El Salvador

Destination: El Salvador? Yes! Maybe you’ve heard it’s dangerous, or maybe you remember its civil war. El Salvador does bear the scars of war, and its people have suffered. Gang activity led to high crime in the past 20 years. But don’t be afraid to go! It is a developing country, and a beautiful, colorful one. Under the current administration, crime has dropped significantly.

The country boasts a year-round warm tropical climate, 23 active volcanoes, a beautiful coastline with black sand beaches, world class surfing, an abundance of flowers, and a modern infrastructure.

As a travel destination, El Salvador was not on our radar, but we are so glad we went! Friends recently moved to San Salvador as missionaries and church planters. They invited us down on a “Vision Trip.”

Other Reasons to Choose El Salvador

The country is easily accessible from the US: a flight to San Salvador from Atlanta only takes 3.5 hours. It’s in the GMT +7 (aka Mountain) time zone, the currency is the $USD, and it runs on the same electrical standard as the United States. El Salvador is also an inexpensive travel destination. But perhaps the best thing about El Salvador are its people, kind, gracious and friendly. Oh, and did we mention the food?

How we traveled

1. Nonstop flight from ATL to SAL. We used Delta Skymiles for our flights. See our Travel Tips page for information on how to collect airline miles.

2. Hired driver / van. Consider hiring a driver (list the company) if you will be day tripping to Cerro Verde National Park (Santa Ana volcano) or other destinations from San Salvador.

3. Uber – Super inexpensive and quick in San Salvador. $2 for a 2.5 mile ride within the city, and less than $40 for a ride from the airport to the east side of San Salvador. Tip: While easy and cheap within San Salvador, you may have trouble or a long wait getting an Uber back into town from destinations like El Boqueron National Park.

4. Rented car – We rented a car for our road trip around El Salvador. We paid around $350 for a five-day rental from National Car Rental.

Note: We had originally booked a car in advance with Budget since it was near our hotel and much less expensive. But when we were a few minutes late picking it up, Budget gave our car to someone else. If you want to rent from Budget, make sure you arrive well before the stated closing time.

Airport (SAL)

Arrival: El Salvador International Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez Airport (SAL): The airport is modern with plentiful and convenient facilities including duty-free shops, fast food and full-service restaurants, and bars. International flights deplane on the second level. Tourists arriving into SAL must pay a $12 tourist fee. Have this ready in cash. This is the first thing you will do after leaving the plane and before arriving at Immigration. Turn left from your gate to pay the fee, then proceed on to Immigration, where you will show your passport, be asked why you are coming into the country (you are a most likely a tourist), and where you will be staying. Have the address of your first night’s stay ready.

Go downstairs to baggage claim if you need to pick up checked bags.  Upon exiting the airport, you will be in the transportation area, which has a nice food court complete with some fast food chains. These include local chains as well as familiar chains such as Pizza Hut and Subway, and coffee shops.

Planning This Itinerary

After a number of iterations via our itinerary building approach, we settled on the following itinerary.

Download as Open Document Sheets and use in Excel or a cloud spreadsheet tool (e.g., GoogleDrive or Office 365). Update your arrival date in cell A2 and get started on your itinerary (automations/equations are embedded to make a few things quicker). This file can serve as a template for other trips as well.

Here is a map of our route and sites that might be useful to you.

Download as a KML file and use in Google Maps, Google My Maps, OpenMaps, or other mobile apps from the full screen view.

Eating in El Salvador

All over El Salvador, you will see countless food stalls selling handmade tortillas, pupusas, tortas, fruit, and fruit drinks in plastic bags with a straw inserted.

Food in El Salvador is delicious and inexpensive by U.S. standards. Fish and other seafood, as well as steak, are prevalent on menus, and are delicious. It is not hard to find nice restaurants, and you will be surprised by menu prices considering the food is delicious!

A backpacker on a budget could eat well for a few bucks per day. In restaurants, a 10% tip is added to all checks – no need to tip beyond that amount.

Breakfast (Desayunos)

In restaurants, where prices are low by U.S. standards, choose the traditional El Salvadoran breakfast. It typically consists of two eggs cooked your way, refried beans, fried plantains, tortillas or other bread, and sour cream or cheese. It will cost $8-10 in most restaurants and is substantial enough to power you through the morning and beyond. Check to see if breakfast is included with your accommodations.

