Nestled in the heart of Central America, El Salvador is a hidden gem that offers a diverse range of experiences for every type of traveler. From stunning beaches to lush mountains, rich culture, and history, this small yet captivating country has it all. If you’re planning a 7-day escape, this El Salvador itinerary is for you! This is a unforgettable travel guide that will take you on a journey through the very best of El Salvador.
| Letter | City |
|---|---|
| A | El Salvador International Airport |
| B | Santa Ana |
| C | El Tunco |
| D | El Salvador International Airport |
Table of Contents
- Day 1: Arrive in San Salvador and travel to Santa Ana
- Day 2-4: Explore Santa Ana and the surrounding area
- Day 5-6: Relax on the beach at El Tunco
- Day 7: Fly home.
- FAQ’s
- El Salvador Itinerary: Final Word
Day 1: Arrive in San Salvador and travel to Santa Ana
Starting off the El Salvador itinerary with flying into El Salvador. The airport is about a 45 minute drive from San Salvador. San Salvador is the capital of El Salvador, making it the largest city in the country. It also didn’t seem like the safest city to stay in so I recommend taking a taxi directly to Santa Ana. The taxis should be around $65, but make sure to agree on a price before getting into the car.
Spend the remainder of the day settling into your hotel or hostel in Santa Ana and exploring the nearby streets. It’s much safer to walk around El Salvador after mass arrests in the country to crackdown on gangs. As a solo female traveler, I didn’t feel unsafe while walking around anywhere. There is some catcalling on the streets but I never had anyone approach me or even follow me.
Where to stay in Santa Ana, El Salvador
Santa Ana is the second largest city in El Salvador and there is a lot going on here. Luckily, there are tons of hotels and hostels all around Santa Ana. I stayed at Hostal Villa el Campanario and it was one of the highlights of my time in El Salvador. Although it may not be the most organized hostel, it was definitely the most fun. And I don’t meet party fun, even though they do throw some pretty awesome parties. I mean the laidback and chill type fun but also party occassionally. The manager and the volunteers were awesome and made the vibe of the hostel so much more inviting. I managed to get stuck in Santa Ana during Semana Santa and ended up staying in this hostel for 2 weeks. So you can imagine how much I loved staying here if I stayed for an entire 14 nights.
A few other popular hostels in Santa Ana are Castello Hostel, Hostel Casa Verde, and Pool House Hostel. These hostels are located in the city center, unlike Hostal Villa el Campanario. The city center is a great location if you want to be near the hustle and bustle of everyday local life in El Salvador. I enjoyed staying in the residential areas of town, which is where Campanario is located.
Day 2-4: Explore Santa Ana and the surrounding area
There are several things to do in and around Santa Ana. If you are lucky to be in Santa Ana during Semana Santa (Holy week or Easter week) like I was, you’ll be able to see several processions starting the Thursday before Easter Sunday. If you go to the small town of Texistepeque the Monday before Easter Sunday, you’ll be able to see a festival where the locals dress up as devils and whip your sins away. No, really! Check out this article to learn more.
Here are some things to do in and around Santa Ana:
- Hike the Santa Ana Volcano
- Take a trip on a motorbike through the Ruta de las Flores
- Weekend food festival in Juayua
- Hike Las Siete Cascadas trail and swim in the waterfalls
- Visit the Salto de Malacatiupan, a hot spring waterfall
- Explore Cafe Albania in Apaneca
- Relax at Lago de Coatepeque
- Explore the Tazumal Mayan Ruins
Check out additional details on things to do in Santa Ana on this post!
Day 5-6: Relax on the beach at El Tunco
Travel from Santa Ana to El Tunco
Traveling to El Zonte from Santa Ana is very easy with the public buses and takes about 2 hours.
- Catch bus 201 from Santa Ana that goes to San Salvador. I caught the bus at this corner, but the bus also stops at the Metrocenter bus stop. Depending on how crowded the bus is, you may have to stand for the hour long journey. This ride will cost you $1.35.
