El Tunco is a tiny beachside town in El Salvador. Located about an hour’s drive from the country’s capital city, San Salvador, it’s especially popular with surfers and yoga instructors. The main pathway through the town is a sandy trail, and not many people wear shoes here.
In fact, El Tunco is so laid-back it’s horizontal. For tourists that’s all part of its allure!
We spent most of our time in El Tunco chilling out on the black sandy beach and going for a swim (when the waves weren’t so fierce!) My husband tried out surfing here; he booked a group lesson, but I was happy watching from the beach (it looked a little too intense for me). We also visited the Cascadas de Tamanique waterfalls and ate way too many pupusas during our time here.
When we first pulled up onto El Tunco’s sandy road, we instantly felt relaxed. In fact, we could have stayed here for longer than 4 nights.
Anyway, in this blog post, I’ll guide you through where to stay and where to eat in El Tunco. As well as list the very best things to do here.
Getting to El Tunco:
Because we stayed a few nights in San Salvador beforehand, we took a bus (operated by Astrall) from San Salvador to El Tunco. It leaves from their depot on Venezuela Blvd in San Salvador.
And if you’re flying into El Salvador, it’s likely you’ll be coming in via San Salvador International Airport (called the Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez International Airport). From the airport, your best option is to book a private transfer direct to El Tunco or hop in a cab (it’s around a 1.5-hour transfer from the airport).
If you’re coming via Guatemala, your best option is to come in on a shuttle from Antigua. This journey takes around 7 hours, and you can expect to pay approximately $50 USD.
Where to stay in El Tunco
We stayed at La Sombra Hostel, which is a short walk from the beach. Our private ensuite room was spacious and clean, and there’s a lovely outdoor pool. It’s a very social place to stay, and we met lots of cool people while staying here.
Another popular choice here is the Hotel Boca Olas Resort Villas, which offers modern amenities, a relaxing pool area, and is very close to the beach. Roca Sunzal Hotel is popular too – it’s known for its stunning ocean views and prime beachfront location. If you’re after a more budget-friendly stay, Papaya Lodge is a good call.
Is it worth going to El Tunco?
Oh yes, yes, yes! As I said, El Tunco was one of our favorite destinations in Central America.
We spent our days in El Tunco pretty much lazing around, either sunbathing or surfing. Then, before dinner, we would watch the sunset with a beer in hand. Finally, ending our day eating at one of the really cheap but amazingly yummy little food huts.
My favorite things to do in El Tunco
Go surfing!
Obviously, if you’ve come to El Salvador to surf, this is the place for you. El Tunco has some of the best surfing conditions in the world. It’s home to the best surf breaks in Central America and year-round warm waters. And to me (a complete novice), surfing here looked pretty scary. The waves were huge when we visited in March!
My top tip for surfing here is to respect the local surfers, don’t hog the waves, and be friendly and polite.
There are lots of surf schools for you to choose from (El Tunco Surf School is a good one). But as I said, the surf can be very intense; you have to be careful not to break your board. Yup, this happened to a guy in our hotel, and he had to pay quite a lot of money to the surf school as a result.
Check out the Cascadas de Tamanique waterfall
The Cascadas de Tamanique Waterfalls are a short distance (around 16 km) from El Tunco. And during our stay here, we did a guided tour to this stunning waterfall and were so glad we did.
It’s so picturesque here – the waterfalls (there are 4 of them here) are surrounded by lush vegetation and rugged rocks. And the water in the pools below is an eye-catching emerald-green color. You can even swim in the pools below the falls.
The Tamanique Waterfalls are situated on private property, so the best way to get to the falls is on a guided tour like this afternoon tour from El Tunco. It’s the one we did, and we loved it – our guide was so knowledgeable about the area and the flora and fauna here. It’s a stress-free way to explore these stunning falls, as it includes return transport from El Tunco and your entrance fee. It costs from $35 USD per person.
Eat pupusas
Oh, and some of the best pupusas we had in El Salvador were right here in El Tunco. If you don’t know, pupusas are made up of a thick handmade corn tortilla and are usually filled with cheese, some meat, and refried beans. It is served with curtido (a lightly fermented cabbage relish) – sounds horrible, but I promise it isn’t. We loved Pupuseria El Milagro here (I think we ate here every day for lunch!)
Take a trip to El Zonte
Around a 15-minute drive from El Tunco is the smaller surf haven of El Zonte, which is also renowned for its stunning beach and, of course, its vibrant surf culture. The waves here are consistent (some say even better than El Tunco!)
Fun fact, El Zonte is often referred to as “Bitcoin Beach,” because it was one of the first towns to pioneer the use of cryptocurrency in local transactions, effectively creating a small crypto economy. The community here really embraced Bitcoin, and you can even buy a beer at the beach bar here using Bitcoin!
See La Libertad City
La Libertad is the capital city of this region (also called La Libertad). And one day, my husband took a bus to this port city while I relaxed on the beach. La Libertad also has a great surf beach and has a very local vibe. My husband walked through the local market here and had lunch at a seaside restaurant (he said the fish was really fresh). There’s also a great viewpoint of the ocean from the San Diego Cliffs outside of town.
Do some yoga
El Tunco is not only renowned for world-class surf beaches but also for its growing yoga community. Its location on the Pacific Ocean provides an idyllic setting for yoga enthusiasts to embrace both the physical and spiritual aspects of the practice. Many yoga studios and retreats offer a variety of classes, ranging from Vinyasa and Hatha to restorative and meditation sessions. The classes are often held in open-air spaces with the soothing sounds of the ocean as a backdrop. Aaand relax!
Some yoga studios we recommend here include Balancé Yoga & Surf Retreat and Sunshine Yoga.
Watch the sunset from the beach
As I said earlier, every evening before dinner, we would stroll down to the beach and watch the sunset with a beer in hand.
It was the perfect way to end the day here, and it was such a chilled-out vibe with many people still surfing and others doing the same as us – sitting on the sand with a local beer.
Party!
During the week, El Tunco is very chilled out; in fact, most of the surfers we met went teetotal during the week. But at the weekend, El Tunco comes alive – San Salvador’s richest come to town to party. And boy, do they know how to party. You are likely to come across couples salsa dancing in the street.
As for bars/ nightclubs here, we had so much fun at La Bonita two nights in a row! Barba Blanca is another great spot for some evening drinks.
Our favorite restaurants in El Tunco:
We loved Take a Wok and Bao House and ate at both twice during our stay here.
Another highly recommended spot (that we unfortunately didn’t get to try) is Beto’s Restaurant. Which is known for its fresh seafood and stunning ocean views. And Cafe Sunzal is another popular eatery here – serving up everything from traditional Salvadoran pupusas to international dishes in a cozy, laid-back restaurant.
What’s the best month to come to El Tunco?
The dry season, which runs from November to April, is the best (and most popular) time to come to El Tunco. During these months, you can expect sunny weather and minimal rainfall, making it ideal for beach activities and exploring the area. The waves are generally consistent and favorable for surfing, especially from March to April, which is considered the prime time for experienced surfers.
The best guided tours in El Salvador:
Thanks for Reading!
I think I’ve covered everything we did during our time in El Tunco. It really is a gem, and as one of our favorite places in El Salvador, I urge you to go and see it for yourself. If there’s anything else you would like to know about El Tunco or El Salvador, please post in the comments below, and I will get back to you.
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Last Updated on December 6, 2025 by snaphappytravel