Backpacking El Salvador: Routes, Itinerary, Safety + More! 2023
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Backpacking El Salvador? Yay! El Salvador is one of the most beautiful countries in Central America, and it’s still pretty untouched by tourism.
We absolutely loved our backpacking trip to El Salvador. Whilst we did make a few mistakes (you’ll have to keep reading to find out what), we had an amazing time. From meeting friendly locals to watching some of the most incredible sunsets in El Tunco, gorging on pupusas, and hiking active volcanoes – El Salvador is the perfect country for an adrenaline junkie.
In the following post, I outline everything you need to know about backpacking El Salvador. From what to do, where to stay, how to stay safe, what to eat, where to go and of course, detailed routes and itineraries for backpackers in El Salvador.
But of course, if I’ve forgotten anything, or you still have questions, let me know over on Instagram. So, let’s get started with planning your epic El Salvador backpacking trip!
⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, please read the following UK Government advice.
🇸🇻 Other El Salvador posts:
- BEST & Safest Hostels In El Tunco, El Salvador
- El Tunco El Salvador: COMPLETE Guide
- How To Get From Santa Ana To El Tunco: COMPLETE Guide
- Best Time to Visit El Salvador: Complete Guide
- Antigua To Santa Ana El Salvador COMPLETE Guide!
Backpacking El Salvador: A Summary
El Salvador is still one of the hidden gems of Central America. I’ll admit, we had low expectations because we had just heard so little about El Salvador! But after spending two weeks there, we realised just how beautiful this country really is. We already can’t wait to go back!
The locals of El Salvador are some of the kindest and friendliest people you will ever meet. They go above and beyond to make sure your visit is memorable, safe and enjoyable. We really enjoyed getting to know some of the locals (even if our Spanish wasn’t great).
Overall, backpacking El Salvador is an amazing and unique experience. It’s not somewhere a lot of tourists visit, so you’ll find even the tourist areas to be quieter than say Mexico or Guatemala.
When in El Tunco, we could see just how much money was being put into new construction and safety efforts. With the way things are going, tourism will become a much bigger thing in El Salvador, so the best time to visit is now!
However, due to tourism and backpacking being fairly new ideas in El Salvador, some of the logistics are still a little tricky. Travelling around the country isn’t as easy as its neighbouring countries, and you have to be extra vigilant on public buses (skip to ‘getting around El Salvador’ for more information on this).
There also aren’t as many hostels or hotels to choose from, and they book up fast. Be sure to pre-book all accommodations in advance to be sure that you’re in one of the safer and nicer areas in El Salvador.
| Continent | North America |
| Countries bordered | Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua |
| Capital City | San Salvador |
| Population | 6.5 million (2021) |
| Currency | US Dollars (or Bitcoin, but we found this is hardly used) |
| Language | Spanish |
| Emergency numbers | 132 (medical) 911 (police) |
| National food | Pupusas |
| Best locations to visit as a backpacker | El Tunco, Santa Ana, El Zonte, Lake Coatepeque |
| Unmissable experience | Hiking the active Santa Ana volcano |
📲 Don’t forget to download your eSim for El Salvador! ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
How long do I need to backpack in El Salvador?
Backpacking El Salvador for seven days is a great amount of time to see and get a feel for the country. As it is only small, you can reach destinations within a few hours of each other.
I recommend staying in Santa Ana for 3-4 days (including a day trip to Lake Coatapeque, the Santa Ana volcano and the Rutas De Flores) and 3 days in El Tunco (including El Zonte).
Related posts: Best hostels and hotels to stay in El Tunco | Complete guide to visiting El Tunco as a backpacker | 21 EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador
Is El Salvador safe for backpackers?
If you stick to the right areas, El Salvador is a safe place for backpackers to visit. But, it is really important that you do your research before visiting El Salvador. Sadly, the country has had a violent past, and there are still some areas that are not safe for tourists.
It’s also important not to become complacent because of what you may have seen on social media. Social media is a tiny fragment of someone’s experience, and we all have different ideas of what we find safe and what we do not find safe.
Our experience in El Salvador, for the majority of the time, felt safe. But we did venture ‘off the beaten track’ a little, and we found it a little uncomfortable and we felt uneasy.
If you are backpacking El Salvador, I highly recommend sticking to the tourist areas. In these areas, it felt safe, welcoming and fun. El Salvadorians were some of the friendliest locals we met on our trip. It was just unfortunate that we had a case of feeling unsafe in some of the outskirts.
