Insider tip in Latin America The most dangerous country in the world is now a vacation paradise

Just a few years ago, El Salvador was considered the epitome of violence and drug gangs. Today, the smallest country in Central America attracts travelers from all over the world - with volcanic landscapes, surfing beaches and an amazing safety record.

Drug gangs, violence, corruption - just a few years ago, El Salvador was considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world. The Latin American country was a blind spot on the world map. Today, however, the country looks completely different and inspires travelers.

Many people knew El Salvador from international headlines. But today there is little trace of its dark past. With its turquoise-blue waves, volcanic landscapes, colorful colonial cities and pristine beaches, the country is now a dream vacation destination.

El Salvador's structural changes in recent years prove that a country can achieve such a 180-degree turnaround. In just a few years, it has undergone radical change - politically, socially and, above all, in terms of security. Although the FDFA still recommends traveling with caution, the US government has now set the crime rate in El Salvador at the lowest level, comparable to Japan and Iceland. In 2024, El Salvador was among the top 5 countries with the fastest growth in tourism, with a record 3.9 million visitors.

From crisis state to travel destination

This was not always the case: Mara gangs such as MS-13 and Barrio 18 controlled the streets for decades and made the country a place that was not easy to travel to for travelers and locals alike. When President Nayib Bukele took office in 2019, a radical change of course began in El Salvador. Bukele pursued an uncompromising security strategy that has profoundly changed the country and caused an international stir.

Brutal gang violence has been massively reduced, murder rates are historically low and even former "red zones" such as Soyapagno and Mejicanos are now considered safe to enter - even for tourists. To cope with the sheer volume of prisoners, Bukele had the largest prison in Latin America built: the CECOT (Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo), a high-security complex with space for 40,000 inmates.

El Salvador's transformation is controversial. Human rights organizations criticize the harshness of the measures, complain about abuse of power and arbitrary arrests. At the same time, however, El Salvador has regained hope for stability, development and tourism. This offers the locals an opportunity for new sources of income.

Traveling where history begins anew

For the adventurous, there is now a rare opportunity to experience a destination at the beginning of its tourism development. The highlights of El Salvador are not yet overcrowded hotspots such as Tulum in Mexico or Cartagena in Colombia, but places full of untouched nature and authentic people. The Ruta de las Flores, the Santa Ana volcanic massif, charming colonial towns such as Suchitoto, or the coast around El Zonte and El Tunco attract not only surfers, but also backpackers and digital nomads with simplified visas.

Since 2019, El Salvador has been focusing on expanding tourism and is thus developing into a new hotspot for travelers. By investing in infrastructure such as new roads, sewage systems and promenades, the government not only wants to modernize the coastal region around La Libertad and other beach resorts, but also diversify the economy and promote sustainable tourism.

The concept is already having an impact: the fact that more tourists than ever arrived in 2024 is known as the Surf City Initiative, which is why surfing in particular is experiencing a boom. International competitions are held regularly and more and more surf schools are popping up on the beaches. Young talents now see this as a real career prospect. In addition to the sporting successes, local communities are also benefiting. Small stores, restaurants and accommodation are experiencing new opportunities thanks to the growing number of visitors.

Undiscovered diversity in the smallest of spaces

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, but its cultural and scenic diversity is in no way inferior to its neighbors. On the contrary: if you want to experience a lot in a short space, this is the place for you. The Pacific coast, volcanic landscapes, rainforests, crater lakes and coffee mountains are often just a few hours' drive away.

Over 20 volcanoes, spectacular crater lakes such as Lago de Coatepeque and more than 300 kilometers of Pacific coastline make the country a true adventure in the smallest of spaces. The size of the country is roughly half the size of Switzerland, yet around 6.5 million people live here, around 1.1 million of whom live in the metropolitan area of the capital San Salvador. The official language is Spanish, but indigenous languages such as Nahuatl are still spoken in some regions.

Travel tips for El Salvador

The ideal tour starts in San Salvador, the country's modern capital. Even though it is still hardly developed for tourism, it is worth taking a look behind the facade: in districts such as San Benito or Zona Rosa, galleries, boutiques and cafés are springing up that make El Salvador's unique culture palatable.

Young artists and entrepreneurs in particular are shaping the development. To the west of San Salvador, one of the country's most famous highlights awaits: the Santa Ana volcano, which can be climbed in just a few hours. You also get a view of a surreal turquoise crater lake.

The Cerro Verde National Park, the idyllic Lake Coatepeque and the Ruta de las Flores are also nearby. This is a hilly region full of flowers, waterfalls and small colonial towns such as Juayúa, Ataco and Apaneca, where food festivals and craft markets are held at weekends.

On the Pacific coast, places such as El Tunco, El Zonte and La Libertad have established themselves as surfing hotspots. Guests can experience the pioneering new boutique hotels with pool and sea view, as well as the authentic rustic cabañas.

Known as a pioneer in the crypto world

El Salvador made history in 2021 when it became the first country in the world to make Bitcoin its official currency. The symbolic starting point of this experiment was the small coastal village of El Zonte, which became known as "Bitcoin Beach". People here had already started using cryptocurrency payments in everyday life years earlier - from coffee on the beach to accommodation.

President Bukele took up this initiative to position the country internationally as innovative and future-oriented. The aim was to attract new investors, create financial inclusion for people without bank accounts and at the same time make the country attractive to a whole new target group.

However, implementation proved to be far more difficult: many Salvadorans only used the state Bitcoin app for the start-up bonus, acceptance in everyday life remained low and companies rarely used cryptocurrencies either. This was compounded by price fluctuations, a lack of infrastructure and finally a change in the law in 2024/2025, which weakened the obligation to use it again.

Even though Bukele has since scaled back the euphoric phase of the Bitcoin project somewhat, the consequences are visible: remote workers and tech enthusiasts from all over the world can enter El Salvador thanks to the simplified digital nomad visas to experience the "crypto experiment" up close. Co-working spaces are springing up, hostels and boutique hotels are specifically advertising Bitcoin payments.

El Salvador scores with value for money

In addition to nature, politics and cryptos, it is above all the warmth of the people that makes El Salvador so special. Travelers report honest curiosity, hospitality and encounters that stay with them for a long time. Many Salvadorans are proud of the transformation of their country and are happy to show it. Those who speak Spanish quickly strike up a conversation. If you don't, you will still be welcomed with open arms

The price-performance ratio is (still) unbeatable. Accommodation, transportation, food and activities are significantly cheaper than in Costa Rica or Mexico and often just as high quality. For individual travelers with a thirst for adventure, but also for backpackers, couples or slow travelers, El Salvador is therefore an ideal destination to experience a lot on a small budget.

According to the FDFA, night-time walks and visits to remote beaches are still not recommended. However, as in many Latin American countries, if you are well informed, use common sense and follow local recommendations, you can travel safely to El Salvador today.

In this article, you can find out exactly where you should go in El Salvador and which new hotels you can stay in.