El Tunco El Salvador: COMPLETE Guide 2023
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El Tunco is a beach town on El Salvador’s southern Pacific coast. With its wild nightlife, perfect surfing waves and picturesque sunsets, El Tunco attracts thousands of backpackers, holidaymakers and Salvadorian locals.
Whilst El Salvador might not ‘jump out’ at you when thinking of a holiday destination, this is slowly changing.
El Salvador’s new president has gone above and beyond to ensure safety measures in the country are a priority, making it safer for tourists to visit every day.
And of course – El Salvador is beautiful. If you’re backpacking El Salvador, it’s one of the best locations to spend a few days relaxing, surfing and of course; eating pupusas (more on those later!).
In 2023, we backpacked through Central America, and sadly I was a little apprehensive about visiting El Salvador.
After quite a lot of uhm-ming and ah-ing about safety issues, how to get around and what we’d actually do there, we decided to spend a few weeks exploring the country. And I am so glad we did!
Over the next few years, I expect tourism in El Salvador to boom. Word will get out about how beautiful it is – and you can see from the construction in El Tunco that they’re preparing for more tourists.
If you take my advice, visit El Tunco in the next few years to avoid the crowds!
In the following post, I detail everything there is to possibly know about Playa El Tunco El Salvador. From what to do, where to eat, where to stay and how long to stay for – this is a complete guide to El Tunco El Salvador. Enjoy!
And of course, if I’ve missed anything, or you have questions about El Salvador, feel free to message me on Instagram!
Did you know I’ve written a full travel guide about backpacking El Salvador? Check it out for safety tips, where to stay, what to do and how to make the most out of your trip!
🇸🇻 Other El Salvador posts:
- El Tunco El Salvador Nightlife: Party Guide
- Best Time to Visit El Salvador: Complete Guide
- BEST & Safest Hostels In El Tunco, El Salvador
- Antigua To Santa Ana El Salvador
- How To Get From Santa Ana To El Tunco
- El Salvador Itinerary: One Week In El Salvador
El Tunco El Salvador: A Summary
As previously mentioned, El Tunco is a small, sleepy beach town on the southern Pacific coast of El Salvador.
It is known for being one of the most touristy places in El Salvador and attracts crowds from all over Central America for its relaxed beach vibes and nightly party scene.
So, what can you expect from El Tunco, El Salvador? Well, it’s small, easy to walk around, and sleepy during the day. It’s made up of a maze of small streets full of shops, boutiques, tattoo parlours, smoothie cafes, coffee shops and of course, pupuserías.
Then along the seafront, you can choose between chilling in a high-end beach club listening to local DJs (it’s known that the ‘richer’ Salvadorians come here to party on the weekends), or watching the sunset in a low-key pub with dim lighting and cheap beer.
The beach is made up of large, black stones (sadly, there’s not a lot of sand, although it’s technically a ‘black sand beach’), and large, perfect-for-surfing waves.
Surfers will gather in the ocean daily, and more prominently, at sunset, to enjoy the waves and admire the pink and red evening sky.
In the evenings, especially at the weekend, you can expect the party in El Tunco to start. In popular venues such as Monkey Lala, La Guitarra bar and La Bonita Beach Club, there are late-night DJs and the partying goes on until the early hours.
Overall, El Tunco beach (or Playa El Tunco in Spanish) is the perfect spot to relax for a few days. As I said, it’s relatively sleepy, and there isn’t a lot going on during the day.
You can spend your time here surfing, sleeping, sunbathing and partying with your new hostel friends in the evening.
TOP TIP: If you are backpacking El Salvador, it’s common to visit El Tunco before or after Santa Ana. Santa Ana is a large city near the border of Guatemala and is popular with backpackers wanting to do the Ruta De Flores, hike the Santa Ana volcano and swim in Lake Coatapeque.
Where is El Tunco?
El Tunco is a beach town in El Salvador, just a one-hour drive southwest from the capital San Salvador. It is located on the Pacific coast, giving visitors access to swim and surf in the North Pacific Ocean.
El Tunco beach is just 50 minutes from El Salvador’s International Airport, so if you are arriving by plane, it’s a good place to spend a few days before exploring the rest of the country.