The new president of El Salvador has done an amazing job of making the country safer for both locals and tourists. After speaking to some locals, we found out their daily lives had quite literally been transformed by the changes he had made. This was so interesting and brilliant to hear, as some of their past day-to-day life seemed to be quite difficult.
But there is still an undercurrent of ‘what is going to happen next’. Like I said, we felt safe and had an amazing time in El Salvador, but it’s important that you do your research, and decide for yourself.
⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, please read the following UK Government advice. This information is correct as of 2023, but things change! Always, always check the government advice of your country before visiting anywhere in the world.
I highly recommend getting travel insurance if you are backpacking El Salvador or Central America. SafetyWing is the best company to cover your trip, covering both medical and travel delays, lost checked luggage, emergency response, natural disasters and personal liability. ➡️ You can sign up for SafetyWing here.
El Salvador emergency numbers
Hopefully, you will never need to use El Salvador’s emergency numbers, but just in case you do, these are the numbers you will need to dial.
🚑 Medical emergencies: 132 or 911 (if you dial 911, be sure to ask for medical assistance)
🚓 Police: 911
For safety reasons, always let someone know where you are when travelling El Salvador. Check in with a family member or friend often, and let them know where you are staying.
Visa Requirements for El Salvador
If you are from either the UK, you are granted a tourist visa that lasts for 180 days on arrival. If you’re from the USA, you will have 90 days on your visa.
⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, please read the following UK Government advice.
Popular El Salvador Routes
The most popular backpacking routes in El Salvador include doing the following.
Antigua (Guatemala) > Santa Ana > Ruta De Las Flores > Lake Coatepeque > El Zonte & El Tunco > Leon (Nicaragua)
This route can also be completed in reverse. Most backpackers only base themselves in two locations to see all of these locations. For example, book a stay in Santa Ana for five days to do the Ruta De Las Flores and Lake Coatepeque, then move to a hostel in El Tunco and visit El Zonte for a day.
Some other locations backpackers visit in El Salvador include San Salvador, the capital city and Playa El Cuco, and the very south of the country, and Suchitoto, a small village in the north of El Salvador. Playa El Cuco is a great stop-off before heading into Nicaragua.
Related post: 21 EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador | How To Get From El Tunco to Leon (Nicaragua): FULL Guide
Where to stay in El Salvador
Knowing where to stay in El Salvador is really, really important. Although the majority of areas in El Salvador are now safe, you want to be somewhere where you feel secure and surrounded by like-minded travellers.
Staying in accommodation off the beaten track and in an unknown area in El Salvador can be dangerous, so be sure to do your research first!
In the following list, I have detailed the best hostels and hotels in El Salvador, that are safe and secure for tourists and backpackers.
⚠️ One word of advice when finding accommodation in El Salvador. Stick to the main areas. We accidentally booked somewhere away from one of the main tourist areas and didn’t enjoy it. We felt unsafe and it ruined part of our experience. We ended up leaving halfway through to move to a more touristic area. Do your research, and stick to the busy areas.
Where to stay in El Tunco
If you’re looking for the best places to stay in El Tunco, I have a complete hostel and hotel guide here. But if you’re short on time, I recommend the following:
HOSTELS
- For solo backpackers and tourists: Papaya Lodge
- For digital nomads, solo travellers and couples: Canuck’s Guest House
HOTELS
- Boca Olas Resort Villas: 450 yards away from El Tunco Beach. A 4-star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a garden and a terrace, free WiFi, a restaurant and a bar. ➡ Check prices now!
- Hotel & Bar La Guitarra: this hotel is actually on El Tunco beach, and has easy access to all of El Tunco’s attractions. ➡ Check prices now!
- Eco Del Mar: a beautiful eco-friendly hotel located in the heart of El Tunco surrounded by tropical forest. ➡ Check prices now!
Related post: Best Hostels in El Tunco | Complete El Tunco, El Salvador Guide | El Tunco Party Guide
Where to stay in Santa Ana
There isn’t a great deal of choice when it comes to places to stay in Santa Ana. There’s a huge gap in the market for accommodation for tourists here, and I think it will expand over the next few years. But for now, the best places to stay in Santa Ana are:
HOSTELS
- For all kinds of backpackers in Santa Ana: Casa Verde
- Casa Vieja Guest House is a great family run guest house that also runs tours all over Santa Ana
- If Casa Verde is full, Hostel Velvet is also a great place for backpackers to stay in Santa Ana.
