How To Spend The Perfect Day in El Tunco, El Salvador (2024)

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Welcome to Surf City: El Tunco, El Salvador

Yoga, surfing, health foods, beautiful beaches, and more: El Tunco, El Salvador is one of the most relaxing places in Central America. Also referred to as “Surf City”, El Tunco only has a few streets, but they are vibrant and inviting, which you’ll immediately notice.

Whether you’re a backpacker, honeymooner, or traveling with family, El Tunco is the perfect beach getaway for you. This town is incredibly charming, under the radar (as far as Central American beach towns go) and right on the beach. Although it isn’t hugely known by foreigners, El Tunco is the most popular beach in El Salvador!

We’ll go over how to spend the perfect day in El Tunco, even though we would be perfectly fine doing nothing but lounging in a hammock by the beach. Let’s get into it!

Warning: The waves at El Tunco and the surrounding beaches can be fairly strong, so make sure to check the surf report, and if you’re a beginner, consider going in the morning, when the waves are more friendly. If you’re a surfing beginner following this itinerary, switch the Yoga and surfing classes around!

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The Perfect 1-Day Itinerary in El Tunco

7 AM: Take a Yoga Class

Start your day off right with an exciting yoga class. Whether you’re a passionate Yogi or optimistic beginner, El Tunco is the place for you. Many accommodations offer multi-day yoga retreats, which are transformative, educational, and physically and mentally challenging experiences. For those who just want a quick yoga experience, places like Sunshine Yoga offer short classes. Yogis offer classes in their studios or often times on the beach!

8:30 AM: Grab a Delicious El Tunco Breakfast

There isn’t technically an “El Tunco Breakfast”, that’s just what I’m calling it. Many cafés in El Tunco serve large portions of non-El Salvadorean breakfast food. While I love pupusas, after a week of eating them non-stop, I was ready for something new. Thankfully El Tunco is a great place to grab a hearty meal with international influence.

Point Break Café was absolutely delicious and a great taste of home! They have a variety of breakfast sandwiches, crepes, and great smoothies.

Dale Dale Café is another great option for breakfast. Here you can sample traditional El Salvadorean coffee, boba drinks, and make your own breakfast sandwich!

9:30 AM: Test your Surfing Skills with a Surf Lesson

Surfing is THE thing to do in El Tunco. Grab your wet suit, sunscreen up, and hit the waves! There are loads of surf shops in El Tunco and the surrounding towns, and most will offer lessons for $30-$45 per person. If you’re a hardcore surfer or looking for a bigger commitment than just an hour-long lesson, surf camps will bundle accommodation, surfing and sometimes other activities like yoga!

Private lessons will be more expensive, and it’s very rare that your surf instructor will have more than one other person. Just book a “group” lesson instead!

11 AM: Grab a Smoothie!

Did you even visit a surf town if you didn’t get a smoothie?! The smoothies in El Tunco are much better than other places in El Salvador, as they use fresh fruit, less artificial sugar, and yogurt. We got smoothies at Point Break Café and a small, unmarked smoothie shop across from Coyote, both of which were delicious!

11:30: Relax on the Beach

There are tons of different beaches that stretch along the beautiful El Salvadorean coast. Whether you prefer hanging out at a beachfront bar or having a front-row seat to your friends failing at surfing, making time for the beach is a must! We hung out at El Sunzal beach, where we saw some cool beach caves, watched some surfing of all skill levels, and enjoyed the general peacefulness of the area.

1:30 PM: Go to a Brewery with Swimming Pools

Just a 20 minute walk from El Tunco, Cadejo Brewing is the perfect place to spend your afternoon! This is one of the most interesting breweries we’ve been to— being able to take a dip in a pool overlooking an ocean whilst sipping on a craft brew isn’t common! They have around 8-10 craft beers on tap, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and delicious food. Unfortunately you do need to spend $25 per person on food and drink to use the pools.

4:30 PM: Grab a Seafood or Pupusa Dinner

With tons of options in El Tunco and the surrounding towns, you won’t need to look far for a good place to eat. While you’re on the coast, make sure to try the various seafood dishes! We saw Peruvian and Spanish-themed ceviches, tons of shrimp pasta dishes, and filets! If you prefer something quick, grab some pupusas from Esquina Los Amigos! I know I said I was tired of Pupusas, but they’re just so convenient and cheap when you’re in El Salvador!

5:30 PM: Watch the Gorgeous El Tunco Sunset

Head to a beachfront cocktail bar or just find a good spot to admire the beautiful sunset! El Tunco has extremely pretty sunsets and beaches that are never crowded!

Quick Note:

Up until now, all of the listed activities can be enjoyed by people of all ages—even the brewery! However, after the sun sets, you’ll have to choose what vibe you’re after! From 6:15 on, you have two primary options:

6:15-Midnight: The El Tunco Party Vibe

El Tunco is the happening place. Surfers, locals, and travelers meet up at the various bars and clubs, and the town turns into one giant party—especially on the weekends. Check out Kako’s Gastrobar for dancing, JungleSV for cocktails, and Long Beach for karaoke and a college bar atmosphere. Mix in an Electrolit to feel good enough to do it all again tomorrow!