El Tunco is next to other popular El Salvador beaches such as El Zonte, Playa La Paz and Playa San Blas. It is also a 15-minute drive from La Libertad, a larger beach town full of local Salvadorians on holiday, a theme park, restaurants and ice cream stalls.
🇸🇻 TOP TIP: If you are backpacking El Salvador, I highly recommend staying actually in El Tunco. We stayed in a nearby town where we felt a little out of place and didn’t enjoy it as much as El Tunco. Make sure your hostel or hotel is in El Tunco if you want to experience it properly (especially if you don’t want to hire a car).
What is El Tunco El Salvador known for?
El Tunco is known for being one of the best holiday destinations in El Salvador. It has a buzzing nightlife, a variety of beach clubs, incredible surfing spots, delicious restaurants and independent puperserias.
Related post: Best and safest hostels in El Tunco, El Salvador | 💃🏼🪩 Party Guide for El Tunco: The Best Spots
How to get to El Tunco El Salvador
Knowing how to get to El Tunco will depend on where you are coming from. These are some common locations in El Salvador that you might need directions from.
Getting to El Tunco from Santa Ana
Getting to El Tunco from Santa Ana is one of the most common El Salvador backpacking routes. In summary, there are three ways to get from Santa Ana to El Tunco.
The options are:
- Shuttle bus (easiest, recommended option)
- Public bus (cheapest option)
- Private transfer (most expensive but the quickest option)
- Hiring a car and driving yourself
If you’re backpacking El Salvador, the most common, safest and easiest way to travel between Santa Ana and El Tunco is by shuttle. The shuttles hold around 16 people and are full of other backpackers.
🚎 For the public bus from Santa Ana to El Tunco, please check out my in-depth guide here.
🚕 Alternatively, you can hire a car and drive yourself, or hire a private driver. If you would like a private driver in El Salvador, you can check out prices here.
Driving in El Salvador is straightforward and simple. 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!
Related post: How To Get From Santa Ana To El Tunco < read for more in-depth information.
Getting to El Tunco from the airport
El Tunco is just 50 minutes from El Salvador’s International Airport. From the airport, you can either hire a private driver, hire a car yourself or get a public bus.
🚎 Getting the public bus from El Salvador airport to El Tunco? The public bus will take around 2-3 hours, and you will need to:
➡️ From the airport, get the 183 micro-bus to San Luis Talpa. This is a 10-minute journey.
➡️ At San Luis Talpa, get the 166 bus to La Libertad. This should take just over an hour, and La Libertad is just 15 minutes away from El Tunco. It is a large beach town.
➡️ From La Libertad, catch a bus to El Tunco. There are many public buses in this area, and you can get one from where you were dropped off. This journey should not take more than 20 minutes.
🚕 Alternatively, you can hire a car and drive yourself, or hire a private driver. If you would like a private driver in El Salvador, you can check out prices here.
Getting to El Tunco from San Salvador
El Tunco is just a one-hour drive from San Salvador. Again, you can travel from San Salvador to El Tunco by shuttle, private driver, hiring a car or getting the public bus.
🚎 If you are getting the public bus from San Salvador to El Tunco, you will need to take a 1-2 hour journey by doing the following:
➡️ Getting the 102A bus. This bus runs between Sunzal and San Salvador, but you can depart at El Tunco on the way. 📍 Catch the bus from San Salvador to El Tunco here.
🚕 Alternatively, you can hire a car and drive yourself, or hire a private driver. If you would like a private driver in El Salvador, you can check out prices here.
Getting to El Tunco from Antigua, Guatemala
If you are backpacking Guatemala, you may leave Antigua and head straight for El Tunco.
I personally recommend stopping off in Santa Ana first, but if you haven’t got time for that, this is the way to travel from Antigua to El Tunco.
Antigua, Guatemala is around 270km from El Tunco Beach. The most popular option to travel between the two is via shuttle bus.
This shuttle bus will cross the border (more information about Antigua to Santa Ana here), drive through Santa Ana, and then down to the coast of El Tunco. This takes around eight hours.
