El Salvador exceeded my expectations — from how easy it was to get around to the quality of the roads and the genuine kindness of the locals. While the colonial towns may not be as picturesque as Antigua and the landscapes not quite as lush as Costa Rica, it still has all the elements you could want from a country in Central America, probably my favorite region in the world to travel in! El Salvador has such laid-back surf towns, a remote-work-friendly vibe, and a beautiful coastline. It’s an easy, relaxed destination that’s perfect for slow travel and settling in.

MINI GUIDE/FAQs

How many days should I stay? The country is small and you could see all the highlights within 7 days

What is the weather like? There is rainy and dry seasons, so check the weather!

How do I get around? I rented a car (~$35/day), but you should plan to rent the car at the airport. Uber is widely available. You can also rent a motor scooter ($20-$25/day) or take the local bus or for the further activities/sites you can do a tour with your hostel or hotel

How safe are the roads? I was surprised how safe the roads are!

What currency do they use? USD and Bitcoin

Do I need to plan in advance? No, but some of the smaller towns such as Mizata it would be better to reserve a few days prior at least

How’s the wifi? Great digital nomad destination as the infrastructure (roads and wifi) and built up

WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFOREHAND OR SURPRISED ME

It’s not that cheap! Prices for the restaurants are between $10-$20 and only the pupusas on the street are cheap (~$1)
The waves are bigger than I thought and varied based on the location I was at
The roads are really good and there is service and working wifi everywhere!
Take an Uber from the airport rather than a taxi, they tend to overcharge
It doesn’t matter that much where you base yourself, as the country is small and it is easy to drive anywhere! I recommend you base yourself on the coast, in spots like El Zonte.

Helpful Tip: Everywhere in El Salvador is pretty close together, so you can base yourself anywhere you would like and if you have a longer period of time you can switch between locations. My favorite town was El Zonte and I recommend you base yourself there.

This hotel has two dorm-style rooms and was the perfect place to stay in El Zonte — clean, set away from the crowds, and perched on a hilltop with a stunning view.

Hotel Spotlight: El Xalli

I loved staying at El Xalli. The property has two small pools, a beautiful yoga deck, and a small shared kitchen for dorm guests, which made it especially convenient for a longer stay. The staff were incredibly friendly, and the ocean views from the hilltop are absolutely stunning. It’s a peaceful, quiet spot and a great place to work remotely.

The only downside is that it’s about a 15-minute walk to town and the beach, and the heat during the day can make it feel longer. That said, the seclusion is what makes it so special. The restaurant serves good food, and overall the facilities feel much more like a boutique hotel than a typical hostel — easily one of the nicest I saw in El Salvador.

Getting Here

Most travelers fly into Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport (SAL), the country’s main international airport just outside San Salvador. From there, it’s about a 1-hour drive to El Zonte. An Uber or taxi typically costs around $45 USD, making it an easy and straightforward trip straight to the coast.

Opt for an Uber rather than a taxi because it will likely be cheaper or the same price.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR A 5 DAY ITINERARY

Soak up the sun in a surf town

I recommend basing yourself in El Zonte, but I also stayed in Mizata and although the surfing is amazing here, the town is very very small

Take a surf lesson

There are so many spots to surf, I personally liked Mizata the best because the waves are good, the beach is long stretch with a beach break, and it is not crowded

Santa Ana Volcano or Lake Coatepeque

These are the most popular adventure destinations that can be done as a day trip. There is also San Salvador Volcano.

If you have more time, instead of doing a day trip, you can stay near Santa Ana or these sites and stay at lovely hotels with beautiful views or glamping sites for a night (but to me, the main appeal and attraction of El Salvador is the beach and therefore I recommend staying there). Know that there tends to be traffic in the country and it can take a bit longer to reach your destinations if you are driving! You can also easily book a tour through your hotel or hostel to any of the major tourists sites (~$80-$100), but if you rent a car you can also go on your own.