Pupusas

The national food of El Salvador, pupusas are ubiquitous at roadside stands and on restaurant menus. Pupusas make a great lunch, consisting of thick tortillas stuffed with cheese and frijoles as the staple ingredients. They may also include chicken, pork, seafood, vegetables and sometimes loroco, an edible flower used throughout El Salvador for flavoring. Pupusas are inexpensive, delicious and filling and are usually served with sour cream and a cabbage relish and/or salsa.

Coffee

El Salvador is known for coffee (café). Years ago, when the indigo industry began to suffer, many landowners moved to coffee as a crop. In the 1920’s and 30’s, coffee represented 90% of the country’s exports¹.

Any coffee fan will be delighted with Viva Espresso, an upscale shop in the Col. San Benito area of San Salvador (map). There is a limit on how much coffee you can take out of the country, so keep that in mind.

Aguas Frescas

These fruit drinks are blended, not-too-sweet, and refreshing. A variety of fruits including strawberries, melons and papaya may be used. El Salvador also boasts delicious lemonades (limonada).

Pollo Campero is popular fast food chain.

San Salvador Historic District

Notes on Hiring a Guide for Touring the Historic District: Tour with a guide if possible. Our tour was led by Gerardo of Papagayo Adventures El Salvador (see the company Facebook page or email [email protected]).

Gerardo speaks English and is a fantastic and knowledgeable guide. He is licensed to give tours throughout the entire country. A private tour of the historic district with Gerardo as our guide was a colorful and rich experience.

Papagayo Adventures, which provides tours and transportation, is a family business started by Gerardo’s father. In El Salvador, private guides can be hired affordably, providing some protection, and making it a win-win situation!

Plaza Libertad

Liberty Plaza (“Plaza Libertad”) marks the geographical center of the city of San Salvador. At its center is a marble and bronze monument topped by the “Angel of Liberty”. The statue commemorates the nation’s struggle for independence from 1811-1911.

Iglesia El Rosario (Holy Rosary Church)

On the east side of Liberty Plaza is the Iglesia El Rosario. From the outside, the church looks like a nondescript concrete structure.

Step inside and you will see the astonishingly beautiful display of color created by its stained-glass windows. Every color of the rainbow is present, and the colored light casts onto the black and white tiled floor, creating stunning effects.

Look up to the wall above the door you came in to see the stained-glass Eye of God.

Plaza Gerardo Barrios

One block west of Liberty Plaza, Plaza Gerardo Barrios features a 1909 bronze statue of the former President.

Surrounding Plaza Gerardo Barrios are the National Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador.

National Palace

The current National Palace (El Palacio Nacional de El Salvador), a national historic monument, was completed in 1911. Set on the wide Plaza Gerardo Barrios, this impressive building is a great photo spot, especially in front of “EL SALVADOR” spelled out in large colorful letters.

Metropolitan Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador is an important Roman Catholic church located on Plaza Gerardo Barrios. Originally built in the late 16^th century, the church has been rebuilt twice due to earthquake and fire, but still boasts its original Byzantine and Romanesque styles.

Many visitors come to pay homage to St. Oscar Romero, a hero and martyr of El Salvador’s civil war. There is a large painting of St. Romero to the right of the altar. Go downstairs to see the crypt where he is interred.

Entry to the Metropolitan Cathedral is free and it is open 8 AM – 5 PM with masses at 6 AM, noon and 5 PM.

Adjacent to Plaza Gerardo Barrios and just to the south are colorful open-air markets with farmers and vendors selling produce, souvenirs and cheap eats – definitely worth a stroll through.

Our guide, Gerardo, shared with us about the August Festivities (Fiesta de San Salvador), which is the largest and longest running festival and holiday in San Salvador. For six days each year, August 1-6, the entire city is caught up in celebration of the Transfiguration of Jesus, The Savior (“El Salvador”), and includes family and religious events as well as parades and partying.

