite but firm No, gracias is usually enough to keep them moving.
Finally, I don’t really like labelling certain nationalities as kind or unkind, as there are kind and unkind people all over the world. But in all the countries I’ve visited, Salvadorans are possibly the kindest, most open people I’ve ever met. A local I met in Santa Ana put it down to the fact that tourists coming to El Salvador means that the situation in the country has really changed. Everybody I met and spoke to during my time here was so unbelievably warm and kind. We ran into the same group of men every afternoon in Juayua who kept asking us if we were enjoying El Salvador and giving us recommendations. Get chatting to people, and you never know where you might end up next.
Health and Wellbeing
The main vaccine advice for most travellers to El Salvador is to ensure you are up to date with all routine vaccinations, and consider getting the Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid vaccine, especially if you’re planning to do any hikes or visit the countryside. If you’re arriving from a country with a Yellow Fever risk, you’ll have to provide a Yellow Fever certificate upon entry.
Dengue fever is endemic in El Salvador and is currently experiencing a spike in cases. Chikungunya is less common, but not unheard of. Mosquitoes and biting insects tend to bite more at dawn and dusk, and are especially prevalent in areas next to bodies of water, for example along the coast and by the lakes. Consider wearing long sleeves and trousers at these times, and invest in some high DEET insect repellent. The good news is that El Salvador has been declared Malaria-free as of 2021 by the WHO.
Gastrointestinal issues are pretty common among tourists here. The best way to avoid these is to drink bottled water, and don’t use the tap water to brush your teeth. Most hotels and hostels will provide free filtered water so fill up here when you can. When eating street food, try to avoid stands with low customer turnover. If the food has been sitting out for a while, chances are it’ll make you sick. Try to avoid eating salads or fruits without a peel, as these may have been washed with tap water. If you’re staying in dorms, norovirus is, unfortunately very common and very hard to avoid.
If you do get sick, your first port of call should be a pharmacy, which even the smallest, most rural towns have. They can treat most minor illnesses and ailments. For anything bigger, you’ll need to head to a clinic or hospital. Tourists are generally advised to head to the private hospitals and clinics, as the public hospitals outside the capital are oversubscribed and generally underfunded. Outside of San Salvador, English-speaking doctors are harder to come by, so you’ll probably find yourself relying on Google Translate.
Cost
The cost of travelling in El Salvador can vary greatly depending on where you visit and how you travel. if you’re travelling inland, staying in dorms, eating street food and using the public buses, you can get by very cheaply. If you’re hanging around the coast, staying in hotels and eating out most nights, you’ll blow through any modest budget in a matter of days.
Generally speaking, your money will go much further in Santa Ana and Juayua, whereas in San Salvador and Surf City you’ll find yourself paying more for less. A dorm bed in Santa Ana will cost between £6-£15 a night (around $9-$20), whereas in El Tunco, the same bed will cost £13-£20 ($18-$27). You can find very cheap beds in the main tourist spots if you don’t mind sleeping without aircon. I got a bed for £8 a night in El Tunco, but there was no aircon and I risked my neck everytime I climbed into the top bunk. It depends on your priorities.
An average journey on a public bus will cost between 80¢ and $1.50, depending on the journey and whether the bus has aircon or not. Conversely, a shuttle journey between Santa Ana and El Tunco will cost $25. An Uber for the same journey will cost about $30. A 10 minute moto-taxi in San Salvador costs about $3.
Sit down meals in a brick and mortar restaurant, or in a Western fast food chain are pricey. To keep food costs down, consider eating in a local comedor, or eating street food. The average rate for a pupusa is between 70¢ and $1.50, depending where you are. Even cheaper still is cooking your own meals.
Activities in El Salvador are generally pretty cheap. The priciest activity in El Salvador is taking a surf lesson in El Tunco, which can cost up to $40 an hour at a reputable school. All the rest can be done either cheaply or more luxuriously, depending on your preferences. Camping overnight on Conchagua will cost about $21, for transport, entry and camping. Joining the public hike up the Santa Ana volcano can cost as little as $1.90 for the bus and the tour. And if you shop around, you can find a Seven Waterfalls tour in Juayua for as cheap as $10.
On average, I spent around £30 a day in El Salvador in 2025. This included food, transport, accommodation and activities. El Salvador on the whole is cheaper to travel around than it’s northern neighbours Guatemala and Belize. But it’s more expensive than Honduras and Nicaragua.
I hope this guide serves you well to plan your trip to El Salvador. Whether you’re planning to explore the highlands, or soak up the sun along the coast. It’s an incredibly exciting time to visit El Salvador. ¡Buen viaje!
