Planning your first trip to El Salvador and trying to keep it budget-friendly? You’re in the right place! This article will help you discover the best things to do, places to stay, and tips to make the most of your visit—without overspending.
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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear about traveling to El Salvador?
Our first thoughts are incredible experiences in nature from volcano hikes to relaxing on black sand beaches; some of the best Central American food to try (cue the pupusas); and an overall amazing weekend getaway!
It’s always best to spend as much time as you can in a country, but if your time is limited (like ours was with full-time jobs), there is so much you can still explore in El Salvador during a long weekend.
Keep reading to see how to maximize your travels, even if it’s your first time visiting.
We found a cheap flight to El Salvador for under $200 USD roundtrip and the rest was history.
This budget travel guide is full of tips to help you plan a safe, enjoyable, budget-friendly trip to beautiful El Salvador based on our personal experiences visiting the country in 2021 and 2023.
Need a quick, easy guide to planning and saving money in El Salvador? Check out our full Explore El Salvador Travel Guide!
About El Salvador: Safety First!
First thing’s first, where is El Salvador and more importantly, is it safe for you to travel there?
El Salvador is in Central America, bordered by Honduras and Guatemala.
In fact, El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America and overall, less popular to visit than its neighboring countries.
Now why might that be?
El Salvador historically has not had a great reputation.
Afterall, there was a twelve-year civil war and many crime issues, but what country is perfectly safe?
Long story short, it is not safe to travel there (or anywhere) if you do not follow common safety precautions.
So, here’s my tips on how to have a safe experience in El Salvador – because certainly this is going on your must-visit list and this country will blow you away in the best way possible (but more on that after these important tips!)
- Avoid walking alone at night.
- Keep your valuables in a safe place. (Particularly your passport and travel documents)
- Park in supervised parking lots when you’re able
- Even if you follow the above, don’t leave valuables in the car
- Don’t flash expensive items around
- Explore remote places with a group and/or guide (in some areas local tourist police are available to escort you)
- Be discreet when you use an ATM
- Avoid carrying lots of cash (Besides, everything is cheap in El Salvador.)
- Wear your day bag in the front on your chest and keep it closed (The anti-theft day bag that we use has a lock, so we play it extra safe and secure.)
- If you’re hiring a driver, make sure they have a good reputation (We include details on the personal drivers who drove us all around the country in our Explore El Salvador 4-Day Itinerary.)
Those are my recommendations for staying safe in El Salvador, but really, they are also my recommendations for staying safe in general, literally anywhere.
Jot them all down.
Overall, we were welcomed by friendly locals who greeted us with a smile and were so happy to share their culture with us at every stop we made!
Huge take-away: The Salvadoran locals genuinely want you to fully enjoy your time in their country.
(And it’s honestly easy to have the time of your life in El Salvador, if you know where to go!)
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How to Have a Relaxing Vacation in El Salvador
Nawi Beach House – Playa Mizata, Teotepeque, El Salvador
If you’re looking for a beach vacation, then El Salvador is the place to go! There are plenty of places where you can relax and unwind.
(Note: If this is not what you’re looking for, skip down to one of the next sections. This country has something for everybody.)
As soon as we touched down in the San Salvador airport at 8:00 am, the beach was already calling our names.
Typically, we dress in layers for travel, so we quickly got rid of our airport outer layers and were ready for the 85F degree weather in a matter of minutes.
As Americans, one benefit of El Salvador is that you are able to use your US dollar right away as this is the official currency of El Salvador. You can also use Bitcoin.
We immediately negotiated a cab for $40 USD to head to Playa Mizata. The ride was a smooth road trip up there and it took just under two hours to arrive.
Our cab driver was very personable and provided us with many inside tips on the must-see and must-do experiences during our short time in El Salvador – we were only staying for 3 days. (Brought to you by full-time jobs and limited PTO.)
However, we still managed to maximize our time in El Salvador. Just keep reading!
In those two hours before we found ourselves at Nawi Beach House, our driver let us in on all the hidden gems of El Salvador.
And most importantly, everything was budget friendly. You know we love to See the World, Save a Dollar!
We also love having an authentic feel of the country on our trips, where we really get to immerse ourselves into the culture.
The best way to get in tune with the best things to see and do is by talking to locals.
