Two Perfect Days in El Zonte, El Salvador

El Zonte is a classic beach destination in El Salvador famous for surfing. It is also laid back and chill.

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We recommend 1.5-2 days for El Zonte. If you’re following our one-week itinerary, you will end your trip here. We finished ours here, and it really allowed us to relax before heading home. The El Salvador International Airport is only 53 km (1.5 hours’ driving) away.

Stay at Olas Permanentes Beach Resort (“Permanent Waves”) and spend your time enjoying drinks oceanside, dining, relaxing, swimming, body surfing, exploring – and even taking surfing lessons!

Note: This guide can be paired with our How to Spend a Perfect Week in El Salvador guide and itinerary, as well as guides for each destination included. Find all the links at the bottom of this guide or by clicking here.

Olas Permanentes Beach Resort ★★

The main building of Olas Permanentes is directly on the beach and 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.

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 ℉. There’s a very small pool with a fountain and outdoor showers. The beachy feel creates a relaxing atmosphere.

A chill, surfer vibe prevails at this resort, but families also daytrip in.

Olas Permanentes Beach Resort, El Zonte, El Salvador

View down the Beach from Patio of Olas Permanentes, El Zonte

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

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 resort can be noisy at night until around 10 PM.

River mouth Beach Pacific Ocean Olas Permanentes El Zonte El Salvador — El Zonte Beach, where the river flows into the Pacific Ocean

The Beach at El Zonte ★★

The striking black sand beach here is relatively narrow. Accommodations 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.

Black Sand Beach, El Zonte, San Salvador — Black Sand Beach at El Zonte, San Salvador

Dining at Olas Permanentes

You can order food and drinks – breakfast, lunch and dinner – 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 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, steak, and delicious, fresh and cheap Aguas Frescas.

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, dining tables, and benches.

Ceviche Olas Permanentes El Zonte El Salvador — Delightful Ceviche at Olas Permanentes, El Salvador

Swimming and Surfing

El Zonte is world renowned for surfing. March through May are peak months. We were here in October when the 4’-5’ waves made for exhilarating body surfing.

Be aware that you risk skinning your knees or other body parts on 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.

Surfing Lessons / Rentals

Olas Permanentes offers surfing lessons right at the resort for $35. Sign up at the reception kiosk between the parking lot and the lower deck. It also rents surf boards and boogie boards.

Exploring Beyond the Resort

Caves / Arches at El Zonte

Down the beach from Olas Permanentes are caves 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. Know the tide schedule – don’t become stranded!

Cave Beach Cliffs Inside View El Zonte El Salvador — View from Inside Caves along the Shore at El Zonte

River Mouth and Cliffs

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.

Rocky Beach and Mouth of River at El Zonte with Surfer

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.