With 200 miles of shoreline, greater than 170 volcanoes, a number of archeological websites with Maya ruins and a wealthy coffee- and cacao-farming custom, El Salvador is a wonderland for browsing, adventuring and stress-free.
Sadly, many years of instability and violence chipped away on the nation’s fame overseas. But latest vital strides have set the stage for a brand new period of tourism – together with cracking down on crime, enhancing roads and investing in new lodges and flight routes – and earned this tropical vacation spot one other look.
You may completely have a implausible time in El Salvador, and we suggest you uncover it for your self. What is going to make your journey even higher? The planning suggestions and precautions beneath.
Right here’s all you want to know before you set off for El Salvador.
Planning your journey to El Salvador
1. Get pleasure from each a metropolis and seaside trip
El Salvador is about 8000 sq miles (21,000 sq km) – roughly the identical measurement as fellow Central American nation Belize – but extremely ecologically various.
This mix makes a five-night journey encompassing the capital metropolis of San Salvador and the Pacific coast (a couple of 45-minute drive away) totally possible.
Fill your time in San Salvador with architectural and cultural visits to the Nationwide Palace, Artwork Museum of El Salvador and the extraordinary El Rosario church. On the coast, the fishing port of La Libertad has develop into widespread for its browsing and beachfront lodges.
2. However don’t miss out on volcanoes, forests and ruins
A nationwide park with three volcanoes (El Boquerón), a forest reserve that’s a former battleground (Cinquera), a cobblestoned city (Suchitoto) and “the Pompeii of America” (Joya de Cerén) may get you to prolong your journey to El Salvador to a complete week…or longer.
Whereas El Boquerón is just a half hour from San Salvador and doable as a day journey, Suchitoto is an efficient 90-minute drive in the other way of the coast. It’s a cobblestoned city with colonial structure and a very good spot to spend an evening or two.
3. Brace for increased costs throughout peak intervals
Home journey spikes throughout the winter holidays, via the New 12 months, Holy Week (Easter) and the primary week of August. In case you go to throughout these occasions, chances are you’ll pay a premium for lodges, plus expertise greater crowds at museums and parks.
4. Plan across the wet season
Your finest wager for clear skies and mud-free mountaineering is a go to throughout the dry season, from November via April. In case you determine to throw warning to the wind (and drizzle) by visiting throughout the wet season (Might to October), pack a rain jacket, quick-drying layers and additional pairs of socks.
It’s additionally necessary to word that not all roads are paved in El Salvador. Heavy rains may cause flooding, main to highway closures and longer drive occasions.
5. Skip the foreign money change
If your property foreign money is the US greenback, there’s no want to swap cash. USD has been an official foreign money of El Salvador since 2001.
But it surely’s a good suggestion to deliver some small payments with you. Most companies will settle for a $20 invoice, however 50s and 100s might be tougher to break. ATMs are broadly obtainable in business facilities, and most will allow you to select English to your transaction.
In a stunning transfer, El Salvador added a second nationwide foreign money in 2021: Bitcoin. Although the federal government requires all companies to settle for digital foreign money, solely about 20% do, so that you’ll almost definitely be dealing in {dollars}.
6. Rent a driver for multi-city itineraries
Most lodges can prepare an airport switch or enable you get a taxi to a close-by vacation spot. However when touring between cities, hiring a driver or tour operator is extremely really helpful.
Visitors in San Salvador might be intimidating. Rural roads are sometimes unpaved and rife with potholes, and generally flip into single lanes that may be tough to navigate for overseas drivers.
A tour operator can present really helpful excursions or create a customized itinerary. Conveniently, the nation’s ministry of tourism has an inventory of really helpful tour operators on their web site.
7. Convey your passport and purchase a vacationer card
For US residents, a present US passport is required for entry, together with a $12 vacationer card (legitimate for 90 days) that may be bought on the airport whenever you arrive; no visa is required.
Citizens from nations like Australia, Canada and the UK solely require a legitimate passport for entry – a visa is just not obligatory for stays underneath 90 days. Nonetheless, these visa-exempt vacationers are nonetheless required to purchase the vacationer card on the airport upon arrival. Verify together with your nation’s embassy for entry necessities.
Etiquette in El Salvador
8. Brush up in your primary Spanish
Spanish is the official language right here, and although employees will doubtless communicate English at eating places and lodges in main vacationer areas, it’s good manners to not less than know a number of greetings en español.
Easy and helpful phrases akin to hola (hey), buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon) and buenas noches (goodnight) are an honest place to begin.
9. Be ready to see a machete or two
Within the US, park rangers may decorate with a compass and drawstring hat. In El Salvador, dense forests name for a decidedly completely different accent: a machete.