Other Places of Note in San Salvador

Don’t Miss – 1. Café Luz Negra. Located in the historic district, this independent coffee shop serves up delicious lattes, cappuccinos, frappes, and its signature drink, the Luz Negra. The Café also serves inexpensive pastries and other breakfast and lunch items, such as crepes, panini sandwiches, and pizza.

The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. While there are Starbucks and Juan Valdez chain locations in San Salvador, why not check out and support this local business?

2. If you need a modern grocery store with the essentials for cooking, snacking and picnicking, head to a Super Selectos location. Along with good grocery staples, its large produce section offers a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. It also has a nice bakery with delicious looking breads and pastries. 

3. El Salvador’s World Trade Center area features the Plaza Futura, a modern outdoor plaza with shops and restaurants. When we visited early on Sunday afternoon, local artisans were selling craft clothing, skin care products, scents, home décor, gifts, and more.

We ate lunch in the outdoor dining area, where our server brought us menus from three different restaurants. Alice had a delightful Ceviche Mixto and Fred had a seafood bowl with rice from Kosta Cevicheria.

Look for the excellent photo spot overlooking the city and Lake Ilopango (Lago Ilopango).

Notes on Driving and Walking in San Salvador

Traffic in downtown San Salvador is heavy and chaotic with many one-way streets and a “survival of the fittest” vibe. Pedestrians do not have the right of way in El Salvador, so be careful crossing busy roads. Outside of San Salvador, each town seems to have at least one speed bump (tumulos). Sometimes these are hard to see and can sneak up on you.

Accommodations

We stayed at the new Hotel Sueños. Its fantastic location near the World Trade Center and the Budget Rental Car, walking distance (1km) to a mall with a Super Selecto grocery store, and not far from the historic area attractions, makes it a great base for your time in San Salvador. Our double-double room was clean and adequate with comfortable beds, air conditioning, a walk-in shower, and a small refrigerator.

Eduardo at reception took good care of us, helping with our luggage, and we met Jose, the owner. Both Eduardo and Jose spoke English. Jose lived in the US for many years and recently moved back to El Salvador to open this hotel.

An excellent complimentary, in-house cooked breakfast is included with your room. The breakfast staff was kind and thoughtful of our needs and made us feel at home.

If you don’t need fancy, Hotel Sueños is a great find!

El Boqueron National Park

This national park can be visited as a half-day trip from San Salvador. It is about 30 minutes from the city center to the park. Here you can see the massive El Boqueron crater, the park’s main attraction. The crater is about 550 meters deep and 1.5 km wide – quite an impressive sight!

There are also hiking trails with scenic views of the city. At the time we visited, the park was closed for renovations, but we were able to see the crater using an alternate trail to the rim. As of the date of this writing, there should be a new, modern visitor center open.

Dining Near El Boqueron Crater

After touring the El Boqueron crater, we stopped for lunch at Hacienda San Cristobal. This restaurant serves delicious, fresh food in an open-air setting. There are fantastic views of San Salvador below. Check out the restaurant’s IG: @hsancristobal. Prices are affordable, with a large steak meal costing around $15 at lunch.

Termales Santa Teresa (Thermal Baths)

The Termales Santa Teresa is a large facility with hot springs and thermal baths near the start of the Rutes de las Flores and about 1.5 hours by car from San Salvador or 45 minutes from Santa Ana.

Bring your swimsuit and get ready for a day of relaxation and fun! At the entrance to the Termales Santa Teresa is a geyser with steam constantly rising. Get some photos and a short video here before driving in. The driveway up to the parking area is rocky and a bit rough but can easily be driven in a car. After parking, walk up to the top pool and make your way down, spending time in whatever pools interest you.

We spent about 2.5 hours exploring the pools, some scalding hot (we didn’t get in those!), some very warm, some cool, and several large, warm swimming-sized pools. The color of the water in the various pools ranges from emerald-green to vivid blue.

The beautiful grounds feature flowering plants and tropical trees. Swing in a hammock, sit and relax on deck chairs, and have coffee or lunch. 

Getting Around the Baths and Getting There

You will climb some stairs and a hilly path on your way back up to the top if you visit all the pools, but this is easily doable for a reasonably fit person.

