Although some call El Salvador the “Tom Thumb of the Americas”, it is a country with a lot to offer which never disappoints its visitors. If you’re thinking of travelling to El Salvador, you’ve probably asked yourself a million questions: Do I need a visa? What is the currency in El Salvador? Do I need to get vaccinated? We have compiled a summary of travel requirements for El Salvador so that you don’t have to go from website to website looking for answers. So planning your trip to this wonderful country full of culture and beauty will be a piece of cake… or rather, a piece of pupusa!
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Are visas a necessary travel requirement for El Salvador?
Generally, a visa is not a travel requirement for El Salvador, provided you are travelling for tourism and your stay is less than three months. However, it is necessary to present a valid passport with at least 6 months of validity remaining. One recommendation to bear in mind is to make a photocopy of your stamped passport once you arrive at your destination and keep it in a safe place as a precaution against losing your official document.
Upon entering the country, you have to declare the reason for the trip, as well as presenting return tickets, a hotel reservation or the name of the person who will host you in the country and proof of financial capacity. If you wish to extend your stay, you will have to apply for an extension at least 5 working days before the end of your 3-month residence permit at the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
Are vaccinations a travel requirement for El Salvador?
All persons over one year of age and under sixty years of age from countries at risk of Yellow Fever transmission must present the “International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever“. Also, although it is not one of the travel requirements for El Salvador, it is very convenient to have an official vaccination card up to date before travelling.
In addition, it is worth noting that every year cases of Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, mosquito-borne diseases, are detected. Although they are not usually fatal, they can be especially dangerous for children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. Therefore, if you belong to one of these groups, it is advisable to consult a specialist before travelling. Preventive measures against these diseases are: use of mosquito repellents and clothing that covers the extremities, as well as avoiding humid areas.
We also recommend avoiding street food, always drink bottled water and only eat disinfected fruits and vegetables to avoid typhoid fever and digestive diseases.
El Salvador’s currency
Since 2001, El Salvador has had two official currencies: the US dollar and the colón. The latter is less common and less convenient for travellers, for whom it is easier to change their currency into US dollars. The coexistence of these two currencies is not a problem for making payments because the dollar is already more widely used than the colón. Although the use of credit cards is very common in large cities, hotels, restaurants, etc., not all businesses accept cards. Therefore, having cash is one of the essential requirements for your trip to El Salvador.
It is also a good idea to exchange your currency before arriving, as it is not always easy to change euros to dollars at banks or bureaux de change. However, you can easily withdraw cash from ATMs, which can be found in large supermarkets and shopping centres.
Travel insurance – a requirement for El Salvador?
To enter some countries, such as Cuba, it is essential to have travel insurance with medical coverage. In the case of El Salvador, having travel insurance is not a requirement for entering the country, but rather a recommendation. Consulates will not, under any circumstances, cover the costs of any medical procedure carried out on tourists if their country of origin does not have a health agreement with El Salvador. No European country has an agreement. Medical expenses can be very high, so it is worth taking out travel insurance that includes air repatriation to your country in the event of serious illness.
Which airlines fly to El Salvador and to which cities?
The Tom Thumb of America has two airports that receive international flights:
El Salvador International Airport (SAL) and Ilopango International Airport (ILS). The former (SAL) is located in the capital, San Salvador, and the latter (ILS) in the municipality of Ilopango.
The airlines that fly to El Salvador are: Avianca, Copa Airlines, Iberia, Aeromexico, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Air Transat, Spirit Airlines, Interjet, Transportes Aéreos Guatemaltecos, Volaris Costa Rica and Spirit Airlines. There are no direct flights to the country from Europe. You will often find stopovers in the United States and Latin American countries such as Panama and Honduras.
What are the Covid restrictions in El Salvador?
There are currently no entry restrictions to El Salvador. Travellers wishing to enter the country are not required to present a negative test or a Covid passport. That said, it should be noted that just like the pandemic situation, countries’ restrictions are constantly changing. Therefore, it is best to check for yourself before your trip to El Salvador what the Covid-related requirements are from your country. You can use the Sherpa tool or the Skyscanner tool which, by entering your country of origin and destination, will show you a breakdown of the restrictions.
The use of the mask is voluntary, although precautionary measures are recommended in public and crowded spaces. Some businesses such as shops, bars and restaurants may ask to use disinfectant gel before entering or to take a temperature.
What else should I consider before travelling to El Salvador?
- Book in advance if you are travelling in high season.
- Try pupusas: El Salvador’s national dish.
- Plugs in El Salvador are type A and B.
- Distances in El Salvador aren’t very long, so if you’re travelling around the country, you might want to hire a car.
- If you use common sense, El Salvador is as safe a country as any other. Don’t display luxury items in public and stay away from tourist areas.
- Cover yourself for medical emergencies: travel with insurance.
- Always drink bottled water and don’t eat street food.
- Protect yourself and others: avoid crowds and wear a mask when appropriate.
- Be careful with your belongings in crowded and touristy places.
- Review the requirements for entering El Salvador before you travel.
How to plan what to see on your trip to El Salvador?
Now that you know the necessary requirements for your trip to El Salvador, it’s time to plan it with Passporter, your best ally for travelling. Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its possibilities.
- Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location (you can take inspiration from the routes presented in the post).
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
- Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited to the app so you can inspire other users.
If you have any doubts about how to plan your itinerary, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
Frequently asked questions for a trip to El Salvador
The best time to travel to El Salvador is during the dry season, i.e. from November to April. During these months, rainfall is less frequent and travel is much more pleasant.
El Salvador has a tropical climate that keeps the country’s temperatures pleasant all year round. January is the coldest, with lows of 19ºC and highs of 29ºC, but year-round temperatures generally range from 19ºC to 24ºC minimums and 31ºC to 34ºC maximums.
However, in terms of rainfall, there are major differences throughout the year. The weather in El Salvador is divided into two seasons: rainy and dry. The rainy season runs from May to October, with about 20 days of rain per month. The dry season runs from November to April, when it hardly rains at all.
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