- Ask the driver to drop you off at Estaci贸n Ceiba de Guadalupe outside of the main downtown area in San Salvador. Usually there will be other people getting off at this stop as well.
- Walk over the walkway taking you on the other side of the highway. There you will see another bus stop. Catch bus 102A to El Tunco for $1.50. Not to be confused with bus 102 that goes to La Libertad that will need another transfer to El Tunco ($1.25+$0.25).
- Just note that the driver may charge extra for your bags. And you may have to stand on the bus depending on how full it is.
- When you arrive in El Tunco, the bus will drop you off at the main road leading into El Tunco. You will have to walk that road inside the town to find your hostel. Don’t worry, it’s not a very long walk.
Where to stay in El Tunco
El Tunco has a variety of places to stay. From basic hostels to nicer hotels to luxurious Airbnbs, there is a place to stay for any type of traveler. As a budget backpacker, I stayed at the cheaper hostels. With that said, El Tunco may be one of the more expensive areas of El Salvador to travel to but will likely still be cheaper than your home country.
My favorite hostel was Papaya Lodge. It had air conditioning in the rooms, surf board rentals, and the perfect location. Just a block away from the main strip of restaurants and clubs, and also very close to the beach, Papaya Lodge is a no brainer. It even has breakfast included and the Wifi is pretty good! It does get booked up quickly on Hostelworld so try contacting them on WhatsApp to see if they have a bed available. Sometimes not all the beds are advertised on Hostelworld.
I also stayed at Mi Otra Casa, which was an ok stay if you are on a budget. They never cleaned the bathroom during my 3 night stay and may have not cleaned it before I got there. They do have a pool and a decent kitchen. Air conditioning is available at night, only if the volunteers remember to turn it on for you. Another hostel I saw that was nice was La Sombra Surf Hostel. Although they did not have air conditioning, they only have private rooms with shared bathrooms for the same cost as a hostel dorm room. I’ve also heard good things about Cannuck’s Guest House.
What to do in El Tunco
El Tunco in recent years has gained popularity as a surf and party town. It’s also famous for holding its yearly surf city competition bringing in all the pro surfers from around the world. The beach itself is a combination or rocks and larger rocks. However, further away from the main town is the more swimmable beach. A quick 20 minute drive can also take you to the calmer beach town of El Zonte. Also known as a top surfing destination, El Zonte is also known as “Bitcoin beach” after being one of the first places in El Salvador to accept Bitcoin as currency.
Here are some things to do in El Tunco:
- Surf! Board rentals cost $10 per day. Papaya Lodge has surf boards for rent or you can walk along the main street to any of the surf shops.
- Relax on the beach and catch a beautiful sunset. The best spot for sunset that I found was past the swimmable beach near the rocks here.
- Explore the El Tunco Caves. This can only be safely done around low tide, but you may still get wet. On the beach keep walking East for about 10 minutes and you’ll start to see the caves under the cliff.
- Take a trip to the Tamanique Waterfalls. Catch bus #187 on the main road that will take you straight to the town of Tamanique for $0.50. From there you can find the tourist information office in town and pay $7 per person. A mandatory guide will be assigned to you and you can begin the hike.
- Visit El Zonte for the day (or a couple nights!). Either hitchike from El Tunco to El Zonte, which is very easy to find a ride. Or take the #192 bus for $0.25. Make sure with the driver that he is going to El Zonte.
- Enjoy the nightlife! The weekends from Thursday to Saturday are always poppin’. Check out Kako’s Gastrobar, D’Rocas, and La Bonita. La Guitarra is also a chill place to grab a drink.
Day 7: Fly home.
This is the last day of this El Salvador itinerary! Take one last moment on the beautiful Pacific coast in El Tunco before making your way to the airport. The easiest way to the airport is by taxi or Uber which should cost around $40. If you are a budget backpacker, it is possible to take a bus to the airport.
- From El Tunco, take the #80 or #192 bus to La Libertad for $0.25.
- In La Libertad, catch the #166 or #187 bus and let the driver or the money collector know that you want to go to the airport. They will let you know when you get off to take the next bus.