The staff seemed adequate and were busy cleaning the pool decks and grounds and making improvements to the facilities when we arrived. The restaurants and bars were not yet open when we visited, but there are several outdoor dining areas.

We arrived early (at the 9 AM opening) and had the place to ourselves for the first hour or so.

Entrance Fee: $10 to enjoy multiple pools of varying sizes and temperatures. Sauna with eucalyptus and mud bath: $10 extra. Couples massage: $35. Outdoor cold-water showers and changing rooms are provided free of charge. Hotel Resort: Cabins available from $80 per person/night.

El Jardin de Celeste

After spending the morning at Termales Santa Teresa – or anytime – go for lunch (or dinner) at El Jardin de Celeste, a luxurious restaurant in a garden setting (map). Located about 15 km south of the Termales Santa Teresa in Ataco, this restaurant is often touted as the most prestigious in all of El Salvador.

El Jardin de Celeste has a tasty, extensive menu. Fred had grilled steak kebobs (one order was enough for two people) and Alice ordered a steak meal. Lunch, including Aguas Frescas, coffee and dessert, was about $25 per person. Fresh drinking water was provided at no cost.

After dining, walk around the grounds to see the many varieties of trees and other flowering plants. Great photo opportunities!

Local artisan stands just inside the restaurant sell coffee from the plantation, handmade textiles, and other gifts. There are also cabins for rent and the entire enterprise is set in a coffee plantation.

Suchitoto

Suchitoto, about two hours car ride from San Salvador, is a charming, picturesque colonial town with cobbled streets, a large, beautiful cathedral, and quaint, colorful houses and buildings. The town is compact, walkable and less hectic and crowded than San Salvador or Santa Ana. You will find abundant photo opportunities in Suchitoto. Just wander its streets.

Some places in the town offer sweeping views of beautiful Lake Suchitlan, which lies to the east of the town.

Tour of Suchitoto

We took an Historic Walking Tour led by Rene Barbon, the owner of Suchitoto Adventure Outfitters. Rene is an interesting and knowledgeable tour guide. For $20/person (and it was just the two of us), he will take you on a thorough, 2-hour tour of Suchitoto. We traveled around in his van between some destinations.

Los Tercios Waterfall

Rene first took us to the Los Tercios Waterfall (Los Tercios Cascada), which is about 1.5 km from Suchitoto. It’s a short but steep hike down to the waterfall, so wear sturdy shoes. (The picture below is from July 2024. Contrast with the trickle in October in the next picture.)

This is an unusual and beautiful falls, with water cascading down hexagonal basalt columns formed by volcanic activity. Rene shared stories from the lore surrounding the waterfall, making the time there enjoyable, and giving us a view into the local legends. Before heading back to town, walk out to the viewpoint (mirador) for great views down to Lake Suchitlan.

The Town of Suchitoto

After visiting the waterfall area, we hopped back into Rene’s van for our tour of colonial Suchitoto.

Rene is knowledgeable and insightful about the culture and history of the town and of the country of El Salvador. He clearly loves and believes in his country and its people.

Next on the tour was a visit to the Santa Lucia Church (Iglesia Santa Lucia), which dates from 1853.

Tobacco and Indigo

Near the main square and cathedral, we visited Laura Peña, the last cigar roller remaining in Suchitoto. She has been rolling cigars for many years and demonstrated her process to us. You can learn to roll a cigar, and for $5, purchase a bag of 12 or so freshly rolled cigars.

We also stopped by Arte Añil (an indigo shop) to meet Irma Guadron. Irma, who was open, kind and gracious, gave us a quick orientation and demonstration of the process of producing indigo-dyed clothing and other items. Alice bought a shirt and scarf here.

For $30, you can book an educational workshop with Irma and make a scarf to take home. Her store sells a variety of indigo-dyed products, from clothing for men, women and children, to quilts, tablecloths, tapestries and more. Check out her Instagram page, @irma_guadron.

We also learned about Alejandro Cotto, a filmmaker and writer who was known as the “Son of Suchitoto.”

A visit to the Arts for Peace Center (Centro Arte para la Paz) is a moving experience. Children in Suchitoto only attend school half-day due to lack of space. The Arts for Peace Center provides supplemental classes in the arts. Sister Peggy O’Neill founded the center and still works as its director. With Rene, who is also an artist, as our guide, this was a worthwhile stop.