6:15-Bedtime: The Relaxing Vibe

I’m not here to shame anyone, but sometimes you have kids, you’re tired, or just need a break from the parties! (We’re 25 years old at the time of writing this post and we opted for an early night in.) If you’re with your kids, they will love the Carnival in La Libertad. There’s a Ferris wheel, a small roller coaster, tons of ice cream parlors, and lots of seafood restaurants. You can probably get a bus here, but you might have to call a taxi to bring you back!

El Tunco: That’s a Wrap!

All in all, El Tunco is an incredibly relaxing, fun beach town filled with both locals and foreigners indulging in the laid-back atmosphere. You can pick and choose from this itinerary what you want to do, as I’m sure you’ll love El Tunco, no matter what! We didn’t get around to exploring all the other towns, but we highly recommend renting a moped or car and going up the coast as far as Mizata!

While El Tunco is fairly expensive compared to the rest of El Salvador, you can pay significantly less for accommodations if you stay in nearby towns like La Libertad. El Tunco has a lot of foreign influence, so activities like surfing and yoga as well as the restaurants are more expensive. However, we still think that visiting El Tunco is 100% worth it whether you’re a backpacker on a budget or someone looking to splurge on beautiful beachfront accommodations. We hope you use this guide to spending the perfect day in El Tunco, but if not, no worries! The wonderful thing about El Tunco is that you can go your own speed – whatever that may be! So kick-back and relax, (or hit the bar for tequila shots), and have the best beach vacation of your life!

Best Time to Visit El Tunco

If you’re an experienced surfer looking to catch some bigger swells, aim for the wet season, from May to October. However, be aware of potential downsides: some parks and trails might be less accessible due to rain, and occasional downpours could disrupt your itinerary.

For beginner surfers who prefer guaranteed sunshine and don’t mind smaller waves, the dry season (November to April) offers warm weather and clear skies.

Where to Stay in El Tunco

El Tunco is small, so accommodations can be a bit more expensive than the rest of El Salvador because there aren’t too many options. When we were on the coast, we actually stayed in La Libertad because we didn’t have the budget for a place in El Tunco, but we definitely recommend staying right in El Tunco if you can. However, even if you stay in a different town, there are constantly buses running up and down the coast that you can grab to go wherever you want!

El Tunco Accommodations

BUDGET

Hotel & Bar La Guitarra

MID-RANGE

Layback Surf Hotel

HIGH-END

Boca Olas Resort Villas

View More →

How to Get to El Tunco

How to Get to El Tunco by Car

El Tunco is likely only a 1-2 hour drive from the most commonly visited places in El Salvador. Rent a car here and you’ll be able to easily explore the amazing beach towns that line the beautiful El Salvadorean coast!

How to Get to El Tunco by Tour

Many tours, like this one, go from San Salvador to El Tunco as part of a full-day tour. If you have limited time in El Salvador but want to get your beach time in, this is a great option! That particular tour also adds in the Tamanique waterfall, which is a popular attraction in the area!

How to Get to El Tunco via Private Shuttle from the Airport

This transfer service will pick you up at the El Salvador International Airport and take you directly to El Tunco, La Libertad, El Sunzal, or any of the surrounding towns. This is a great method for those who want to keep it easy and don’t want to rent a car!

How to Get to El Tunco using Public Transportation

From Santa Ana, take bus #216 to Sonsonate from here for. $0.70. Take bus #287 to La Libertad for $1.50 but get off in El Tunco.

From San Salvador, take micro-bus 102A from here for $1.50. It has AC and comfortable seating!

How to Get from El Tunco to Surrounding Beach Towns

You can rent a moped for around $20/day in El Tunco, which will give you the flexibility and freedom to explore the El Salvadorean coast as you see fit.

It is also easy to get around these towns via the following public buses:

#12-LL mini buses go from La Libertad to close to El Tunco, and costs $0.25
The #192 and #192A buses go between La Libertad and La Perla, and costs $0.25
The 102A bus costs $1.50 because it runs from El Sunzal to San Salvador. This should be your last resort as it’s more expensive!

Keep Exploring El Salvador…

Our Favorite Travel Resources

Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.

Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.

Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.

Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.

International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.

eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.

Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!

El Tunco Frequently Asked Questions

Is El Tunco a Black Sand Beach?

El Tunco is a black sand beach, but it’s not super dark. It won’t burn your feet, but you’ll be able to get amazing pictures of the palm trees reflecting against the wet sand!

What is El Tunco Known For?

El Tunco is known for its surfing and overall laid-back vibe. It’s a great beach town, surrounded by other similar towns that are worth stopping by!

Is El Tunco Safe?

El Tunco is extremely safe, but I’m sure due to the touristy nature of it and the party atmosphere, there are pickpockets. We didn’t see any armed guards while visiting, which can be a good sign that there is no need to worry!

How To Spend The Perfect Day in El Tunco, El Salvador