6 of the 7 Continents For The Budget Traveler: Vamos arriba El Salvador.....

Como en los mares su color Olvida ya lo que paso Vamos arriba el salvador. Sigue adelante con valor Que luego viene lo mejor Con muchas ganas con amor Vamos arriba el salvador.....

"ARRIBA EL SALVADOR" - Los Hermanos Flores

It was spring of 2023 and I had an unexpected long weekend to go travel somewhere, 4 days to be exact. Not quite long enough for a big trip, but plenty for a great short trip. I am trying to visit every country in central America and immediately thought about which places would be a convenient flight from Phoenix where I didn't lose a day going to and from so the 4 day trip would be more or less 4 full days. I also have recently gotten Gold Status with United and am making a slight effort to keep the status, from there it was easy... A place long on my list to visit. El Salvador.

Unlike many places in Central America I have been to I actually had a few friends that had already been to El Salvador. Everyone recommended skipping the city and heading straight to the beaches, but I felt inclined to visit the city so left my last night and day open to see the capital... But I arrived in Playa Tunco, and everything changed. This place overwhelmed me, it took my heart, I decided really after a few hours that I'd be staying beach side the whole time instead. I don't regret it in the least, and can't wait to go back! Here's my go to travel advice for seeing this beautiful part of this beautiful country!

Although I am a huge fan of Airbnb, El Salvador is not there yet with Airbnb's, the best beach front spots were all hotels, definitely more expensive than staying in the capital, but still very reasonable compared to US prices.

Befriending a local
Uber will get you to and from the beach for about $40 each at the time of writing
US Dollar is the currency, there was a big talk about Crypto being the national currency and it even says it at many ATMs and Banks, but I however did not find a single vendor that accepted Crypto.
Day one will be used to settle down and get a quick lay of the land, you can walk the whole tourist neighborhood in about 30 minutes, it is a small beach town, and honestly maybe the best small beach town I have ever been to, go before the high rises get built up.
Sunset there is a cultural gathering, I get the feeling employers may let their workers shut business down for a quick 15 minutes, because when you watch the sunset everyone is there, but its a small town, so not over crowded, just simply beautiful, and a great time to pass with friends.

First Sunset

The signature rocks
Should you decide to partake in the nightlife there are many great beach front bars, a few bars on the strip too but when it gets later I'd go to the beach ones. You can sit beach side with bottle service for $20-$50.
Day two I opted for the beaches, some surfing, and checking out the town.
Local food and drink? Yes please!
It was time for an excursion next, for only $40 I booked a hiking tour to the Tamanique Waterfalls. I booked it when I arrived, and it is a little cheaper to do so, but based on how great it was, I'd recommend booking in advance in case it sells out.

My last day was meant to go to the city, but I ended up meeting some really great local people and instead decided to spend the last day on the beach. We did a whole lot of nothing, but bonding with the people, learning about their culture, drinking some cheap beer, eating some great food, and watching one last sunset with new friends was better than any city tour I could possible imagine.

I'll note safety because El Salvador is certainly not the safest place, but I had zero issues in the beach area of the trip, the Government has made a huge effort to make it safer and police and military were seen everywhere. Only safety concern is beer and shots are cheap, so you can get a hangover easy if you don't watch your drinking! Ok kidding, but it was safe. I went into this country thinking it was going to be a box to check off, a one and done like many amazing trips are. But as I started the article, it stole my heart. It's not a place that there's a million things to do, but it is a place to find peace for a few days, and a little bit of adventure of course too. Safe to say, I would definitely go back.