Our driver was the best start to help mold our El Salvador itinerary to perfection.
Nawi Beach House was the first destination we had already planned for the day.
They offer a $20 USD per person Day Pass that includes one welcome drink, horseback riding, and access to the entire facility.
Nawi Beach House is the perfect taste of luxury while on a budget.
Nobody said budget travel had to mean a low-quality experience okay.
We’re all about maximizing your experience without spending a whole lot of money.
Take advantage of the $20 day pass and escape into this relaxation paradise at Nawi Beach House!
Their facility includes an infinity pool that you can chill in the entire day underneath the palm trees.
They’ll serve you iced cold drinks of your choice (you can’t go wrong with their piña colada and strawberry mojito) while you enjoy the vibes and look out into the glistening Pacific Ocean.
There’s plenty of poolside seating, and if you walk a little further, you are on a black sand beach. But be careful though, the sand is hot, VERY hot, so wear your SANDALS!
It’s especially hot mid-day when the sun is out.
The black sand beach features day beds, a fire pit area with more seating, and if you’re so inclined, a jungle gym! (Pretty reminiscent of the jungle gym in Tulum, Mexico).
This goes to show that you can still get those gains, even on vacation. No excuses!
Or if working out on vacation is not your kind of fun, it is still very Instagrammable in the outdoor jungle gym.
The bar and restaurant area has amazing open-air ambience with upbeat music playing throughout.
The tables look out into the infinity pool and the ocean so you’re eating amazing organic meals with waterfront views.
What more could you ask for?
The staff were friendly and attentive, making sure you had everything you needed – whether that be a towel to dry off from the pool or another drink to keep you cool.
Just above the bar there is a secret escape…
If you climb up the ladder, you’ll feel like you’re Tarzan or Jane.
There’s a netted canopy that hangs over the bar and has a bird’s eye view of the beach.
It’s what I would call an ultimate hammock and it’s extremely cool to see the facility from this point of view.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the moment up here. You might even want to have a photoshoot.
Nawi Beach House is open Sunday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm and Saturdays 8 am to 10 pm for adults only age 18+.
At night, Nawi Beach House takes on another life.
You can easily reserve your day pass right HERE on their website.
Nawi Beach House is certainly worth it for all my travelers who love a relaxing pool day by the beach that feels like luxury without breaking your budget.
Although we did not surf (one day I’ll face my fear), El Salvador is known to have some of the best surfing in the entire world!
During our visit, there was a global surfing event known as the ISA World Surfing Games going on in El Salvador that brought in some of the greatest national surf teams.
We know the best beaches to go for surfing in El Salvador (if that’s your thing), and it’s all included in our Explore El Salvador Travel Guide!
El Salvador Adventure Travel
While El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, it is not lacking in volcanoes due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
El Salvador has over 20 active volcanoes. If you’re up for an adventure, you can tackle the highest volcano in the whole country!
Santa Ana volcano, also known as Ilamatepec, is 2,381 meters above sea level, and is one of the most active, erupting more than once per century since the 1500s. The last time it erupted was in the early 2000’s.
We arranged for our personal driver to take us to the Santa Ana volcano hike – you can find our driver details HERE.
If you want to go the Uber route, keep in mind that while it is relatively easy to call an Uber in the capital city of San Salvador, it is much less common for an Uber to be available when you venture out towards the Santa Ana volcano area.
*CHEW TIP: Make your return driving arrangements beforehand if you don’t want to be stranded at the volcano!!
The ride from San Salvador to Santa Ana was about one and a half hours. We were so grateful to have a personal driver who made herself available to wait at the volcano site to drive us back to the capital city after our hike.
Ultimately, we ended up spending only $40 USD for the entire day on our driver. This was particularly convenient after completing the four-hour long hike and not having to worry about limited availability of taxis or Ubers to safely get back to San Salvador.
The day we hiked the Santa Ana volcano was actually our second attempt at trying to hike it. The first attempt was truly a failure…
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The first time we tried to hike this volcano we were told the start time was 11:00am. We arrived about an hour early at 10:00am, only to find out that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hike tour times had been updated to begin at 9:00am only.
*CHEW TIP: Double (maybe even triple) check the start times, durations, and distance from other activities of guided hikes and tours that you plan to go on, especially if you are on a time crunch. This way you can maximize your experiences during your quick getaway. Learn from us!