HOTELS
- Remfort Hotel: A ten-minute walk to the main downtown area of Santa Ana, with an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a terrace. ➡ Check prices now!
- Villa Napoli: Large, spacious and bright rooms in a hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, garden, a shared lounge and terrace in Santa Ana. ➡ Check prices now!
Related post: 21 EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador
Where to stay in Lake Coatepeque
You can either visit Lake Coatepeque as a day trip from Santa Ana or stay overnight in one of the hostels or hotels.
HOSTELS
- Captain Morgan is situated right on the lake and is the most popular backpacker hostel in the area.
HOTELS
- Quinta Sunrise: A hotel near Captain Morgan, right on the lakeside. ➡ Check prices here!
- Quinta Sunset: situated in El Congo with an outdoor swimming pool, private pool and private apartment. ➡ Check prices here!
Getting around El Salvador as a backpacker
You can travel around El Salvador in multiple ways, depending on how much time you have, your budget and where you want to visit. The most common way for backpackers to travel around El Salvador is via rental car or shuttle.
🚗 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY CAR
One of the easiest and most popular way to travel around El Salvador is by rental car. Driving in El Salvador is safe, straightforward and easy. Driving in between towns like El Tunco and Santa Ana will save a lot of time on shuttles. You can also drive the Rutas De Flores at your own pace if you have your own car.
➡ Check car hire prices in El Salvador now!
🚖 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY A PRIVATE DRIVER
Hiring a private driver to get around El Salvador is one of the most popular and safest ways to see the country. Private drivers can be hired for different amounts of time.
➡ Check prices and bookings for your own private driver in El Salvador here.
🚌 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY SHUTTLE BUS
If you aren’t hiring a car in El Salvador, you can travel via shuttle bus. This is another easy and safe way to travel around El Salvador. Shuttles in El Salvador will be with other backpackers, and can either be booked online or via your hostel. I recommend pre-booking your shuttles in advance.
➡ Check shuttles in El Salvador now!
Do I need a car to travel around El Salvador?
This is down to personal preference. We found El Salvador easy enough to travel around via buses and shuttles, but one of the preferred modes of most backpackers is hiring a car.
You can hire a car and drive around the entire country at your own pace. Driving in El Salvador is safe and straightforward. Some of the main towns and cities are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car.
🇸🇻 If you’re looking to hire a car in El Salvador, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in El Salvador now!
Public buses in El Salvador: What are they like?
Public buses in El Salvador are similar to the chicken buses in Guatemala (just with less decoration!). They are an easy and common way to get around the country, mainly because they are so frequent and cost-effective.
As a backpacker in El Salvador, it is important to stick to buses that take safe and well-known routes. It is still common for buses in El Salvador to be targeted by criminals in unsafe neighbourhoods.
Policing isn’t common on buses, so there is also the issue of reckless bus drivers and speeding on roads in bad conditions.
Again, most of the time, public buses in El Salvador are safe. But to be even safer, make sure you are taking a well-known route, keep your belongings close to you and use common sense.
⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, particularly on public buses, please read the following UK Government advice.
Best time to go backpacking in El Salvador
You can backpack El Salvador 365 days a year and still have a great time. However, there is a dry and wet season in El Salvador, so if you would like to avoid the rain, head there between November and April.
The wet season in El Salvador is between April to November. It may rain a bit more, but prices are a little cheaper, so if you’re on a budget, you may way to check it out!
Related post: Best time to visit El Salvador for backpackers: weather, humidity, rainfall, wildlife and more! ☀️
Budget for backpacking El Salvador
Backpacking in El Salvador is relatively cheap, and you can live off around £30-40 ($35-45) per day. This includes eating street food such as pupusas, staying in shared dorm rooms and walking as the main mode of transport. Days on the beach in El Salvador can be free, and even if you want to take a surfing lesson, it’s cheaper than some other locations in Central America.
If you’re a mid-range backpacker (like us), and would like to stay in private rooms and apartments, budget around £50-60 per night for accommodation. Then add money on top for food, drink and activities (roughly £30/$35 a day).
Related post: Best Places to Party in El Tunco!
Best things to do in El Salvador
There are so many exciting things to do in El Salvador! Some of the best activities that should be planned into your El Salvador itinerary are listed below.