Don’t be shocked in case your information carries a blade to clear branches from mountaineering trails. However undoubtedly don’t deliver your individual.
10. Gown appropriately for church
As with visiting most non secular facilities around the globe, cowl your legs and shoulders when visiting the nation’s Catholic cathedrals.
A knee-length skirt will suffice for those who don’t need to put on pants, and wrapping a shawl round your shoulders works to cowl a tank high.
11. Go away a tip for good service
In eating places and bars, leaving a 10 p.c tip is frequent. But make sure to all the time test your invoice before tipping as a result of generally it’s already included.
12. Perceive the nation’s latest historical past
From 1980 to 1992, El Salvador skilled a bloody civil struggle, and the consequences of that tumultuous interval are nonetheless felt in the present day. It’s very doubtless that your tour information or the bartender serving up your Cadejo (a well-liked native beer) both lived via the struggle or had relations immediately affected by it.
Be respectful and know that not everybody desires to speak about their experiences. However whenever you do meet somebody who’s open to sharing – for instance, you possibly can take a tour of Cinquera led by a former guerilla fighter – allow them to know how grateful you’re to hear their story.
13. Sip and slurp scorching meals…even within the warmth
The pupusa (stuffed corn tortilla) is perhaps El Salvador’s most well-known meals, however soups and broths are additionally beloved right here, although temperatures are tropical a lot of the 12 months.
Don’t be stunned in case your waiter recommends a steaming bowl of seafood broth or sopa de pata (soup constructed from cow’s ft…yep!) although you’re prepared to hit the seaside.
Likewise, Salvadorian espresso, a high agricultural export because the 1800s, can’t be missed. Nor ought to atol de elote, a candy drink made with corn and served scorching – although grouchy gourmands ought to steer clear: Maya folklore says the beverage turns bitter if somebody in a foul temper touches it.
Well being and security in El Salvador
14. Confirm your vaccine wants
The one vaccine required to enter El Salvador is yellow fever, and that’s provided that you’re six months or older and from a high-risk nation (nations in South America and Africa, or Panama).
15. Simply say no to faucet water
Stick to bottled water and ice constructed from purified H2O solely; water from the faucet might be contaminated.
16. Keep away from strolling alone and driving at night time
In each huge cities and rural areas, it’s all the time really helpful to keep away from strolling alone at night time. In case you’re not with a gaggle, ask your resort or restaurant to prepare a taxi experience for you.
Likewise, for those who do lease a automobile, skip driving at night time. Not solely will you decrease your possibilities of theft, however you’ll even have better visibility on roads with poor lighting or none in any respect.
17. Know a protected taxi whenever you see it
All the time search for an “A” at first of your taxi’s registration to affirm it’s official. Additionally, most taxis don’t have meters, so agree on a worth together with your driver before you get in.
18. Avoid sure areas in San Salvador
Sadly, gang violence stays an issue in El Salvador. Gangs don’t usually goal vacationers, but to keep away from getting caught within the crosshairs, keep away from the areas of Soyapango, Apopoa and Mejicanos in San Salvador.
On the flip aspect, the Centro Histórico in San Salvador – the place lots of the metropolis’s museums are situated – tends to be safer thanks to a better police presence.
19. Tread rigorously as an LGBTIQ+ traveler
Amongst Salvadorans, discrimination and violence in opposition to the LGBTIQ+ group have been nicely documented by such watchdogs as Human Rights Watch.
With this in thoughts, same-sex {couples} needs to be cautious about public shows of affection. Moreover, it’s value researching lodges forward of time and looking for out gay-friendly stays.
20. Dial these digits for the police
In case of an emergency, name 911. To contact the Politur – a department of the Nationwide Civilian Police devoted to the well-being of vacationers – particularly, name 2511-8300 or 2511-8302. They will provide security info and, with correct preparations, may even present escorts.
21. Be aware of hurricane season
Sometimes, hurricane season lasts from June to November. Simply as with the wet season, unpaved roads might develop into flooded when a storm strikes, altering journey routes or, in extreme circumstances, requiring you to keep put for a day or two.
If you intend to go to throughout this time of 12 months, test together with your resort and journey insurance coverage about hurricane contingency plans. Plus, monitor climate and potential storms within the days main up to your journey.
22. Go away your edibles and CBD balms at dwelling
Hashish and cannabis-derived merchandise, like CBD, are unlawful in El Salvador, so purge your toiletry bag of any oils, serums or lotions that would get you in scorching water.
Talking of which, El Salvador has among the harshest punishments on the earth for drug possession, so that is undoubtedly not the holiday to experiment with every other illegal substances, both.