Depending on which tour company you use, the shuttles will leave between 4 am – 10am in Antigua. We caught the 10 am shuttle from Antigua to Santa Ana, which then continued on to El Tunco.
➡ Check shuttle prices and timings here!
Where to stay in El Tunco
Knowing where to stay in El Tunco is vital. We made a huge mistake of staying 15 minutes away from El Tunco beach in an area that wasn’t so suited for tourists.
It really ruined part of our stay, so I highly recommend staying in one of the accommodations below.
After a few days in this ‘remote’ area that we were staying in, we cut our trip short and booked accommodation in El Tunco. This made a world of difference!
Related post: Best and safest hostels in El Tunco, El Salvador | 🪩 El Tunco El Salvador Nightlife: Party Guide
Best hostels in El Tunco
There are two hostels that I recommend for staying in El Tunco. They are Papaya Lodge and Canuck’s Guest House. Both are centrally located in El Tunco, are safe, and are perfect for backpackers.
🇸🇻 Papaya Lodge is suited for backpackers who want to socialise and party. It’s just minutes away from all of the best nightlife and attracts young, solo backpackers.
🇸🇻 Canuck’s Guest House is perfect for digital nomads, couples and backpackers who want to surf, chill and socialise. It’s a new hostel with rave reviews – I think it may slowly overtake Papaya Lodge as being the best hostel in El Tunco!
➡ Book a stay in Papaya Lodge here, or a stay in Canuck’s Guest House here!
Best hotels and apartments in El Tunco
If you would like more of your own space, I recommend the following apartments and hotels in El Tunco.
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!
Budget for El Tunco
At the time of writing this, El Tunco is still a good budget backpacker destination. Dorms start at just £10 ($13) per night, and you can get the local dish; pupusas, for just 80p ($1).
As a budget backpacker in El Tunco, I recommend budgeting between £30-40 ($40-50) per day, including accommodation.
There aren’t any huge bucket-list, or expensive activities to do in El Tunco, so you can get by on a lower daily budget. And just eat pupusas – they’re one of the cheapest foods you can get in Central America!
If you are a mid-range backpacker (like us), you will need to budget £70-80 ($80-90) per day, including accommodation. This includes eating out in restaurants.
Related post: Best and safest hostels in El Tunco, El Salvador
Is El Tunco El Salvador safe?
Yes, El Tunco is safe for backpackers. It’s a sleepy beach town during the day and a lively party town at night. However, I would advise sticking to the tourist-focused and busy areas in El Tunco.
Whilst most trips will be trouble-free, there are still areas of violence and crime, and some areas feel less safe than others, especially away from the main areas of El Tunco.
To add extra safety precautions, stay in the main backpacker hostels in El Tunco or one of the most well-known hotels.
🛌 As a reminder, the hostels are: Canuck’s Guest House or Papaya Lodge.
🏨 The hotels are Boca Olas Resort Villa, Hotel & Bar La Guitarra and Eco Del Mar.
🤩 Related post: Backpacking El Salvador? Be sure to check out my in-depth guide on safety in this backpacking El Salvador post!
Best time to visit El Tunco El Salvador
El Salvador has a tropical climate. Its wet season is from May until October, and dry season is from November to April.
If you would like to avoid torrential downpours in the rainy season, head to El Tunco between the months of November to April. This is also a great time for cheap flights in El Salvador!
✈️ Still booking flights in Central America? I recommend this flight comparison site for the biggest savings!
Related post: Best time to visit El Salvador for backpackers: weather, humidity, rainfall, wildlife and more! ☀️
Best things to do in El Tunco El Salvador
Looking for what to do in El Tunco? Well, as I’ve previously mentioned, El Tunco is best enjoyed at a slower pace.
Enjoy the lazy beach days, eat lots of pupusas, surf in the evenings and party at the weekends.
So, apart from surfing, eating, partying and sunbathing, you can:
- Visit the Taminique waterfalls on a day trip ➡ check tour prices here!
- Listen to local DJs in the beach clubs, with one of the most popular being Monkey Lala ➡ check out my full El Tunco party guide here!
- Dip your feet into the ocean at low tide (the waves make the water a little too hard to swim in)
- Watch the sunset on El Tunco Beach
- Watch the surfers from the shore
- Visit the Atami saltwater pools
- Explore the beach caves at low tide (but be careful of the tide coming back in!)
