El Salvador

Getting Around By Air

There are no scheduled domestic flights.

Getting Around by Rail

San Salvador’s railways are managed by FENADESAL (Ferrocarriles Nacionales de El Salvador) (website: www.fenadesal.gob.sv). However, there are no passenger services at present.

Getting Around by Road

Traffic drives on the right. Road conditions vary. Rebuilding of roads following the 2001 earthquakes is nearly complete. Car-jackings are frequent in El Salvador (especially in the cities) and drivers are advised to travel only by day and with the doors locked at all times. New cars, particularly with foreign licence plates, are frequent targets. Automóvil Club de El Salvador (tel: 2231 5555; website: www.aces.com.sv) has reciprocal agreements with some international motoring organisations and can provide further information on driving in El Salvador.

Bus: A good service exists between major towns, although there can be delays if the weather is bad. Buses can be hailed. Pickup trucks are an alternative method of transport to remote areas.

Car hire: Available in San Salvador and from the airport from international and local firms.

Regulations: Seat belts must be worn. Speed limits vary from region to region.

Documentation: A national or International Driving Permit is required for 30-day visits, after which visitors need to obtain a Salvadoran licence.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Bus: City buses offer a good service, but are often crowded.

Taxi: Plentiful but not metered, so it is advisable to agree the fare beforehand. Taxis are yellow and can usually be found cruising the streets looking for pick ups. Alternatively, head to the town square (or similar), where taxis usually congregate between fares. Many large hotels have their own taxi services. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, except when the taxi has been hired for the day.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from San Salvador to other major cities/towns in El Salvador.

Main Airports

San Salvador (SAL) (El Salvador International) (website: www.aeropuertoelsalvador.gob.sv) is 62km (38 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: Minibuses and taxis to the city are available (journey time – 40 minutes). Facilities: Restaurants, shops, car hire, banks, hotel reservation desk, left luggage and Wi-Fi Internet access.

Getting There by Water

Main ports: Acajutla, La Unión and La Libertad on the Pacific coast.

Getting There by Rail

There are no longer rail links to Guatemala.

Getting There by Road

Transportes Mermex (tel: 2279 3676; website: www.transmermex.com.sv) operates buses between El Salvador and Guatemala. Pullmantur buses (tel: 2243 1300; website: www.pullmantur.com) travel from Guatemala City and from Tegucigalpa (Honduras) to San Salvador. Transnica (tel: +505 270 3135, in Nicaragua; website: www.transnica.com) runs bus services between Managua (Nicaragua) and San Salvador. Tica Bus (tel: 2222 4808, San Salvador bus terminal; website: www.ticabus.com) runs buses from Tapachula (Mexico) to Guatemala and on to San Salvador; buses from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa (Honduras) to San Salvador; and buses from Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua to El Salvador.

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Hot, subtropical climate affected by altitude. Dry season or summer runs between November and April. Coastal areas are particularly hot, with a rainy season between May and October. Upland areas have a cooler, more temperate climate.

Required Clothing

Lightweight clothing and rainwear during the wet season in coastal areas. Waterproof clothing is advisable all year round. Warm clothing should be taken for higher altitudes.

Hotels

The main hotels are in the capital, and accommodation should be booked in advance. Lake Coatepeque is a popular resort in western El Salvador, which has good hotels, restaurants and lodging houses.

Grading: Hotels in El Salvador can be classified into three groups: deluxe, first-class and budget hotels.

Guest Houses

Guest houses and budget backpacker hotels, often with private bathrooms, can be found in the main tourist towns.

Self Catering

CORSATUR has online listings of apartments, cabins, villas and ranches to rent (website: www.elsalvadorturismo.gob.sv).

Camping/Caravanning

Advisable only as part of tours to the countryside. Tour guides will be on hand for safety precautions.

Passports

Passport valid for at least six months after departure required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 30 days except:

1. Nationals of Bulgaria, Romania and Poland who do require a visa.

2. Nationals of Canada, Greece, Portugal and the USA must buy a tourist card for US$10, valid for 30 days, on entry.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Visa Note

All nationals referred to in the chart above will need to apply for a multiple-entry visa in advance, if stay exceeds 30 days.

Health Care

Medical facilities are limited outside San Salvador. Doctors and hospitals expect immediate cash payment. Travellers are advised to carry a copy of their insurance document as hospitals may not provide treatment otherwise. State-run hospitals are basic and visitors are advised to use private clinics where possible.

Note

* A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over six months of age coming from infected areas.

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Food and Drink

There are numerous Chinese, Mexican, Italian, French and local restaurants, plus several fast-food chains.

National specialities:

• Rice, beans, meat and salad is a popular meal.

• Corn tortillas.

• Iguana.

• Armadillo.

•Pupusa (a fried sandwich made of tortillas and filled with pork, cheese and sausage).

