Impressions after two months in El Salvador

Hi there,

In 2024, I spent two months solo in El Salvador. While I’m still putting together my travel journal on Myatlas, here’s a quick recap. It’s a country where it’s really easy to travel without a guide or agency.

SAFETY:

For a long time, the country was considered one of the most dangerous in the world because of the "maras," ultra-violent gangs. But today, I think it’s the safest country in Latin America.

BUDGET:

For French tourists, the country is very affordable, especially in the less touristy regions.

TRANSPORT:

I got around everywhere by local bus.

Local buses go everywhere and run all the time. For me, it’s the best way to travel in El Salvador—you’re fully immersed, moving at the pace of the locals, and interacting with Salvadorans who are eager to connect with travelers.

I saw all sorts of things on those buses—I’ve got dozens of stories!

PEOPLE:

I’m used to traveling all over Latin America, and for me, Salvadorans are the warmest and most welcoming. Everywhere you go, people say, "Welcome to El Salvador!" The connections and long conversations with locals were my favorite part of the trip.

TOURIST CROWDS:

The country isn’t well-known among European tourists, but Americans and Quebecers visit. Overall, it’s still pretty low-key, especially compared to other Central American countries. That said, tourism has been growing since security improved significantly.

WHAT I LOVED ❤️

-Suchitoto, one of the most beautiful colonial towns in Central America.

-The volcanoes—there are so many! Santa Ana is the most touristy.

-The lakes—also plentiful. Coatepeque is the most famous, but there are lots of lagoons too.

-The mountainous regions, where the cooler weather is a nice break: La Palma, Perquín, Cerro El Pital, etc.

-The charming villages along the Ruta de las Flores, especially Nahuizalco with its nighttime atmosphere and food stalls. Juayúa and others are great too.

-The conversations with people who lived through the horrors of the civil war in Perquín and Cinquera. I met one of them by chance while waiting for a bus.

For surfers, El Salvador is a paradise, with world-famous beaches.

WHAT I LIKED LESS:

I loved almost everything, but I found the archaeological sites a bit underwhelming. Joyabaj de Cerén is billed as the "Pompeii of El Salvador," which is a stretch (though it *is* a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historical value).

Here are a few to illustrate my little recap—they’ll be part of the photos I’ll add to my travel journal on Myatlas: Lago Coatepeque, near La Palma and San Ignacio (mountains), Volcán El Boquerón, downtown San Salvador, making "pupusas", Suchitoto church, Nahuizalco market, Laguna El Jocotal, and El Cuco beach.

Just correcting the name of the archaeological site—it’s "Joya de Cerén," not "Joyabaj," which is in Guatemala.

Hi Marie (Sinforosa),

First of all, since it's January 2nd, all my best wishes for 2026 with wonderful travels ahead. I’m planning to visit El Salvador in six weeks and I’m looking for some info. I’m particularly interested in local bus transportation (chicken buses). I’m mostly thinking of heading west, to the region north of Sonsonate, the Ruta de las Flores, then Santa Ana, Lake Coatepeque, Suchitoto, La Palma, and finally the San Miguel area. I’ve read that the buses are packed—can you still board with a backpack? Are there buses running every day to these villages? Is there a way to get from the airport to Sonsonate without going through the capital? Same question for traveling from Santa Ana to Suchitoto without passing through San Salvador? For accommodation, how can I spot places to stay, preferably homestays? I’m not really keen on using Booking.com (even though I found amazing places with great hosts in Colombia that way). It’s peak season in February and March, and if there’s a way to book via WhatsApp before arriving, I’d love to get some tips on that. I just checked out your Guatemala blog, by the way—it’s fantastic and brought back some great memories. I’ve been passionate about Latin American countries for a long time and have visited many, solo or with just one other person, and I’ve never had any issues. Thanks in advance if you can share some info, and happy New Year! Miolysa

Hi Lydie,

I mostly traveled by chicken bus, and they don’t accept large suitcases—unlike in Nicaragua or Guatemala, where they put them on the roof. I had to leave my suitcase at a hotel in San Salvador, which stored it for free. But I think with a medium-sized backpack, you can board.