- Admire some of El Tunco’s street art and street performers
- Check out some of the local street food stalls
Related post: One Week in El Salvador: Full Itinerary ☀️
Where to eat and drink in El Tunco El Salvador
Even though El Tunco is only small, there are plenty of places to eat and drink! I’ll be honest, whilst we were in El Tunco, we spent most of our time eating. It’s just one of the best things to do there!
There are plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes to choose from, as well as tasty street food stalls lining the beach and the surrounding streets.
🥑 One thing I will note – it is still quite hard to eat out as a vegetarian in El Tunco and El Salvador. We searched and searched, but sometimes I just had to have a cheese pizza or a bowl of chips.
This was similar to Santa Ana and the other beaches in La Libertad. If you are vegetarian, your best bet is to stock up on pupusas, as they have lots of veggie options!
Best pupusas in El Tunco
If you are visiting El Salvador for the first time, you have to try pupusas. They quickly became one our new favourite foods…and oh my gosh, they are delicious. I still think about them every day.
Made from corn flour, egg, water and salt, they’re similar to pancakes (but much, much tastier!) You can choose which filling you have in your pupusas, and they have plenty of either meat or vegetarian options. I opted for queso and aguacate (cheese and avocado) most nights!
Pupusas in El Salvador are cheap (80p / $1 per pupusa), and three per person is usually enough. You can even get a sweet pupusa for dessert, with it covered in Nutella or ice cream!
We found the two best pupuserias in El Tunco to be El Sol (opposite the Point Break cafe) and Los Amigos (exact location for the pupuseria here).
They’re both small, independent, hole-in-the-wall type pupuserias, and you won’t get any fancy dining or A/C here. They were delicious!
Best restaurants in El Tunco
If you’re tired of eating 10 or more pupusas a day, there are some other amazing restaurants in El Tunco. Some of the best include:
- Bao House: a small Bao restaurant on the main street of El Tunco
- Tunco Veloz Pizzeria: to get your pizza fix
- Kombucha: for vegetarian food
- Monkey Lala: for a beach club setting
- Restaurante La Bocana: for seafood
But there are plenty of other restaurants in El Tunco, and you just need to walk around the streets to find them.
Most have menus on the front so you can see what the restaurant serves before committing!
Best coffee shops and co-working spaces in El Tunco
There are currently just a few coffee shops in El Tunco, but I assume this is going to change in the future as the demand for tourism grows.
During our visit, the three best cafes (both suitable for co-working) were:
- Day Cafe: has amazing smoothie bowls and brownies.
- Point Break Cafe: for cappuccinos and cafe food during the day.
- Dale Dale: in the Tunco Town Plaza. This cafe also serves lunch options such as burgers and chips. It also has some tables right next to the water!
I’ll be honest, El Tunco isn’t quite set up for digital nomads yet. There aren’t many co-working spaces or cafes, but the hostels do have large communal spaces for you to get on with some laptop work.
If you’re a digital nomad in El Tunco, Point Break and Day Cafe are the best spots to work.
Surfing in El Tunco
You can surf in El Tunco any day of the year. El Tunco is home to both the La Bocana and Sunzal surf spots, and it even has a few surf shops with boards and rash guards.
If you’re a beginner surfer in El Tunco, there are some soft waves surrounded by soft sand. There are also advanced waves and barrels for the more skilled surfer.
The biggest waves in El Tunco are between the months of May and October.
Other beaches near El Tunco
There are many other beaches near to El Tunco. These include El Zonte, which is another popular (but even sleepier) spot with backpackers. El Zonte is just a 15-minute west from El Tunco, and has a few hotels, beach bars and black pebble beaches.
There’s also the large beach town, La Libertad, which is around a 15-minute drive from El Tunco. Playa La Paz in La Libertad is a popular beach with local El Salvadorians.
With a black sand beach and incredibly warm water, perfect for swimming, it’s one of El Salvador’s most popular seaside towns. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants.
Guided Tours to El Tunco
Want to visit El Tunco beach with a group? There are some great tours from San Salvador or other locations in El Salvador.