Santa Ana Volcano: people told me you will have to pay for a guide when you get there and to be there latest by 10:30AM.

Visit the Ruta de la Flores

Not as beautiful as other colonial towns in Central America, but if you rented a car and feel up for the drive, I recommend exploring the smaller towns

Hike & Explore the Nearby Waterfalls

Seven Waterfalls is the most popular one or opt for Tamanique Waterfalls which is closer to the coastal towns

Where Should I Stay?

The country is quite small, so it is not necessary to base yourself in multiple locations — it’s easy to drive around and see a lot in a short time. The main appeal of El Salvador is the coast and surfing, therefore I recommend basing yourself there.

I recommend basing yourself in El Zonte. El Tunco is larger, louder, and skews younger with more of a party scene, whereas El Zonte has a nicer beach, magical sunsets, and still a solid mix of restaurants. El Tunco is very close to El Zonte so it’s still a great option and many people resort to basing themselves there. I wouldn’t recommend staying in La Libertad, and if you choose Mizata, just know it’s very small — you’ll likely want a car, or at least go in expecting a super quiet, remote vibe. I drove along the coast several times and it is very beautiful and there are great surf spots, but much of the coast isn’t very built up such as K59 (surf spot).

In the colonial towns, my favorites were Juayúa and Ataco. You could easily opt for one night to base yourself in either of these towns, or stay closer to Santa Ana and the volcano area if you’re looking for more of a nature-focused or glamping-style experience. The route de las Flores, the volcano, and the lakes can be done as day trips so you don’t need to base yourself there. You could just do one night if you don’t want too much driving from the beach towns.

RECOMMENDED HOSTELS FOR WORKING

El Xialli - El Tunco ($30/night for dorm)
Casaola Mizata - Mizata ($25/night for dorm)

WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND SKIPPING

Atami Resort is very popular on social media but the place is a bit tired the facilities are a bit old. The restaurant does have an amazing view and you can go just to eat there. If you want a day club, I recommend the one in Mizata, as it’s much nicer and newer.
La Libertad was my least favorite town. While there are a few surf spots nearby, but I didn’t find it as charming or interesting compared to other beach towns along the coast.

Recommended Cafes & Restaurants

Nawi Beach House - Mizata - Views, Food, Working Cafe

This is a beach club that you can pay for a day pass or just eat there as well but not use the pool. On weekends they have a DJ. The service is a little slow but it’s a nice spot.

El Pausa Restaurante - Mizata - Views, Food, Working Cafe

Really beautiful views, the food isn’t bad and it was a nice spot to work at

Balance Cafe - El Tunco - Working Cafe

Great wifi, chilled vibe, and super healthy food! It’s hard to get some solid, fresh greens in El Salvador and so this hit the spot!

Surf Cafe - El Tunco - For Coffee and Matcha

Has both indoor and outdoor seating with good wifi and excellent matcha. They also have A/C inside

Soya - El Tunco - For Healthy Food

Healthy grocery store

Nomada Cafe + Social - El Tunco - Working Cafe

Super aesthetic and a great spot for working remotely

Beto’s Restaurant - El Sunzal - For Dinner

Beautiful view and good restaurant for food. Not the best place for working since it’s all outdoors and even though they have large umbrellas, it got quite hot

Covana Seaside Kitchen - El Zonte - For Views (and can also work there)

Very pretty view and lots of space, but the food is a little pricey

Nan Tal - El Zonte - For views, food, and working

My favorite place in El Salvador that I went to that checks all the boxes you could want in a space

Roka - El Zonte - Nice dinner

Didn’t get to go but the aesthetic looked amazing

Pupuseria Jeisi - El Zonte - Cheap eats

There was always such a long line!

Hotel El Xalli - El Zonte - View sand working cafe

This is where I stayed but the food was really good, beautiful views, and great space to work

Plan a Trip to El Salvador