10 El Salvador Beaches For Sun, Surf, And Serenity-With Useful Tips

El Salvador may be a small country but El Salvador beaches features stunning coastline with some of the best beaches in Central America. El Salvador is a small country in Central America and famous for “Land of Volcanoes” and local's favorite black sand beaches.

10 Beautiful & Serene El Salvador Beaches

Whether you are looking for luxury resort, white sandy beaches, or quite surfing village, El Salvador has best beaches for you. This blog post is all about exploring best beaches to visit in El Salvador.

Take a look on these beaches to make your experience outstanding. Keep reading!

1. Playa El Tunco

El Salvador tour would be incomplete without visiting this popular beach ‘Playa El Tunco beach’. Among all beaches, this beach is considered as quintessential beach town that normally attract backpacker from different countries or states. In the entire country, El Tunco El Salvador beach town is most-visited spot because of several reasons.

Nearby Things to Do

Explore the Tunco Caves as these caves have more an Amphitheatre shape.
Do not forget to catch amazing sunset views along the beach and capture stunning photographs.
Swim in the salty pools in Palmarcito Beach.

2. El Zonte

El Zonte is a small surfer town with gentle waves and calm waters. It is located just a few kilometers up the coast from El Tunco. The beauty of this beach town is that it has two beaches. On one side of the town, you will find one of the best surfs across the country. To swim here, you must know how to swim or surf as an experienced surfer.

Nearby Things to Do

You can visit the Tamanique Waterfalls or hike the Santa Ana Volcano.
Esencia Nativa place is must-visit spot for yoga enthusiasts who want to do some yoga.
Must try international restaurants and bars to accommodate hunger needs.

3. Playa El Cuco

Playa El Cuco is one of the best beaches in El Salvador for families. This long stretch beach features amazing white sand, palm-lined shore and blue waters for swimming. Playa El Cuco beach property is more of a laid-back resort that welcome tourists with memorable evenings, fresh seafood & more.

Nearby Things to Do

Explore the Jiquilisco Bay Biosphere Reserve for wonderful memories.
Go for surf or swim in its refreshing waters, especially after sunbathing.
Take a boat ride that takes through the tour of mangroves.

4. Costa del Sol

Most of the luxury travelers go to Costa del Sol beach, a long and sand lined beach with amazing oceanfront views. This El Salvador beach resort spans over 15 kilometers and this region alone includes three separate beaches named as Costa del Sol, San Marcelino, and Los Blancos. This area is throughout popular.

Nearby Things to Do

Take a boat tour through mangrove forests to enjoy one of the best experiences.
Go for horseback riding along the beach.
Conduct day trip to Isla Montecristo especially in August.

5. Isla de Tasajera

Isla de Tasajera is one of the best beaches in El Salvador for swimming where the ocean meets the freshwater lake. On Tasajera, there are no paved roads as there is one small village and stretching of small communities and farms. The sand-dunes, driftwood and nature are some of the beach’s best things.

Nearby Things to Do

Go on Tamanique Waterfalls tour from Surf City.
Take a day tour for Santa Ana Volcano Hiking and Lake Coatepeque.
Explore Antigua Guatemala World Heritage Site.

6. Lago de Coatepeque

The great temperature and crystal-clear waters of this beach make it a top-tourist spot. Lago de Coatepeque technically is not a beach but more than amazing crater lake. It is located just a short drive from Santa Ana. One thing with Coatepeque is that nearly all of the shoreline area is privately owned.

Nearby Things to Do

Enjoy swimming, kayaking, surfing or boat riding on the lake.
Do bird watching to see different types of birds on the lake.
Go on hiking or mountain biking in the surrounding lush vegetation.

7. Playa El Majahual

Playa El Majahual is not only a busy village of El Majahual but also considered as one of the best El Salvador beaches near San Salvador. Also, this beach is best known for backpacking culture with other water-based activities. The friendly locals and vast community will truly make your stay extra special by better engagement.

Nearby Things to Do

Snorkel or swim in any of the beach location to explore amazing beach views.
Stroll along the Malecón boardwalk that runs parallel to the beach.
Try any of the water sport to spend your time in engaging way.

8. Playa Los Cóbanos

Among El Salvador beaches near San Salvador, Playa Los Cóbanos is ranked among top 10 beaches. Here, you will find the largest Central American Pacific coral reef named as Arrecife de Coral Los Cóbanos. This is a natural protected area that offer snorkelers and scuba divers an amazing snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities.

Nearby Things to Do

Explore Whale sightings attraction as this is one of the famous beach’s attractions.
Go on a day trip to Sonsonate which is famous in its own beauty.
Give nearby restaurants a try to taste different dishes.

9. El Sunzal

Looking for best clear water beaches in El Salvador? El Sunzal is one of them where you can catch the views of pure and original blue waters.

This amazing beach not only provide surfers an amazing surfing opportunity but also you can take breaks between surfing. The water clarity allows you to see the vibrant marine life underneath the surface.

Nearby Things to Do

Church of the Rosary is a famous nearby attraction that you could visit with your family.
Military Museum of the Armed Forces is must-visit spot for history enthusiasts.
Snorkel along the beach waves to see marine species from closest.

10. Playa El Esterón

In El Salvador beaches map, the Playa El Esterón beach also exists. It is located between rocky cliffs and hidden gem that should be discovered by everyone.

The pristine sands, secluded location and peaceful environment will make your mood refreshing and rejuvenated. Most of the photographers want to visit this beach for capturing stunning clicks.

Nearby Things to Do

During sunrise and sunset time, do not forget to capture sunset views.
Do camping on the beach in evening time for refreshing feel.
Explore palm-fringed shorelines along with El Salvador’s coastline.

Useful Tips to Keep in Mind Before Visiting El Salvador

Before visiting El Salvador, the following are some useful tips that you need to follow:

Consider the best time to visit beaches of El Salvador. In general, dry season i.e., November to April is the ideal time for beach activities and fun.
If you want to go for surfing, try to visit between May to October.
Be aware of the local security situations as petty crime risks here demand increased caution.
Try to travel between different spots or locations during daylight time period.
For activities like hiking and surfing, it will be good to hire local tourist guide especially when you are beginner.
Respect local customs by being respectful of the local culture and avoid displaying local wealth on public places.
Obey water condition warnings when swimming in any of the El Salvador’s beach.

Final Ideas!

So, with the variety of El Salvador beaches, there is definitely one to fit every type of beach goer and backpacker. Undoubtedly, the El Salvador is small country but literally worth exploring for travel enthusiasts like backpacker, hikers and surfers.

El Salvador is normally a safest travel destination but it comes with few security concerns especially in nighttime. If it’s first time for you to visit El Salvador, we outlined some tips that will help you explore El Salvador safely with increased caution. Pick your own favorite and must give it a try!