🇸🇻 EL TUNCO AND EL ZONTE
- Relax on the black sand and pebble beaches
- Party at some of El Tunco’s best bars
- Eat traditional Salvadorian food
- Listen to the Salvadorian street musicians
- Surf on El Tunco beach
- Have a beach club day at Monkey Lala
- Explore the sea caves at El Zonte
- Visit the Atami Resort to swim in the ocean pools
- Watch the sunset from El Tunco beach
- Visit the Tamanique Waterfalls
- Watch the sunrise at El Zonte
🇸🇻 SANTA ANA AND THE SURROUNDING TOWNS
- Drive the Ruta De Las Flores (including a visit to the towns of Juayua, Concepcion de Ataco and Apaneca)
- Slide down the famous Rainbow Slide at Cafe Albania
- Zipline across the jungle at Cafe Albania
- Walk the streets of Santa Ana, visiting the local markets and stalls
- Eat pupusas in a local pupuseria
- Do a coffee tour, including drinking coffee in the Axul Cafe in Ataco
- Walk the streets of Apaneca
- Visit the weekly food festival in Juayua
- Do the seven waterfalls hike (Chorros De La Calera is the prettiest)
🇸🇻 LAKE COATEPEQUE
- Visit and swim in the lake
- Hike the Santa Ana volcano
- Stay at the Captain Morgan backpacker hostel on Lake Coatepeque
Bucket-list tours in El Salvador
Looking to book a tour in El Salvador? Tours are one of the best and safest ways to see the hidden gems of El Salvador. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!
When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else!
Some of the best tours in El Salvador include:
- Santa Ana Volcano, Full Day Tour 🌋 ➡ check prices here!
- Rainbow Slide Experience 🌈 ➡ check prices here!
- Tamanique Waterfalls and El Tunco Beaches ➡ check prices here!
- Day trip to Honduras, Copan Ruins 🇭🇳 ➡ check prices here
- Half-Day San Salvador City Tour ➡ check prices here!
➡ Check out more tours for your trip here!
What to pack for backpacking El Salvador
Pack for El Salvador similar to any other country in Central America. For example, when packing for backpacking El Salvador, make sure you have the following items:
- All the obvious holiday wear (swimwear, sunglasses, sandals, beach clothes)
- Trainers to walk/hike in, especially for the Santa Ana volcano hike (I wear these trail running shoes for all hikes whilst backpacking)
- Sun cream (my favourite reef friendly one can be bought here)
- Day backpack for hikes and day trips
- Reusable filter water bottle (you cannot drink tap water in El Salvador!)
- Shower gel, shampoo and conditioner (these are really hard to buy in Central America!)
- Skin cream (skin dehydrates quickly in the sun; this is my favourite skin cream which I wear every day whilst backpacking!)
- GoPro waterproof camera to film all of your water footage.
Related post: Best Hostels in El Tunco | Complete El Tunco, El Salvador Guide
Local food and drink in El Salvador
FOOD
The national food of El Salvador is pupusas. Pupusas are similar to pancakes (but much nicer!) and can be either savoury or sweet. They are thick corn tortillas made from flour or maize and egg, which are then stuffed with everything from cheese, avocado, chicken and even chocolate. They are also similar to the Colombian arepa.
Pupusas are incredibly cheap, and are the best food to eat when backpacking El Salvador on a budget! One pupusa, whether meat or vegetarian, will be just 80p ($1). For a main meal, you will need 3-4 pupusas per person.
They’re also one of the best foods for vegetarians in El Salvador, as it’s still quite hard to find a meal without meat in restaurants!
DRINK
There are many drinks that are popular in El Salvador, including Pilsener beer, Chilate, tropical juices and different types of Atole, Chaparro or Chicha liquor. Whilst backpacking El Salvador, we drank mainly Pilsener beer, as it was the cheapest alcohol on offer.
Related post: EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador
Making friends as a backpacker in El Salvador
As a backpacker, you’re going to want to make friends and make the most of your experience in El Salvador, especially in party locations such as El Tunco. If you’re a solo traveller with a lot of confidence and an extroverted personality, this is going to be easy. But for some of us, it just isn’t!
We actually found it a little harder to make friends in El Salvador than in any of the other countries we visited in Central America. We didn’t meet as many tourists or backpackers, so we had to go the extra mile when we wanted to meet people.
However, here are my best tips for making friends whilst backpacking El Salvador, regardless of if you’re travelling in a couple, solo, with friends or you’re a bit of an introvert (like me!)
- Stay in hostels (even if it’s a private room). Not only is this a great way to meet people in El Salvador, but it’s one of the safest ways to backpack the country.