Just to be clear, it is not possible to hike Santa Ana volcano by yourself. You are required to have a guide.
You can always book a tour ahead of time online, but that may cost you more.
Safe to say, we missed out on this experience the first time, but we were determined to make this not-to-miss hike and set out a game plan to return the very next day.
We had already made the trip all the way to Santa Ana for that first hike attempt, so we decided to go on the Santa Ana nature trail which was a 45-minute walk around the crater. We were led by a Spanish-speaking guide through the trail.
If we booked this nature trail ahead of time, we probably could have gotten an English-speaking guide. But because this was a last-minute change of plans, we went with who was available.
My husband is nearly fluent in Spanish. I took AP Spanish in high school – but we graduated high school way back in 2012.
So let’s just say I used my context clues on this tour because it’s been years since I was any good with the language.
Many of the viewpoints on the Santa Ana nature trail were very cloudy, only offering small peeks of the volcano and Lago de Coatepeque to be seen. You would have a good view one minute, blink, and then everything was covered in fog!
Overall, the nature trail was a nice and easy nature walk, and a good experience to get to know a local tour guide and gain new perspectives on the culture and natural habitat. This experience was under $5 USD per person.
My adventure travelers, I haven’t forgotten about you. The adventure part is coming in 3,2,1…
Fast forward to attempt number two at hiking the Santa Ana volcano. We arrived in Cerro Verde National Park at 8:30am this time, early for our 9:00am tour to hike the Santa Ana volcano.
There are other volcanoes to hike in this park, but Santa Ana is the highest one. Go big or go home.
They have a convenient area to eat and buy souvenirs before the tour. It was about 50F degrees with lots of clouds and minimal sunlight, so we bought hoodies for $20 USD each.
We also warmed up by trying traditional “atol” which was a creamy sweetcorn drink.
It was a very smooth mixture of corn kernels, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. It was exactly what we needed for only $1 USD.
Heading towards the hike, the first thing you do is pay $1 USD to enter through the gate and meet your local English-speaking tour guide.
The terrain is a bit muddy with some stairs that were not steep.
You’re descending for the first 30 minutes with minimal rocks along the path.
Just in case you got here late and couldn’t try the atol and other foods beforehand, about 25 minutes into the walk you have an opportunity to buy snacks, fruits, and beverages from vendors.
They even have walking sticks available for purchase.
After the first 30 minutes of an easy walk, you arrive to the actual entrance of the volcano hike.
The price is $6 USD for tourists. From this point on, you are walking on rockier terrain with a mix of some incline and some flatland.
After walking about 20 minutes from the entrance, we saw a sign that said we were only one hour away from the top of the volcano!
We were so high in the clouds as we ascended the trail. There were banana trees and different viewpoints along the way.
But just like the day before on the nature trail, we were covered by fog all around and the viewpoints were not giving what they were supposed to give because of this.
The higher you hike up, the hotter it gets.
Dress in layers so you can be most comfortable throughout the different stages of the hike.
That hoodie I bought before the hike absolutely had to come off halfway up the volcano. And as with any hike, a large water bottle was a necessity.
As you make it to the top of the volcano, you start to smell the distinct and potent smell of Sulphur. If you know, you know.
However, the views were incredible to say the absolute least. Everything we were seeing was so mesmerizing that it distracted us from the odor.
This was my first volcano experience, so I had only ever imagined a tall, dark mountain with red lava spewing out of it.
Never had I ever imagined such a beautiful volcano crater lake could exist!
It was a gorgeous blue and sometimes appeared greener depending on how the sun hit and how the clouds moved overhead.
The journey took us about two hours to get to the top to view the crater.
We were able to spend about 20 minutes at the top where it was a bit windy and chillier at such high altitudes. Having a hoodie saved the day, once again.
Then it was time to head down the same way we came up. It only took us one hour to get to the bottom.
I would not call the Santa Ana volcano hike a beginner hike. It was at least a moderate-level hike.
I would consider myself a beginner and I am proud that I took on this challenge!
Thankful for all the rest stops and the ability to go at your own pace as our group included tourists of all different fitness levels.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes with good grip, too!
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Overall – extremely worth it. This experience is literally unforgettable and not to be missed!