There are buses all the time—several per day—and they go everywhere. They’ll stop pretty much wherever you want.

For Suchitoto, I was coming from the east of the country and had to take several buses, but even if you have to go back through San Salvador, Suchitoto is very close to the capital.

Anyway, the country is small, and the distances are short.

For accommodations, there are Airbnbs, especially in Santa Ana. I stayed in hotels, and in less touristy areas, they’re not very expensive.

You can go to the Tourism Office in San Salvador—they can give you the exact bus routes. I found out about this after I got back (in some areas, I struggled a bit to figure out where the buses left from).

The regions you’re planning to visit are the most touristy, so it’s very easy to get there and find information.

I used the *Le Petit Futé El Salvador* guide from 2019, but it still has valid info.

The El Salvador Tourism Office website is well done and has a lot of useful info—I’ll share the link (in Spanish and English): https://elsalvador.travel/esp/

In the coming weeks, I’ll be putting together a more detailed travel journal on MyAtlas.

Hi Marie, thanks for the details. Apparently, traveling in El Salvador isn’t any more complicated than in other Latin American countries. While the places I’m planning to visit are touristy, I still hope that in the mountain villages it’s less crowded than on the coast. I also checked out the *Petit Futé* guide for Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador, but it’s from 2015. I’ll try to look it up on MyAtlas before I leave 🙂 thanks again

Hi again,

In 2024, international tourism wasn’t very developed in El Salvador, and it was a bit trickier to travel there than in Guatemala, for example, where everything is well organized. But traveling in El Salvador isn’t all that complicated if you’re used to taking buses in Latin America.

I didn’t go to the beaches in La Libertad or El Tunco—the accommodations there are apparently expensive.

In the mountainous areas in the east and west of the country, like the La Palma-San Ignacio zone, Perquín, etc., there were fewer tourists.

In 2024, El Salvador wasn’t a touristy country. Most of the tourists were Salvadoran-Americans, and for many, it had been a long time since they’d returned to their country of origin.

I’m not on Facebook, but there’s a page where you might be able to find some info

I think it shouldn’t be too complicated, then. The country is small. Since I speak Spanish, that should help me find where the buses leave from. I travel light—max 8 kilos total (medium backpack plus a small one). Thanks for the El Salvador tourism link; it looks well done. Otherwise, I’m not a big fan of Facebook. Have a good evening

I’m bilingual in Spanish, and it was still a bit tricky to figure out where the buses leave from and at what time because nothing was written down. There were no ticket counters, and the people you ask might send you to the wrong place. In Perquín, I mentioned it to my accommodation owner, and he said he’d report it so it could be better signposted.

I’m not a big fan of beaches, but I went to El Cuco and Playa Metalio at the end of my trip. They’re not really suitable for swimming, especially Playa Metalio, where drownings happen often.

Happy trip planning! !

Hi Marie, I’m starting to look at accommodations in a few places I’d like to visit (not on the coast). It doesn’t seem straightforward unless you’re going for dorms. What I’m ideally looking for is a homestay with kitchen access. In Colombia or Mexico, for example, this kind of accommodation is common, and I have great memories of it—but I’m not finding it in El Salvador. I assume it must exist, but it feels like the overall accommodation options in the country aren’t very extensive yet. If you’ve got any tips, thanks in advance! Miolysa

Hello,

I only stayed in hotels, but I know there are Airbnbs—apartments with kitchens. I met an American tourist who spent her three-week vacation in the same apartment in Santa Ana. There are Airbnbs in other places besides Santa Ana too.

In Santa Ana, I stayed in a youth hostel where I had a private room with a bathroom, and I think we could use the kitchen. This hostel is listed in *Le Petit Futé*; I believe it was the Hostal Casa Verde. Private rooms are often available in youth hostels.

Tourist spots are starting to have quite a few lodging options.

As for staying with locals, I can’t help you—I don’t do that.