- Use shuttle buses to move from different areas in El Salvador. Many backpackers will use shuttle buses to get around El Salvador. Either pre-book online or book with your hostel.
- Book tours! Tours such as the Santa Ana volcano or the Rainbow Slide attract other tourists and backpackers, and you’re likely to meet like-minded people.
Related post: Best Hostels in El Tunco | Complete El Tunco, El Salvador Guide | El Tunco Party Guide
Where to go AFTER El Salvador
After visiting El Salvador, most backpackers do one of the following.
🇬🇹 Travel NORTH to Guatemala. You can easily get to Antigua (Guatemala) from Santa Ana (El Salvador). ➡️ For a full guide on travelling from Santa Ana to Anitgua, click here.
🇳🇮 Travel SOUTH to Nicaragua. Another option is to travel to Leon, south of El Salvador. There are direct shuttles from El Tunco to Leon, Nicaragua. Bear in mind – this takes around 19-20 hours!
🇭🇳 Travel EAST to Honduras. You can travel to Honduras easily from El Salvador. Most backpackers visit the Copan Ruins and Utila in Honduras.
✈️ Fly out of the country to another destination. There is an international airport in El Salvador, just 50 minutes from El Tunco. If you want to avoid the 20 hour shuttle journey from El Tunco to Leon, this is a great option! ➡️ Check flight prices now.
Related post: How To Get From El Tunco to Leon (Nicaragua): FULL Guide
Backpacking El Salvador: FAQs
1) Where do backpackers go in El Salvador?
If you are backpacking El Salvador for the first time, I recommend sticking to Santa Ana, El Tunco, El Zonte and Lake Coatapeque. These are the most popular areas amongst backpackers in El Salvador in 2023. Most backpackers do not stay in the capital city, San Salvador, due to safety concerns. However, this is a personal preference.
Related post: El Tunco El Salvador Complete Guide | Santa Ana El Salvador Guide
2) How long does it take to backpack in El Salvador?
If you are backpacking El Salvador for the first time, I recommend spending at least seven days in the country. This gives you enough time to hike volcanoes, experience some of the cities, party in El Tunco and tick off some bucket list experiences.
As El Salvador is relatively small, travelling from one place to another doesn’t take longer than a few hours. This means you can cram quite a lot into seven days!
Related post: Best Time To Visit El Salvador: Weather, Humidity and National Holidays in El Salvador
3) Is it safe to travel to El Salvador now?
Yes, some areas in El Salvador are now safe for tourists and backpackers to visit. However, it is still recommended that you stick to the tourist areas in El Salvador, and do not wander off the beaten track to villages and towns that are not known for welcoming tourists. Sadly, there is still some violence and crime in towns and villages in El Salvador.
⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, please read the following UK Government advice.
I highly recommend getting travel insurance if you are backpacking El Salvador or Central America. SafetyWing is the best company to cover your trip, covering both medical and travel delays, lost checked luggage, emergency response, natural disasters and personal liability. ➡️ You can sign up for SafetyWing here.
4) Is El Salvador safer than Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is considered to be one of the safest countries to backpack in Central America. Statistically wise, Costa Rica is safer than El Salvador. However, El Salvador has increased its security measures in the past few years, and there are now some safe areas for tourists and backpackers to visit.
5) Is El Salvador worth going to?
Yes! El Salvador is a great place to backpack that is a little off the beaten track. It’s not a well-known holiday destination (especially if you’re from the UK), so visiting whilst backpacking Central America is a great idea.
If you’re looking for bucket list activities, El Salvador has a lot to offer. From hiking the Santa Ana volcano, sliding down the famous Rainbow Slide, swimming in Lake Coatapeque and jumping in waterfalls at Tamanique.
El Salvador is also well-known for its surfing, and El Tunco is a great location for advanced surfers. If you’re a keen (and good) surfer, El Salvador is worth visiting for the waves.
Related post: El Tunco Beach El Salvador Complete Guide: what to do, where to stay, what to eat and how to make the most out of your trip to one of El Salvador’s prettiest beaches! 🏖️
Backpacking El Salvador: In A Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about backpacking El Salvador. When you’re planning a trip to El Salvador, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more El Salvador content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
🇸🇻 Where to next?
- BEST & Safest Hostels In El Tunco, El Salvador
- El Tunco El Salvador: COMPLETE Guide
- How To Get From Santa Ana To El Tunco: COMPLETE Guide
- Best Time to Visit El Salvador: Complete Guide
- Antigua To Santa Ana El Salvador COMPLETE Guide!
MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