Before heading back to San Salvador, we had to treat ourselves to some hot and flavorful chicken soup that was being sold at the exit of Cerro Verde National Park.
We also bought some mangos, and yuca chips for the one-and-a-half-hour ride back to the capital city.
El Salvador is truly full of adventure, and we included all the best hikes, waterfalls, ziplines, and more, perfectly organized in our Explore El Salvador Travel Guide.
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Must-Try Salvadoran Foods: Pupusas & More!
Where are all my foodies?
You need to know that El Salvador will not disappoint when it comes to food.
Food is a big part of Salvadoran culture.
They enjoy traditional dishes like gallo pinto which is rice with beans, arroz con pollo which is chicken and rice, and caldo de res which is chicken soup.
Our personal favorite happens to be the national dish of El Salvador – pupusas!
So now is the time for you to grab your pen and paper or open the Notes app on your phone because you are going to want to document this food spot for sure.
La Suiza Pupuseria – San Salvador, El Salvador
The number one restaurant that you must try in El Salvador is hands down La Suiza Pupusería.
We ate here every single day that we were in El Salvador.
Yes, it was that good.
We sat at one of their tables that had a sign that said “lo que importa es lo de adentro” which translates to “what matters is inside.” And let me tell you, all that really matters is what they put inside of their pupusas here.
Life-changing.
La Suiza Pupuseria has more than one location, but we went to the one in San Salvador. It was an authentic pupusa experience.
You might be wondering, “what even is a pupusa?”
Besides being the national dish of El Salvador, pupusas are thick griddle cakes made of rice or corn tortillas and stuffed with an assortment of things.
What matters is inside, remember?
We tried different pupusas stuffed with beans, sausage, spinach, and cheese.
La Suiza Pupuseria has perfected a wide variety of pupusa options so we would suggest trying as many as you can.
Now that you know where to go, it’s important that you know how to eat a pupusa! There are many components to this delicious meal.
You get your pupusa and there’s a jar with a mixture of cabbage, carrots, and jalapeños on the side.
Additionally, they’ll give you a red sauce.
What now?
Step 1: Scoop out some of the cabbage mixture onto your plate.
Step 2: Add some (or a lot) of the red sauce to the cabbage mixture. It’s not spicy, but very very good.
Step 3: Break apart the pupusa. Admire the steam coming out and the cheesy goodness. It’s a sight to see.
Step 4: Using your piece of pupusa, scoop up the cabbage mixture covered in red sauce and enjoy. REALLY enjoy.
La Suiza Pupuseria is inexpensive. We treated ourselves to some tropical frozen drinks which were only $2 USD each, and each pupusa was under $1 USD.
Being that it’s the national dish of El Salvador, you will find pupusas just about everywhere and they’re always under $1 USD.
We just happened to really really love La Suiza Pupuseria.
Picnic Steakhouse – Santa Tecla, El Salvador
Next food recommendation for you to try out is Picnic Steakhouse. This restaurant has more of a wide variety of menu options that are less traditional.
The vibes are magical, so it is very fitting that the “Imagine Slide” is featured here.
The Imagine Slide is a giant rainbow-colored slide that starts at the edge of this outdoor restaurant and has two big drops through the trees.
I probably should have included this in the adventure traveler section because some people have quite the adventure sliding down this slide.
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But let me tell you, we had such a fun experience, and it was only $5 USD per person to slide. Keep in mind that even though the Picnic Steakhouse restaurant closes at 10 pm, the Imagine slide closes earlier at 5pm.
Plan accordingly, because we arrived at 4:45pm and unknowingly almost missed our chance of taking the slide of our lives.
Even if you don’t slide, Picnic Steakhouse has such great ambience!
They have live performances, and a garden to walk through with hedges in the shape of elephants, hearts, and giraffes.
There is an incredible view of the San Salvador volcano right by the Imagine Slide.
And everything is so beautifully lit in the evening that you end up wanting to spend the whole night hanging out there.
There isn’t a ton of local food at Picnic Steakhouse because it is more so catered towards tourists.
Nonetheless, I was impressed by how well they made their shrimp alfredo.
They also have a good margarita! Altogether, we spent ~$15 USD per person on food and drinks at Picnic Steakhouse.
Nawi Beach House – Playa Mizata, Teotepeque, El Salvador
During our day at Nawi Beach House, the first thing we did after getting our free welcome drink was eat breakfast.