Accommodations

We recommend the Mayan Grouper, a two-room hotel situated within a gated, secluded property and owned by Rene Barbon of Suchitoto Adventure Outfitters. When at the Mayan Grouper, you will be treated to amazing views of Lake Suchitlan and the surrounding mountains, and immersed in the beautiful gardens, including banana plants and lime trees, hammocks and a relaxing covered patio.

Our spacious and comfortable room cost $120 per night for two people and included breakfast. Dora, Rene’s assistant, prepared a delicious, made-to-order El Salvadoran breakfast that we enjoyed at a garden table.

Santa Ana

Santa Ana, El Salvador’s second largest city, bustles with traffic and people. It is a colorful city with food stalls and street markets everywhere. You can find free street parking if you are willing to walk a few blocks to the center of town.

Getting there: Our drive to Santa Ana was from Suchitoto and took about 2 hours. The roads are good, and the area is rural. This made for a scenic, interesting drive as we passed small villages and farms. In the approach to, and through each town, you will encounter numerous speed bumps (“Tumulos”), making the drive somewhat slow but still worthwhile.

Historic District

Santa Ana’s main sights are in a compact historic area surrounding its main square, Liberty Park (Parque Libertad).

Santa Ana Cathedral

Stop first at the Santa Ana Cathedral (Catedral de la Señora Santa Ana), which is located at the heart of the city’s historic district.  This soaring cathedral is highly photogenic with its white walls and impressive neo-Gothic architecture and spires.

Designated as a national monument in 1995, the current structure stands on the grounds of the original church, which was built in the late 1500s. The original parish was destroyed by lightning in the 19^th century.

Construction on the new cathedral began in 1904 and was finished in 1959. We were unable to find regular hours for visiting posted anywhere online. Unfortunately, the cathedral was closed during the entire two hours we were in the area. We hope it will be open when you visit!

Liberty Park

Liberty Park (Parque Libertad), right across the street from the front of the cathedral, is a great place to take photos and people watch. Check out the monument to Liberty. See our section “Soak in the Vibe” below for tips on enjoying Liberty Park and the streets of Santa Ana.

National Theater of Santa Ana

This theater is the oldest in Central America and a national monument. Completed in 1905, the architecture of the theater is eclectic, combining Romanesque, Greek and Renaissance styles.

A tour of the theater is worthwhile.  Tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday 8 AM to 4 PM (no admittance without tour). The English tour is $5/person or $7 if you wish to take photos inside. Fred meant to pay the extra $2 but didn’t, which was regrettable as the inside is lovely. Next time! We were able to walk up, and we received a private tour since we were the only ones there.

Our guide, a young female student, spoke excellent English and gave us a thorough tour. She shared about the history of the theater, showed us the president’s balcony box, and the elaborate men’s and women’s salons. The art deco interior of the theater is elaborate and decorated in dark red, gold and polished wood.

Other sights in Santa Ana

About 1.3 km away from Parque Libertad is the Old Art School (Escuela de Artes). The ruins of this colonial school are said to be a photographer’s dream. We tried to visit but were turned away by police; entrance to the attraction now requires a permit. The permit must be obtained at the tourist office in the main square. We chose to skip this as we had limited time and needed to get on to our next destination. From the outside, it is beautiful in a haunting way, and would be worth a visit if you obtain the permit beforehand.

Adjacent to the Old Art School is a large market. This huge, colorful area, which stretches for blocks, is not primarily a spot for tourists. We did not have time to walk through much of the market, but it is a fantastic cultural experience.

Soak in the Vibe: Grab some tortas and a big, cheap pack of fresh fruit called ‘jocote’ from street vendors or treat yourself to ice cream at the nearby Boston Ice Cream location. Soak in the vibe of this colorful city. Take a walk through its streets or hang out with the locals in Liberty Park. Families with children chasing pigeons filled the park during our visit.

Lake Coatepeque

This beautiful, natural crater lake is part of the Coatepeque Crater. It stretches over 26 square kilometres, is 120m deep at its deepest, and is said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The lapis blue water is stunning set against the forested hillsides. Luxury homes dot the shoreline.