National drinks:

• Coffee.

•Refrescos (natural fruit drinks).

• Beer (Pilsner and Suprema).

•Tic tac and Torito (alcoholic beverages made from distilled sugar cane).

Legal drinking age: A person must be aged over 18 to buy alcohol.

Tipping: 10% in hotels and restaurants; 15% is appropriate for smaller bills.

Nightlife

San Salvador has a few nightclubs. Zona Rosa is the district with the hippest (and most pricey) clubs, bars and restaurants. There are many cinemas, some showing English-language films with subtitles. The capital’s numerous theatres include the restored Teatro Nacional. Other evening entertainment includes concerts and football (soccer) matches.

Shopping

The best souvenirs are handmade goods, including ceramics (especially in Ilobasco), handpainted wood (in La Palma) and wicker furniture (in Nahuizalco). Various goods can be bought at the Mercado Cuartel craft market in San Salvador. The city also has several modern shopping centres including Multiplaza, Galerias, Metrocentro, Gran Vía, Hiper Mall and Cascadas.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1200 and 1400-1800. Some shops, especially those selling food and drink, open until late.

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• Escape to the beach: El Salvador’s 320km (200-mile) Pacific coastline boasts resort hotels, unspoiled beaches, fishing villages and pine forests. Beaches include La Barra de Santiago, El Cuco, El Sunzal and El Tamarindo. The best resorts tend to be found along the Costa del Sol.

• Seek the ultimate wave: El Salvador’s coast is a surfer’s heaven, with uncrowded waters and world-class breaks. The biggest waves roll in at Punta Roca and El Sunzal, while powerful Punta Mango is only accessible by boat. 

• Grab some fresh air and gaze up at forest giants in the Montecristo Cloud Forest, home to diverse species including spider monkeys, pumas and toucans. This is a great place to hike, camp or go birdwatching.

•Set sail on the Gulf of Fonseca, a large stretch of water shared by El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, stopping off at one of the many volcanic islands dotting the gulf.

•Fish, sail, kayak or waterski on Lake Coatepeque at the foot of the Santa Ana volcano, which is still active and last erupted in 2005. 

• Hit the rapids and go white-water rafting. The best rivers to raft are the Lempa, Sumpul, Guayjoyo, Bandera and Paz during the rainy season (May to October), and the Paz in the dry season (November to April).

•Kayak among the islands and channels of the Bahía de Jiquilisco.

• Go on a trekking expedition to the volcanoes. There are more than 25 in El Salvador, three of which (the Izalco, San Miguel and Santa Ana) are still considered active. The extinct San Salvadorvolcano is close to the capital and the Cerro Verde in the west is easily accessible.

•Dive in the volcanic crater of Ilopango: explore a fascinating underwater landscape of hidden hills and look out for fish, crabs and sponges. The water temperature is usually at least 26°C (79°F).

• Join an ecological tour in El Imposible National Park, the country’s most important ecological reserve, where varied vegetation and fauna offer a refuge for numerous bird and wildlife species, including the rare black hawk eagle. 

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

• See the sights of San Salvador,a blend of modern buildings and colonial architecture, broad plazas and monuments, parks and shopping centres. Standing close to each other are the Catedral Metropolitana (metropolitan cathedral), the Palacio Nacional (national palace), the National Treasury and the Teatro Nacional (national theatre). 

• Find sanctuary from San Salvador’s hustle and bustle in one of the city’s many beautiful colonial churches including St Ignatius Loyola (once the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe), with a traditional Spanish colonial facade. 

• Soar skywards on a cable car to the amusement park on San Jacinto Mountain for panoramic views of the capital.

• Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of San Salvador from the 1,200m (3,900ft) rock formation, the Puerta del Diablo (Devil’s Doorway), just south of the Balboa Park, 11km (7 miles) from the capital.

• Take a trip to Panchimalco, 15km (9 miles) south of San Salvador, around which live the Pancho Indians (pure-blooded descendants of the original Pipil tribes), who retain many of their old traditions and dress. 

• Discover village life in San Sebastián, known for its beautiful woven materials. The village is situated near Lake Ilopango, the largest of El Salvador’s lakes, surrounded by volcanoes and mountains, and popular with outdoor and watersports enthusiasts. 

• Uncover the history of Juayua, one of El Salvador’s main coffee-producing towns and famous for its weekly food festival plus its striking colonial church, the Iglesia del Cristo Negro (Church of the Black Christ) (website: www.juayua.net).

• Book a tourto Joya de Cerén, a Mayan site buried under volcanic ash 1,400 years ago and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or visit the San Andrés region, where fertile soil once housed Mayan settlements and where an architectural jewel, the acropolis, is a highlight. 

• Wander among the beautiful ruins at Tazumal, which boasts structures over 30m (90ft) high and a ball court where the Maya practised unusual sporting rites.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

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