What makes El Salvador special is the lack of tourists. It’s the perfect place to get back to nature (this does not mean that you should walk around naked!), with jungle trekking and volcano hiking aplenty. Capital city San Salvador is a winner for top-notch nightlife.
El Salvador Facts
• Capital City: San Salvador
• Currency: US Dollar, USD
• Language: Spanish
• Time Zone: -6 GMT
• Dialling Code: +503
• Religions Practised: Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestant)
• Total Area: 21,040 square kilometres
• Population Size: 6704932
Practical Information
Voltage and Plug Info:
115 V. American-style plug with two blades with or without a round grounding pin.
Visas:
The majority of visitors to El Salvador will not need a visa but will purchase a 30 day tourist card when you arrive. It is possible to extend this to 90 days and this will cost just a little bit extra.
Safety:
El Salvador has a reputation of violence and muggings so great care is needed when travelling. Tourists are rarely targeted in violent attacks but pickpockets and thieves are common so never flash your valuables and whenever possible keep passports and credit cards in a hotel or hostel safe. Women should never travel alone and it is not recommended for anyone to travel alone after dark.
Vaccinations and Health:
If you are entering El Salvador from a country that has a risk of yellow fever you will need to have had a vaccination and a certificate to prove it. There is a very low risk of malaria so it is best to check before you leave if you will need antimalarial medication. It is also advised that travellers have their tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies vaccinations.
El Salvador Travel Tips
Best Time to Visit?
El Salvador is warm all year round and has a dry season between November and April and a wet season for the remaining months.
The best time to visit is often thought to be on the change of the seasons when you will experience a little rain but not too much and temperatures will be pleasantly warm.
It is busy around Christmas and New Year and also between June and August when Europe and North America have their vacations.
Getting There and Away
There are regular flights to El Salvador Airport in Comalapa from international destinations.
The airport is 45 minutes from the centre and you can catch either a bus or a taxi there. The airport officials can be very strict so make sure you have all the correct documents to make sure you breeze through customs.
It is also fairly cheap and easy to take a bus from other Central American countries to El Salvador. First class buses are highly recommended as there are often thieves on the cheaper buses. You will find buses from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama and also from Mexico.
Getting Around
Buses are frequent and cheap and travel to the main areas of El Salvador.
They can be overcrowded and confusing but the locals are helpful and will generally point you in the right direction. Keep an eye on your bags on local buses as thieves are not uncommon. It is possible to rent a car but driving can be dangerous and not for the faint hearted.
You can rent a taxi for either a single journey or by the day or half day. Prices are negotiable so make sure you agree before getting in the taxi. You can ask in your hotel or hostel to find out roughly what you should be paying.
Safety
Do not be too stressed out by the safety issues – most people have no problem in El Salvador and those who did usually did not follow the basic safety advice.
Tips include: never leave your bag unattended, be discreet with your valuables, do not walk on your own at night in big cities, have a separate ‘give-away’ wallet with some money (just in case), leave your important documents whenever you can, make copies of your documents, beware on crowded buses (remember that most of the thefts are of the ‘opportunist’ type) and avoid traveling at night.
Best Things to Do
Don’t leave without…
Riding the bus like Bart Simpson
Brightly coloured, rickety and straight out of Springfield, the old US school buses that ferry the locals around are a sight to behold. Witness their full glory at Santa Ana’s bus terminal.
Answering your caffeine calling
Go on a coffee crawl along Ruta De Las Flores, which passes through the country’s best plantations – Juayúa town plaza is a particularly fine place to down the brown stuff.
Stuffing your face with tortilla
Stretch your stomach with these corn wonders. It costs just 25 cents for a huge stash, fresh from the tortilleras’ fair hands.
Having an art attack
Marvel at the childlike paintings of Fernando Llort Choussy, the internationally famous artist whose work adorns San Salvador’s metropolitan cathedral. And don’t say, “my five-year-old brother could do better than that.”
Surfing Salvadorean style
El Salvador’s Pacific coast boasts gnarly breaks and bath-temperature water. Punta Roca is dubbed Central America’s best wave, with consistently ‘choka’ right-handers. It’s a paradise for dudes in board shorts.
Relax in El Cuco
Stretch out on the dark sand beaches of El Cuco to top up your winter tan, with temperatures reaching up to the mid-thirties, even in the winter months. Kayak through the mangroves, unleash your inner surfer or just chill out in a hammock.
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