I saw that on the El Salvador tourism office website (the link I shared), there’s a "contacto" tab with phone numbers for several regions and even the airport. There might be a WhatsApp number where you can ask them about homestays.

Hi there,

You mentioned Booking for accommodations. Since you speak Spanish, why not book by phone and try to negotiate the price, especially if you're staying more than one night? That's what I used to do.

I hadn't booked accommodations in advance, except for the first few nights in San Salvador. After that, I'd call a day or two ahead and negotiate because I always stayed more than one night—this was in July and August 2024.

Otherwise, on another forum, I’d chatted with someone who traveled at the same time as you, in 2025, and she didn’t book anything at all. She’d arrive by bus and start looking for a place to stay—she always found somewhere.

Hi there, thanks again—I’ll call a few days before arriving somewhere to book accommodation. That’s the best way to travel at my own pace... Have a great week! Miolysa

Hi Lydie,

If you're interested, I've started posting my travel journal about El Salvador. I've shared posts on San Salvador and the surrounding areas, and the next stop will be Suchitoto: https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus

Hi Marie, thanks for sharing this trip on myatlas. I really like this deep dive into some neighborhoods of San Salvador. Especially the photos of the Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen, which are very moving. I’ll definitely check it out. I’m thinking it’s important to dig deeper into my reading about the country’s recent history.

Have a good evening, Miomio

Hello,

Thanks for your comment! Unfortunately, the indoor photos aren’t great because the flash wasn’t working anymore.

Before going to El Salvador, I didn’t know much about the country’s history, but over two months, I got a crash course because there are still many direct witnesses who aren’t that old (in their fifties or younger) and are happy to share their stories.

The MUPI is an important museum for preserving the country’s historical memory. While researching online, I saw that in 2022, at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid—one of Spain’s most important museums—there was an exhibition featuring some of the embroideries from the MUPI, made by women who were refugees in Honduras during the civil war.

For me, this visit was even more interesting because I did it at the end of my stay. When I saw the photo of the young refugee girls, I wondered if one of them might have been the woman I met in El Mozote who was 8 years old at the time of the massacre (December 11, 1981) and had fled with her family to Honduras.

I was really struck by how easily Salvadorans share the worst horrors of the civil war, the 1932 massacre, or the *maras*—it was constant and everywhere in the country. I’ve never seen anything like it elsewhere in Latin America. In Colombia, a country marked by years of violence, I only heard about it once: in a shared taxi on the way to Mompox, the driver told me, "A few years ago, on both sides of this road, you’d regularly see bodies hanging from trees as a warning." In El Salvador, people shared far worse horrors with chilling details.

I should be posting the next steps in the middle of next week.

As for accommodation in Suchitoto, I remember there’s a foundation for underprivileged youth, the Centro Arte para la Paz, which offers rooms in a "hostal" with private bathrooms and a shared kitchen.

I only visited their small museum—I didn’t stay there—but here’s the link with information about the accommodation. You can contact them via WhatsApp: https://capsuchitoto.org/hostal-casa-del-sol-suchitoto/

Hi Marie, For photos, it’s what they represent that matters. In January/February 2025, I was also in Colombia, and while I met a few people with painful pasts, I mostly saw Colombians who want to move forward and reclaim a "normal" life. Of course, in several neighborhoods in Bogotá or Medellín, for example, poverty and violence are still unfortunately visible. As in most Latin American countries where conflicts remain ongoing. But that doesn’t stop you from meeting incredibly kind and caring people. And I think that’s what draws me most to these countries. Thanks for the tip in Suchitoto! Miolysa

Hi there,

I just posted the next stops: Suchitoto (with Cinquera) and Santa Ana (with Lake Coatepeque).

Just to clarify, I’m not posting the stops in the order I did them.

https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus/t/1785695

I’m also sharing a link about the green algae pollution in Lake Suchitlán, which I already noticed in 2024 and has gotten much worse in 2025—now the whole lake is covered in algae!

https://www.la-croix.com/salvador-un-immense-lac-envahi-d-algues-vertes-peche-et-tourisme-a-l-arret-20250813

I just posted about the Ruta de las Flores and La Palma with El Pital and Citalá. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate!

