Travel Tips

The Day trips and Non-Surf Activities sections of this site have great information about places to go and things to do while you are not surfing. There are also tips on local food and accommodations, as well as the major El Salvador Surf Breaks with pictures and details.

Where are We?

Look at the How to Find Us page for details.  Be sure to understand the difference between "El Sunzal" and "Playa El Tunco." Remember that Sunzal refers to the great 300-yard wave but the best place to enjoy the restaurants, hotels, and local beachfront community is nearby at Playa El Tunco.  Playa El Tunco is hands down the safest and best place to enjoy the coast in all of El Salvador. The town of "El Sunzal" is really just a roadside town with not much to offer to visitors.

Language

The official spoken language in El Salvador is of course Spanish.  For some people this causes great concern while planning their trip while others come specifically to study and have a chance to practice as much Spanish as possible! English is widely spoken at business establishments. You can get by in El Salvador with little to no Spanish.

For those that seek to learn and practice their Spanish, the Sunzal Surf Shop and Internet Cafe has computer-based Spanish Study Programs which can be used at $2.00 per hour. Also, local surfers and members of the community frequent the beachfront shop, so come beat the heat with air-conditioning and a surf video while you practice your Spanish with the locals!

Even if you don't study Spanish, make it a point to learn and use a few simple phrases. Combined with a smile, even a few feeble words of Spanish will be appreciated by the locals. 

Currency

El Salvador has use the U.S. dollar as it's official currency since mid-2001. The former currency, el Colón, is no longer in circulation.

ATTENTION! If you want to make your trip to El Salvador a thousand times easier, heed this advice: Bring as much of your money in 1 and 5 dollar bills as possible!  50s and 100s are very rarely accepted anywhere except the banks and large grocery stores in the capital.  Outside the city of San Salvador, even trying to pay with a 20 will usually earn you a stern glance from your vendor. So keep it simple and bring small bills. Focus on 1s and 5s and use 10s as your big bills.  You will be sending us a letter of thanks for this advice after your trip!

There are cash machines closeby in La Libertad where you can draw money out so you don't need to bring traveler's checks, in fact we strongly recommend that you don't bring traveler's checks!

What to Bring

Sunzal Surf Shop has pretty much any surf accessory you will need like wax, zinc, sun block, leashes, solar resin, and t-shirts. We have a very effective natural bug-repellent incense.  You can buy bug spray at the local supermarket.

It would be wise to get vaccinated for typhoid fever prior to visiting El Salvador.  Malaria is not an issue here. Be sure to wear insect repellant; although it's not common it is possible to contract dengue fever here.

You'll be a hero to the local grommets here if you can bring them any old surf clothing, leashes, sunglasses, or just wax or whatever. They all love to surf, so anything you don't use anymore would be greatly appreciated.

Medical Care

Playa el Tunco's doctor, Luis MayThere is a great local doctor here in Playa el Tunco.  Luis May is available for any emergency or basic medical need. He's a great person and he's fluent in English.

Hospitals and more extensive medical and dental care are available in San Salvador.

 

 

Safety

El Salvador is a stable democracy. The people here are among the most welcoming and friendliest in Central or South American.  Overall El Salvador is a beautiful and magical country with much to offer to those that travel its coastlines. Like any country, El Salvador has its safe and unsafe places. Our guides make sure that you spend your time in the safe ones. Many rumors and exaggerated accounts have been published about El Salvador and paint a distorted image of the country. The civil war ended here in 1992 and ever since, a stable democracy with a growing economy that welcomes tourism has brought El Salvador to be the economic leader in Central America. The Wall Street Journal/Heritage Foundation's 2007 Index of Economic Freedom ranked El Salvador as  number 29 overall in the world and second in Latin America, far ahead of both Costa Rica and Panama.

The Salvadoran government has made strong pushes to boost the tourism industry and make the beaches a safe place to visit. In Playa El Tunco, you will notice the new Tourism Police Station that ensures safety for everyone that want to enjoy the area.