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El Salvador

Volcanoes, surf and flower-filled villages: Central America's security comeback.

Capital
San Salvador
Currency
US dollar (USD) — Bitcoin is also legal tender but marginal
Flight from Budapest
From Budapest (varies)
Time difference
GMT-6 (-7h vs Cameroon)

El Salvador is among the destinations a Hungarian passport reaches without a visa. Volcanoes, surf and flower-filled villages: Central America's security comeback. Here: visa, real budget, best seasons and what to do — departing from Hungary.

In pictures

Formalities

The visa, step by step

Visa-free
Allowed stay
short stay
Cost
Free
Processing
Immediate on arrival

How to apply

No visa for a short tourist stay: show a valid passport and a return ticket on arrival.

Required documents

  • Passport valid 6 months
  • Return ticket
  • Yellow fever certificate

Good to know

  • Visa-free tourist stay; confirm the exact allowed duration before departure.
How much it costs

A one-week budget

Backpacker
240 000 FCFA
/ week, excl. flight
Comfort
540 000 FCFA
/ week, excl. flight

Round-trip flight from Douala / Yaoundé

900 000 FCFA1 440 000 FCFA

Flights from Budapest (Air France, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Brussels Airlines…), depending on the destination.

Indicative round-trip price: it varies widely by season, layover and how early you book.

Where the money goes (backpacker estimate)

🏨114 000 FCFA
🍽️72 000 FCFA
🚕30 000 FCFA
🎟️78 000 FCFA
Hostel
5 400 FCFA13 200 FCFA
Mid-range
16 800 FCFA45 000 FCFA
Nice hotel
48 000 FCFA96 000 FCFA
Tailored

Budget simulator

Comfort level
Estimated total budget
1 140 000 FCFA
Must-sees

What to do there

1

Ruta de las Flores

A circuit of flower-filled villages (Juayúa, Ataco, Apaneca): street art, coffee and the weekend food festival.

2

El Tunco (surf)

The legendary Pacific spot: waves for all levels, black-sand beach and an international vibe.

3

Santa Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec)

The country's highest volcano, hike to the turquoise crater, next to Lake Coatepeque.

4

Suchitoto

A colonial gem above Lake Suchitlán: cobblestones, art galleries and birdwatching.

5

Lake Coatepeque

Turquoise crater lake popular for swimming and sunset views.

6

Joya de Cerén

The 'Pompeii of the Americas': a Maya village preserved under ash, UNESCO-listed.

Itinerary

One week, day by day

  1. D1

    Arrival in San Salvador, check in, historic centre in the evening.

  2. D2

    Santa Ana Volcano and a swim at Lake Coatepeque.

  3. D3

    Ruta de las Flores: Juayúa (food festival), Ataco and its murals.

  4. D4

    Head to the coast: El Tunco, surf lesson, sunset.

  5. D5

    Surf beaches day (El Sunzal, El Zonte) or relax.

  6. D6

    Suchitoto: colonial cobblestones, Lake Suchitlán and galleries.

  7. D7

    Joya de Cerén or souvenirs, return to San Salvador and flight.

Travel checklist

A printable list (or save as PDF) so you forget nothing.

Travel checklistSalvador

Before you leave

What to pack

Visa sources: en.wikipedia.org

Indicative data (June 2026), reliability moyenne. Visa rules, prices and timelines change: always confirm with official sources before booking.

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