Next week, I’ll be heading to the eastern part of the country. .https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus/t/1785789

I think I hadn’t posted about Santa Ana and Lake Coatepeque yet (user error), but it’s done now: https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus/t/1785498

I just posted about the areas around La Unión and San Miguel (lagoons, volcanoes, beaches). Next stop: Perquín.

https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus/t/1787757

I just posted about Perquín, El Mozote, Alegría, and Berlin:

https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus/t/1788148

I just posted about Playa Metalio and Salvadoran cuisine:

https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus/t/1789941

I just posted the summary of my trip:

https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/el-salvador-petit-pays-hors-des-sentiers-battus

Someone told me about Cerro Eramon, a hiking spot with a great view in the northwest of the country. I didn’t go there, but I was shown some photos—it’s beautiful, and it’s one of those places you don’t hear about on forums or blogs.

For now, El Salvador is still off the tourist radar, but I’m seeing more and more questions about it on forums and social media. People are starting to realize this small country has some real travel gems (though they’re not fully developed yet). So now’s the time to visit—before it gets overrun with tourists!

Hi Lydie,

Have you already been to El Salvador?

Let us know if you managed to find homestays.

Have a great trip, and when you get back, tell us what you think of this little country!

Bonjour Marie J envisage pour 2027un voyage au Salvador avec une copine.... J ai un vieux petit futé et je lis votre blog de voyage mais je voudrais savoir pour l argent car en principe je prend des euros que je change dès que J arrive dans le pays visité. Comment avez vous fait ?? Euros dollars en France??? Ou au Salvador ??? Merci Chantal

en principe je prend des euros que je change dès que J arrive dans le pays visité. Comment avez vous fait ?? Euros dollars en France??? Ou au Salvador ???

Bonjour ,

Avant de partir j'avais changé des euros en dollars en France ( dans ma ville il y a plusieurs maisons de change ) et j'avais aussi changé de l'argent au Salvador , plus précisément à San Salvador et à Santa Ana .

Au Salvador seules quelques banques changent des euros , je crois même qu'il n'y en a qu'une seule , la banque Davivienda , à San Salvador j'étais allée à celle qui est situé Bulevar del Hipodromo dans le quartier San Benito , mon hôtel était proche de cette banque ( j'ai mis le nom de l'hôtel dans mon carnet sur Myatlas , mais il y a d'autres hôtels dans le quartier ) ; y changer de l'argent est un peu long , il faut remplir un papier où ils posent beaucoup de questions , ensuite l'employé va voir son chef ; il faut avoir son passeport .

Sinon vous pouvez changer à l'aéroport en arrivant , comme cela vous êtes tranquille , contrairement aux idées reçues , dans certains aéroports le taux de change n'est pas pire que dans les maisons de change , je l'ai constaté en février à Tunis où le taux de l'aéroport était même meilleur qu'en ville .

Autre possibilité : changer à votre aéroport de départ , l'année dernière j'avais changé des euros en quetzales à l'aéroport de Madrid .

Sinon , les informations du Petit Futé 2019 étaient encore valables en 2024 et j'avais dialogué avec quelqu'un qui était partie en février 2025 et qui trouvait aussi que les infos étaient encore valables .

Un site utile : https://elsalvador.travel/esp/

Un grand merci pour ces précisions qui nous seront utiles Chantal

Si vous avez d'autres questions , n'hésitez pas !

je lis votre blog de voyage

Pour ceux qui lisent mon carnet sur Myatlas , je précise que les étapes ne sont pas forcément dans l'ordre .

Pour ceux qui voyagent en chiken bus , l'ordre a peu d'importance puisque souvent il faut repasser par San Salvador ( de mémoire il y a plusieurs gares routières dans la capitale ) .