They have a lot of amenities and things to do at Nawi Beach House but do not sleep on their food!!!
I had the banana oat pancakes and my husband had a dish that was a mix of tortilla chips, eggs, beans, and chicken (sorry I forgot the name, but the flavor was unforgettable.)
I’ll go ahead and say that the food at Nawi Beach House is exceptional.
Sea Garden – Mizata, El Salvador
After leaving Nawi Beach House, we ventured off to another restaurant that wasn’t too far away called Sea Garden.
Like the name implies, they have a garden, and they have a view of the sea. (Well, the Pacific Ocean).
There are colorful wooden tables and chairs scattered throughout this outdoor restaurant.
We ate the tastiest fish and garlic grilled shrimp pizza. It was simply delicious.
Our entrée and drink total came out to $15 USD total.
We didn’t have a single bad meal in El Salvador, and everything was so affordable!
Travel Tips in El Salvador for Different Budgets
So how much money will you need for your El Salvador trip?
Let’s break it down by category for an average day.
Prices may vary, but this will give you an idea of how to budget for your trip.
Accommodations
Hostels may be your cheapest option, particularly if you don’t mind sharing your space and want to engage with other travelers.
They typically come with free Wi-Fi and free breakfast.
A hostel that has ~10 beds in the dorm may run you about $10 USD per night.
But if you want a private room and private bathroom in your hostel, it’s closer to $25 USD per night.
Some hostels aren’t available to book beforehand online. But this isn’t necessarily an issue because it is usually cheaper to book the hostel in person than online anyway.
A cheap hotel ranges anywhere from ~$30 to $50 USD per night.
The more amenities, the higher the price of course. Beach and pool access puts you at the higher end of this price range.
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We stayed in a fabulous Airbnb in a centrally located gated condominium community with security. It cost only $40 USD per night to stay there, and they offered so many amenities!
There was a pool, sky lounge, rock climbing wall, game room, jumbo chess set, outdoor movie theatre, ping pong table, full gym, private parking lot, party room, and everything was so new and clean!
We included the Airbnb booking info for you in our Explore El Salvador 4-Day Itinerary!
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Transportation
Your cheapest option for getting around El Salvador is using the public buses. They are colorful (and crowded) “chicken buses” that cost ~$2 USD to go between certain towns and under $1 USD to ride within a city.
The downside is that there are not many direct buses that go long distances. So, you won’t really be maximizing your time with all the bus transfers included.
Taxis are another option, and if you go this route be sure to negotiate the price before the ride begins.
Many taxis are not metered, and the driver may change the price they charge you by the time you arrive if it isn’t made clear from the start.
A typical taxi from the El Salvador International airport to the capital city San Salvador is ~$25 USD for reference.
We opted for personal drivers that got us around different regions in El Salvador quickly, comfortably, reliably, and most importantly safely.
At the time of our trip in 2021 we only spent ~$20 to $40 USD per day on our drivers depending on where we went.
Food
In Central America, you can find a nice plate of rice and beans anywhere. Luckily it is filling and only costs ~$3 USD in El Salvador.
You can also eat a few pupusas that cost under $1 USD each and be perfectly stuffed.
Your food budget will take you very far if you stick to the street foods mentioned above and if you eat healthy.
An entire bag of fruits will be less than $1 USD, and they taste better than any fruits you would have in the United States.
If you want to take your food budget up a notch, you can spend under $25 USD per plate at a casual local restaurant in El Salvador.
The more tourist restaurants are going to be a bit pricier than this.
We found a restaurant in El Salvador that has all menu items priced under $2 USD (that includes all cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and food plates).
Not only is it cheap, but it’s really good quality and all the details are right HERE in the Explore El Salvador Travel Guide!
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See the World & Save a Dollar in El Salvador
The biggest part about seeing the world and saving a dollar is knowing what are your non-negotiables?
What matters the most to you when it comes to eating, getting around, where you stay, and what you do?
Once you evaluate the level of budget travel you want to do (low budget, medium budget, high budget) there are plenty of options to get the most value for what you are willing to spend.
This was a comprehensive budget guide, but if you are planning to go to El Salvador, we have so many more suggestions outlined within our Explore El Salvador Travel Guide. Download your copy today to make planning your perfect El Salvador trip easier!