- You will likely be dropped off on the side of the highway near San Luis Talpa. Ask the locals where you can catch the microbus to the airport which should be the #140 bus.
FAQ’s
How do I find cheap flights to El Salvador?
As tourism in El Salvador increases, so does the flight frequency to El Salvador. Coming from the US the flights have become more common and cheaper from major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Depending on where you are flying from, roundtrip flights can cost as low as $175 USD making it super affordable to travel to El Salvador! Follow these tips to find cheap flights to get the best bargain on your flight.
How do I get around El Salvador?
Public transportation, the chicken buses, around El Salvador is the cheapest way of getting around, however, is the most time consuming way. The chicken buses also do not go to the more remote parts of the country. Alternatively, rentals cars and rental motorbikes are available. Hostal Villa el Campanario in Santa Ana offers motorbike rentals for $15 per day. The motorbikes are a great way to go on short 5 to 7 day roadtrips to various parts of the country using Santa Ana as a homebase.
Is El Salvador safe to travel?
Yes, El Salvador is generally safe to travel. Over the past few years the president of El Salvador called for mass arrests to reduce gang violence around the country. Since then, crime rates have significantly declined. As a solo female traveler, I was able to travel around the country using the public transportation with no issues. Obviously follow the same rules in terms of safety as you would at home.
How do I take money out in El Salvador?
There are ATMs all around the country. I highly recommend getting money out at the ATMs as these offer the best exchange rate. However, be sure to DECLINE conversion when prompted by the ATM. WIth that said, cash is necessary in El Salvador. Fancier upscale places accept card but overall, it is best to keep cash. El Salvador used US dollars making it an attractive destination for Americans. One interesting thing I noticed was that in El Salvador they use the $1 coin rather than the $1 bill, which is more widely used in the US.
Can I pay with Bitcoin in El Salvador?
Yes, in select places you can pay with Bitcoin. For more information, check out this blog post on how to pay with Bitcoin in El Salvador.
How do I get cell service in El Salvador?
El Salvador, along with much of Central America has two main companies that sells SIM cards: Tigo and Claro. I always used Claro and found it to give me service in most places I went. They have a variety of packages to choose from. I was in El Salvador for 3 weeks so I ended up getting the Claro 30 days 15 GB package for $10 and it was more than enough data for me.
Where do I go after El Salvador?
After traveling El Salvador, most backpackers head South to Nicaragua. Others are heading North to Guatemala and maybe even Honduras. There are several shuttle options from Santa Ana, San Salvador, and El Tunco to various parts of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Check out Gekko Trails Explorer for shuttle options. Alternatively, your hostel may know another local shuttle company for a better price. Crossing borders can also be done via chicken buses, however, this may require multiple bus changes and more time.
El Salvador Itinerary: Final Word
This 7 day El Salvador itinerary showcases the diverse beauty and culture of El Salvador, from the historic city of Santa Ana to the tranquil beaches of El Zonte. If you do have more time I highly recommend exploring the northern highlands, Suchitoto, El Cuco and San Miguel. El Salvador, despite being a small country, has so much to offer and beautiful places to see.
With a history of gang violence, El Salvador, now in 2023, is a much safer and easier country to access due to the mass arrests issued by the current president. Safety has greatly improved and with that, tourism has also increased. With this El Salvador itinerary and some planning, although not completely necessary (I’m a big supporter of just winging it and going where the wind takes you!), you’ll be able to make the most of your time and create lasting memories in this remarkable Central American destination.
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The waterfalls on the Chorros de la Calera and the Las Siete Cascadas hike look incredible!
I’m actually amazed how cheap the flights were from the USA to El Salvador. I didn’t think you could get them so low. I’ve heard that the Semana Santa processions are beautiful to see and quite an experience. I knew how affordable Central America is but this is really affordable – really shows that travel doesn’t have to break the bank 馃檪 Thanks for sharing!!
This is such a good selection of spots! El Tunco looks GORGEOUS I could definitely see myself spending like 2 weeks here or something 馃槀馃槀