A famous landmark on the lake is the Captain Morgan’s Hostel, which is about 30 minutes away from Santa Ana. We did not stop here, but it would be a fine destination if you are not staying on the lake but want to have a drink along the lakeshore. Reviews for the hostel are terrible, so don’t stay there.

Accommodations on Lake Coatepeque

We had one night on the lake before our Santa Ana Volcano hike. We stayed at the resort-like Hotel Equinoccio (book direct), which is about one hour away from Santa Ana on the lake’s southwest shore. The hotel is built into a hill with the gorgeous lakefront grounds descending down to the lake. There is a fantastic deck above the boathouse (check out the diving platform!), and a small but exquisite swimming pool.

Our lakefront room was clean and modern with every amenity we could want. This is a place to relax, which is what we needed. (The hotel also offers kayak rentals.)

We unwound from our previous days of sightseeing on the boathouse deck, enjoying the breeze and the beautiful lake. Occasionally a canoe or jet ski would travel past, but this is a peaceful, relaxing spot. We also enjoyed a swim in the pool.

Why not enjoy Pupusas by the pool at Happy Hour? In the evening, eat at the hotel’s indoor/outdoor restaurant and watch the lights come on over the water.

The staff were friendly and attentive, but not intrusive.

Practically adjacent to the hotel is the ferry to the island of Teopan, a Mayan site that also has some of the most exclusive homes in El Salvador. It was fun to watch the ferry shuttling back and forth.

Santa Ana Volcano / Cerro Verde National Park

One of the highlights of our trip was the hike to the top of the Santa Ana Volcano in Cerro Verde National Park. We did this with a guide, Gerardo of Papagayo Adventures El Salvador. You can email them at [email protected]). We recommend doing the hike with a private guide.

You are not allowed to do the hike without a guide, and it seemed to us that there would have been a lot of hassle if we had gone with one of the group guides you meet at the base of the volcano. Our time is valuable, and we did not want to spend half the day waiting for a guide to decide that his or her group was large enough to head up.

Tip: With a private guide, you can set your own schedule. We hired Gerardo of Papagayo Adventures, who lives in San Salvador. You can do the hike with him as a day trip from San Salvador or Santa Ana. He is a thorough guide, and a friendly young man, who is also an official tourist guide for all of El Salvador. Gerardo has guided many hikes in El Salvador, including a group of older people hiking every volcano in the country.

Hiking the Volcano

For the Santa Ana Volcano hike, Gerardo met us at 6:15 AM on the other side of the lake from our hotel. We drove from there to a private parking lot ($3) not far from the trailhead, arriving there about 7 AM.  This is a safe place to leave a car with luggage as it is watched by the owner all day. Because we were with Gerardo, we could start hiking before the opening of the park office (which is at 7:30 AM).

At 2,381 meters, the Santa Ana volcano summit is the highest point in El Salvador. You will gain 465 meters in elevation. We had the trail to ourselves the entire way up, not passing another person until after we left the summit. Our hike was about 6 miles roundtrip and moderately difficult. In some places, the trail is steep, but it is doable for a reasonably healthy person.

Views along the way are spectacular, as you can see the Izalco and Cerro Verde volcanoes along the hike and from the summit. The flora changes along the hike. As you move into a subtropical highland micro-climate, you will begin to see desert-like plants.

It took us a little over an hour to hike up. Unfortunately, the day was cloudy, and the summit was socked in with cloud and mist, windy and quite cool, which was a bit shocking after a week of warm temperatures. Wear layers!!

The Crater

Due to the inclement weather, we could barely see the surreal, teal-green-colored lake deep in the caldera. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Since it was cold, and visibility was poor, we headed back down after taking some photos.

Down at the ticket office, we paid our entrance fee ($7, but free for persons aged 60 and older) and used the free and clean restrooms.

Dining in the Park

A short drive away, Los Volcanes Bistro Café, was a great spot for a well-deserved El Salvadoran breakfast with excellent coffee. The bistro has fabulous views over the national park and Izalco Volcano. Outside are walking trails and a playground for children. Since the bistro is inside the Cerro Verde National Park, we needed to pay to park in the main lot.