Bonjour Marie Le voyage se fera sur un mois mars avril donc avec ma coéquipière nous avons le temps de réfléchir à l itinéraire 🤔😉 En tout cas merci Chantal

Bonjour Marie,

J'ai des questions au sujet de la ruta de las flores. Quelle est la meilleure manière de faire ? Est-ce que cela se fait d'un coup avec quelques arrêts et en prenant le bus suivant ? Tu parles de certains beaux villages. As-tu dormi dans certains pour reprendre la route le lendemain ? Dans ce cas-là, as-tu pris un bus (local ou touristique ?) avec ton sac ? Merci de me faire part de ton expérience et me donner ton avis si c'était à refaire. A très bientôt. Dominique

la ruta de las flores. Quelle est la meilleure manière de faire ? Est-ce que cela se fait d'un coup

- As-tu dormi dans certains pour reprendre la route le lendemain ? Dans ce cas-là, as-tu pris un bus (local ou touristique ?) avec ton sac ?

Bonjour Dominique ,

On peut facilement visiter plusieurs villages dans la journée , mais les faire tous " d'un coup " me paraît rapide , même si ce sont des villages petits où il n'y a pas grand-chose à voir ou à faire , à part une petite place , une église , déguster des spécialités locales ou faire une petite randonnée .

Je te conseille de passer une nuit à Nahuizalco , de préférence un week-end , pour profiter de l'ambiance nocturne ; dans mon carnet je donne un hostal bon marché et d'un bon rapport qualité-prix ( j'avais trouvé l'adresse dans le Petit Futé ) .

J'avais aussi dormi à Ahuachapan ( hôtel trouvé dans le Petit Futé ) , et c'est à partir de ces deux villages que j'avais visité les autres en bus , mon choix s'était porté sur Ahuachapan parce que j'avais trouvé facilement un hôtel.

Pour Juayua aussi je te conseille d'y aller en fin de semaine pour profiter des stands de rue qui vendent des spécialités locales ( ce qu'ils appellent pompeusement " feria gastronomica" ) .

En 2024 il n'y avait pas de bus touristique au Salvador et il n'y a pas non plus de bus confortables et modernes comme on en trouve au Chili , Mexique , Perou ou au Brésil , il n'y a que des chiken bus et ils n'acceptent pas les grandes valises , il te faudra prendre un sac pas trop grand ( moi j'avais laissé ma valise à San Salvador , l'hôtel me l'a gardée gratuitement ) .

J'avais dialogué avec une personne qui était allée au Salvador après moi et elle m'avait dit que l'Office du tourisme de San Salvador l'avait beaucoup aidée à faire son circuit en bus , moi je ne connais pas cet Office de tourisme , mais en cherchant j'ai vu qu'il est tout près de la place centrale de la capitale où se trouvent la cathédrale , le palais national et la BINAES . Je te mets le lien , ils indiquent les endroits à visiter dans la capitale et proposent même des visites guidées en espagnol, anglais , français et italien :

https://centrohistorico.gob.sv/?ved=2ahUKEwio2MHk6amVAxXKRaQEHYZYAYAQgU96BAgmEAM

Quand pars-tu ? Le 4 juillet je pars en Corée du Sud pour deux mois et je me connecterai beaucoup moins au site .

Merci Marie pour ta réponse détaillée. Je vais noter tout ça et surtout tes conseils. Je pars un mois sur mars / avril 2027. Bon voyage en Corée du Sud. A bientôt

Pour Nahuizalco je précise que le marché et les stands de nourriture installés le soir sont là également en semaine , mais il y a moins d'ambiance , le week-end il y a même quelq'un qui chante sur la place centrale , et le marché du matin est plus important le week-end .

l'Office de tourisme dont je t'ai mis le lien est le Centro de Atencion Turistica qui est situé calle Ruben Dario , 619 , dans le centro historico touristique .

Pour les sacs et valise , les hébergements peuvent les garder gratuitement , j'ai parlé de l'hôtel de San Salvador , mais l'hostal de Nahuizalco m'avait aussi gardé des affaires le temps de mon séjour à Playa Metalio ( plage que je ne conseille pas ) .

Si tu as d'autres questions , n'hésite pas , mais je ne sera pas " opérationnelle " avant le mois de septembre !

Passe un bel été !