These are some of the best El Tunco tours:
- Tamanique Waterfalls and El Tunco Beaches ➡ check tour prices here!
- Day trip to El Tunco from San Salvador ➡ check tour prices here!
- El Tunco Beach Tour ➡ check prices here!
Onward travel from El Tunco El Salvador
Where do you go after El Tunco? Well, you have a few options. These options depend on where’s next on your Central American backpacking trip, or if you’re flying back home.
Leaving the country? You can get onward flight travel. You can fly from El Salvador’s International Airport just 50 minutes from El Tunco.
Staying in El Salvador? Check out Santa Ana, one of the largest cities in El Salvador, known for its adventurous activities such as hiking the Santa Ana volcano.
Backpacking Central America by land? Your next stop after El Salvador will either be Antigua, Guatemala, or Leon in Nicaragua. Both of these locations can be reached by shuttle bus directly from El Tunco.
Related post: How To Get From El Tunco to Leon (Nicaragua) | 21 EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador
El Tunco El Salvador: FAQs
1) How many days should I spend in El Tunco?
If you are visiting El Tunco for the first time, I recommend 2-3 days. This gives you enough time to surf, experience the nightlife, relax on the beaches and take a day trip to the Tamanique waterfalls.
Related post: Best time to visit El Salvador for backpackers
2) Are there ATMs in El Tunco El Salvador?
Yes, there are ATMs in El Tunco. Most shops take cards as well as US dollars (the official currency of El Salvador).
You can also pay in Bitcoin in some locations in El Salvador, and there is a Bitcoin ATM where you can exchange Bitcoin for US Dollars.
3) What shops are in El Tunco El Salvador?
There are many small shops on Playa El Tunco, including local knick-knack shops, tattoo parlours, independent clothes stores and other small souvenir shops. There are no high street stores in El Tunco or large supermarkets.
4) Is El Tunco worth visiting?
Yes! Playa El Tunco is worth visiting if you are backpacking El Salvador. It’s a fun, sleepy and pretty beach town. Spend your time here sleeping, relaxing, surfing and partying.
Check out my honest opinion about safety in El Salvador here 🫣
5) Is El Tunco expensive?
Whilst El Tunco is not expensive compared to the UK or USA, it’s one of the most expensive tourist destinations in El Salvador.
However, ‘expensive’ here means £50 ($60) per night for a private room and a meal in a restaurant for around £10 ($12) per person.
6) Is El Tunco a party town?
Yes, there is a big party scene in El Tunco, especially at the weekend. Locals from all over El Salvador travel to El Tunco for the wild nightlife at the weekend.
Related post: Best hostels in El Tunco for backpackers 🇸🇻 | El Tunco El Salvador Nightlife: Party Guide
7) Can you surf at El Tunco El Salvador?
Yes, El Tunco is one of the best locations in the world for surfing, for both advanced surfers and beginners. The two main locations in El Tunco for surfing are La Bocana and Sunzal.
8) How long can a tourist stay in 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.
Related post: How To Get From El Tunco to Leon (Nicaragua): FULL Guide
9) Do I need a SIM card to travel around El Salvador?
Yes, I highly recommend downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and safety in El Salvador. We found most of the cities to be chaotic and difficult to find local SIM cards.
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!
Related post: Best and safest hostels in El Tunco, El Salvador
Best backpacker travel insurance for Central America
If you’re visiting Central America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.
Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.
I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.
If you need medical help at any point whilst in Central America, you need travel insurance.
With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)
Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Central America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!
If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!
El Tunco El Salvador: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it!
Everything you need to know about El Tunco El Salvador. It’s definitely one of the best spots in El Salvador for backpackers and by far one of the safest.
We had so much fun exploring El Tunco, and I hope that shows in this post!
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?
- Backpacking El Salvador: Routes, Itinerary, Safety + More!
- El Salvador Itinerary: One Week In El Salvador
- BEST & Safest Hostels In El Tunco, El Salvador
- Best Time to Visit El Salvador: Complete Guide
- Antigua To Santa Ana El Salvador COMPLETE Guide!
- How To Get From Santa Ana To El Tunco: 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).
