Flights to El Salvador

Getting around

El Salvador is small, and most sights are within two or three hours of the capital by road. Tourist shuttles and private drivers link San Salvador, the surf beaches, Santa Ana and the Ruta de las Flores, and many visitors hire a car for flexibility. Public buses are cheap and frequent but slow and crowded. Traffic drives on the right, and the main highways are in good condition.

History

The Pipil people, who spoke a Nahua language, called their land Cuzcatlán before Spanish forces arrived in 1524. Earlier Maya communities left sites such as Tazumal and Joya de Cerén, a farming village buried by volcanic ash around 1,400 years ago and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Independence came on 15 September 1821 alongside its Central American neighbours. A civil war from 1980 ended with peace accords in 1992.

Volcanoes, lakes and beaches

The hike up Santa Ana volcano ends at a crater rim above a turquoise lake, with Izalco's bare cone in view and Lake Coatepeque below. The Ruta de las Flores links coffee towns such as Juayúa, Apaneca and Concepción de Ataco, known for murals and weekend food markets. On the coast, El Tunco and El Zonte draw surfers to their rocky point breaks. Suchitoto, with cobbled streets and a lake, makes a calm stop in the north.

Entry, money and practical tips

British visitors do not need a visa for tourist stays, and a regional agreement allows travel between El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua on a single permitted stay. The US dollar is the official currency, and Spanish is spoken throughout. El Salvador is six hours behind the UK in winter and seven in summer. Check current UK government travel advice and your insurance before you go.

When to go

The dry season, from November to April, brings clear skies for volcano hikes and good conditions on the coast. The wet season, from May to October, brings afternoon storms, though the Pacific swell is at its most consistent then.

Thinking about El Salvador? Call 020 7871 4545 and our team will help with your flights.