Festivals & Holidays in El Salvador

By air Visitors arriving by plane usually land at El Salvador's international airport in Comalapa (IATA: SAL), which is 50 km or a 45-minute drive south of the capital. Avianca is the national airline of El Salvador. Taca officially merged with Avianca Holdings in May 2013 and uses the Avianca brand...

If you are travelling by car, there are car rental companies such as Alamo and Hertz. Buses and taxis are also a good way to get around. The distances between tourist attractions make walking an unpopular option, as does the layout of the city's streets; San Salvador is not...

Immigration authorities require visitors to carry their passport and one of the following documents when entering El Salvador: a visa or tourist card. Visas are issued by the consulate of El Salvador, which is accredited in countries where there are such diplomatic missions. The tourist card is usually issued...

Cities in El Salvador San Salvador - national capital; department of San SalvadorAcajutlaLa LibertadPuerto Cutuco (La Union)San Francisco Gotera, Morazán DepartmentSanta AnaSan Miguel, Department of San MiguelSanta TeclaSuchitoto Other destinations in El Salvador El Pital (the highest mountain in El Salvador) and its rural life.Parque Nacional Cerro Verde (also known as Parque...

El Salvador's landscape is breathtaking, with volcanoes and mountains offering "green" adventurers just what they are looking for. Many environmentally-oriented community organizations promote ecotourism, and a number of beautiful and secluded beaches and forests are scattered throughout the country. A well-maintained and almost deserted national park lies to the west,...

El Salvador has a reputation for having some of the best surfers in the world. Tourists from all over Central America are discovering the surf hotspots of La Libertad (near San Salvador), El Sunzal, El Zonte and El Cuco (near San Miguel), making El Salvador the fastest growing surf...

Food in El Salvador The restaurant scene in El Salvador is influenced by many different cultures. You can choose from Italian, Korean, Japanese, French, Chilean, American, Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern, German, Chinese, Argentinian and more. American fast food chains such as Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, Subway, Quiznos, Pizza...

The official currency of El Salvador is the US dollar (since 2001). Carry only 1, 5, 10 or 20 dollar notes. Most shops, supermarkets and department stores do not accept $50 or $100 notes. If you need to change your notes into smaller denominations, you can go to any...

The mestizo culture dominates the country, shaped by the influences of indigenous North Americans and Spaniards from Europe. Intermarriage between the indigenous Mesoamerican population of Cuzcatlan and European settlers created a new mixed population. The Catholic Church plays an important role in Salvadoran culture. Archbishop Óscar Romero is a...

From the pre-Columbian period to the beginning of independence El Salvador's civilisation dates back to pre-Columbian times, around 1500 BC, as evidenced by the ancient structures of Tazumal in Chalchuapa. The Spanish admiral Andrés Niño led an expedition to Central America and landed on the island of Meanguera, located in the...

Stay Safe in El Salvador El Salvador has a bad reputation because of the civil war in the 1980s. According to the U.S. State Department, El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Crime is a problem largely attributed to street gangs, although statistics from official...