Thinking About Traveling to El Salvador? Here’s What You Need to Know

Ruta de las flores, El Salvador
Ruta de las flores, El Salvador. Photo by Ricardo Ardon on Unsplash

El Salvador is stunningly beautiful and highly affordable, and the locals will embrace you with arms wide open. This is a place where you can relax on the beach all day or be constantly on the move and explore its charming cities and beautiful nature. Here is what you should need to know before you go.

Knowing Spanish

You won’t have much trouble finding someone who speaks English in El Salvador’s bigger cities. However, this will become a significant challenge once you move away from them. You should at least know some basic Spanish words that will help you ask for directions or get some info.

The Best Time to Visit

El Salvador is a great tourist destination all year round if you don’t mind some rain. However, if you do mind getting wet, you should visit from December through March. This is considered the dry season and the weather can hardly get any more perfect during this period.

The Official Currency

You don’t need to exchange your U.S. dollars for a trip to El Salvador. The country adopted the U.S. dollar as its official currency in 2001 and it will remain so for the foreseeable future. Keep this in mind since you might encounter scammers who will try to convince exchange your money for the now-defunct El Salvador currency colón.

Safety Precautions

Safety usually isn’t an issue in places where there are a lot of tourists. However, things can get slightly different when you head to more remote areas. You should take safety precautions like keeping your valuables out of sight and not wandering around unknown places during the nighttime.