Driving from Cerro Verde National Park to El Zonte and the Coast

The best route from the Cerro Verde National Park to El Zonte is south via Sonsonate on National Hwy 12, turning east (left) onto National Hwy 2 in San Julian. The 70 km drive is scenic, especially the portion on National Highway 2 that hugs the shoreline. As you near the coast, you pass through five dark, numbered tunnels. Watch for great views down to the ocean as you approach El Zonte.

El Zonte

We chose El Zonte as our beach destination because we had read that it is laid back and chill. It is also relatively close to the airport which served us well since we were flying home after our beach stay.

The Beach

The beach here is relatively narrow. Accommodations along this stretch of beach are elevated above the surf by a low wall. As such, chairs are not provided for sitting right on the beach, but you can swim, walk the beach, and enjoy the views with a cold drink from the resort’s patio and deck.

El Zonte is world renowned for surfing. However, October is not peak surfing season (March through May are peak months), but that made enjoying the water easier for us. The 4’-5’ waves make for exhilarating body surfing.

Be aware that you risk skinning your knees or other body parts. There are also rocks hidden in the water to the left of Olas Permanentes when facing the water.

There were almost always surfers in the water up and down the beach.

Olas Permanentes Beach Resort

Tip: For our beach stay, we wanted to be close to the El Salvador International Airport (SAL) since we would be flying home the morning of our last night’s stay. Olas Permanentes in El Zonte is only 52 km from the airport, or about an hour’s drive. Hence, it was an easy decision to book here.

This small, compact “resort” is smack dab on the gorgeous black sand beach. The water is warm all year, with temperatures constantly in the 80s F.

Tip: While we recommend this “resort” as an inexpensive, laid-back beach accommodation, do your own research. At the time we traveled, it was difficult to find other beachfront lodgings for a reasonable rate.

The main building of Olas Permanentes is directly on the beach, and it is where you will eat and spend most of your outdoor time, aside from swimming, surfing and exploring the beach. The structure is really more of a bar patio and an upstairs deck.

Olas Permanentes provides a good value and experience for the cost. Our room, which had two double beds and ensuite private bathroom was $80/night. It was basic but clean with comfortable beds.

There is also a small pool with a fountain and outdoor showers. The beachy feel creates a relaxing atmosphere.

The resort can be noisy at night until around 10 PM.

Dining at Olas Permanentes

You can sit at the bar or hang out at casual dining tables on the lower level, which has a sand-covered floor. Upstairs, there are hammocks, bar stools overlooking the water, and covered tables and benches.

You can order food and drinks on both levels of the main building. The attentive staff did not speak English for the most part, but they were patient with our very limited Spanish and Google translate.

The food at this resort is fresh and delicious. We ate dinner here both nights, trying a few varieties of ceviche, Pizza Mexicana baked in an onsite stone oven, fried seafood dinner, steak, and delicious, fresh and cheap Aguas Frescas.

Caves / Arches

Down the beach from Olas Permanentes are caves/arches that can be explored at low tide. Turn right on the beach when facing the water and head down past a rocky point (you will need to climb around or over some rocks; this can only be safely done at low tide). Once around the point, look right, and you are there.

In the other direction (left down the beach from the resort), you can walk down to (and through if you wish, and have water shoes – it is rocky!) a creek that divides the town and flows into the ocean. On the other side of the creek, and a little further down the beach, sheer cliffs rise up from the shore.

Surfing

Olas Permanentes offers surfing lessons. Approach the reception kiosk between the parking lot and the lower deck to inquire.

El Zonte to El Salvador International Airport (SAL)

The drive from El Zonte to the airport (SAL) is 52 km. However, we planned 1.5 hours for the drive, ignoring the one hour drive time provided by Waze. It is always best to cushion the allotted time when flying! The drive follows the coastline past La Libertad, before continuing straight east then turning slightly south toward the airport at San Luis Talpa. In La Libertad, you pass Sunset Park, a colorful, beachfront amusement park.

1. A Caffeinated Crisis: An Unfiltered Look at the Struggles of the Coffee Industry in El Salvador (harvard.edu) ↩︎