▷ The 34 Best BEACHES OF EL SALVADOR

The coastal strip and best beaches of El Salvador are located in 7 departments full of paradisiacal beaches headed by the department of La Libertad, followed by Sonsonate and La Paz.

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Live an unforgettable experience on the beaches of El Salvador if you are one of those who like to travel and know different places. Enjoying the sun, sea, and sand to get out of the routine and rest, or perhaps, live strong emotions practicing your favorite water sport.

The expansion and rapid growth of tourism is the national slogan of El Salvador, for its extensive coastal territory, with a series of stunning beaches that are a delight for domestic and foreign tourists.

Beaches of El Salvador

BEACHES OF EL SALVADOR. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

Bathed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the coasts of this country have a charm hard to find elsewhere.

The marine coastal strip has seven departments full of paradisiacal beaches headed by the department of La Libertad, followed by the departments of Sonsonate and La Paz, which concentrate on the best of this tourist attraction.

Let’s get to know this fascinating natural scenery that offers us the Thumb of America to discover what we can see and do in 34 of its most popular and visited beaches, some very famous for the practice of surfing, amateur or professional level.

The Salvadoran coast has the best waves of the Central American continent and is considered a must-see beach destination for lovers of this sport.

Discover relaxing beaches, black, gray, and even golden sands, seas that invite you to swim, and others to the challenge of its waves, unique sunsets, and amazing landscapes, an adventure in these beautiful tropical paradises worth the trip.


La Libertad Department

El Tunco Beach

With its dark sands of volcanic origin and its unmistakable rock that resembles a pig or Tunco, you will find one of the most famous beaches of El Salvador. Numerous national and foreign surfers recommend it for the height and strength of its waves.

El Tunco Beach. Beaches of El Salvador.
El Tunco Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

You can also enjoy a rich and varied cuisine, spend time resting in the sea and sunbathing and watch the most spectacular sunsets.

El Sunzal

Even the grand mecca of cinema, Hollywood, was captivated by the landscapes of this beautiful beach. The most renowned national and world surfing championships have had El Sunzal Beach as a venue, which is also ideal for snorkeling or shallow diving.

El Sunzal Beach. El Salvador Beach.
El Sunzal Beach. El Salvador Beach. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

It stands out for its gastronomy, specializing in seafood and fish, as well as the most important center of pupusódromos, where you can taste the delicious pupusas or corn tortillas, one of the best-known typical foods of El Salvador.


Las Flores Beach

If you are attracted to quiet, comprehensive, and flat places with an excellent tropical climate, you can’t miss Las Flores Beach, one of the best beaches in El Salvador.

Las Flores Beach in La Libertad. Beaches of El Salvador.
Las Flores Beach in La Libertad. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by @ricky89pro via Twenty20.

All kinds of recreational and sporting activities are possible in this paradise: sunbathing, hiking, boat rides, football and beach volleyball, horseback riding, camping, or enjoying the sea for its sound waves.

El Majahual Beach

Cataloged as the “perfect tourist destination,” El Majahual Beach will captivate you immediately because it combines at the same time a warm tropical climate. These delicate and dark sands highlight its turquoise blue waters and fresh and pleasant breeze, complemented by gentle and soft waves.

Majahual Beach. Beaches of El Salvador
Majahual Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

Unbeatable for sports such as football and beach volleyball, it also invites you to start surfing, camping, or enjoying romantic bonfires at night on one of the most beautiful beaches of El Salvador.


El Obispo Beach

As in many beaches of El Salvador, you will find black sands characteristic of this territory, with exciting and whimsical rock formations accompanied by a portentous swell that, at certain times, decreases.

El Obispo Beach
El Obispo Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by feinteriano. Wikimedia Commons.

The warmth of its inhabitants, even though sometimes it is highly visited, opens windows for a well-deserved rest. Surfing, boat rides, and fishing activities, along with sea and sunbathing, make El Obispo Beach a place of obligatory visit.

El Palmarcito Beach

Lovers of direct contact with nature will experience the best moments in this tourist destination. In El Palmarcito Beach, you will clear your mind leaving behind the worldly noise. If you love photographic memories, don’t forget your camera.

El Palmarcito Beach-Beaches of El Salvador
El Palmarcito Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by Julio Eduardo Aguilera Ortega.Flickr.

For the more physically active, there is the opportunity to organize a good game of beach football or take advantage of the wind and sea through surfing and body surfing.


El Zonte Beach

Nestled within the municipality of Chiltiupán of this department, El Zonte Beach has one of the complete tourist infrastructures among the beaches of El Salvador. Its broad and flattened shores captivate those who enjoy seeing their tanned bodies.

Zonte Beaches. Beaches of El Salvador.
Zonte Beaches. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by Mike Vondran. Flickr.

The incomparable landscapes, the local gastronomy, and the excellent waves to exercise with surfing position it among the places of greater tourist recognition at the international level.

La Paz Beach

The array of activities in La Paz Beach makes it an exceptional tourist destination. One of the most recognized beaches of El Salvador, for the breadth of services for visitors.

La Paz Beach-Beaches of El Salvador
La Paz Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by Evan. Flickr.

It is world-renowned for its swell that allows the deployment of international surfing competitions. At the same time, it offers the opportunity to swim, kayak, or fish and, at certain times of the year, observe the migration of whales.


Mizata Beach

In the municipality of Teotepeque you will find another world-famous tropical paradise. Mizata Beach has hot and crystalline waters. Activities such as surfing and guided tours to different sites, clubs, and bars, have given it high national and international recognition.

Mizata Beach-Beaches of El Salvador
Mizata Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by Matt Cummings. Flickr.

San Blas Beach

Another perfect jewel of the tropics is among the beaches of El Salvador. With an extension of one kilometer of dark sands free of stones, this beautiful place is a private and public area, which allows all surfing activists to enjoy its immense swell.

Beaches of El Salvador-San Blas
San Blas Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

The landscapes of San Blas Beach, the human warmth, the cool breeze, and the beautiful fauna will give you an unparalleled experience.

San Diego Beach

With full public access within the private ranchería, San Diego Beach, with its more than 7 kilometers of extension, is the ideal place to camp, play volleyball and beach soccer, go jogging in the morning or take a pleasant rest.


San Diego en La Libertad
San Diego Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

One of the beaches of El Salvador has security provided by the National Tourism Police.

Taquillo Beach

Part of a Natural Reserve, Taquillo Beach is one of the Beaches of El Salvador, an ecological treasure. It is in an excellent virgin state, where its soft black sands and splendorous wooded landscapes make the first-class frame for videographers and photographers.

Beach and Taquillo rock
Beach and Taquillo rock. Photo by davidjoviera. Wikimedia Commons.

Ideal beach for swimming, but not recommended for surfing. It’s a place of ecological tourism. We can practice camping as long as we are equipped with water and food.

La Libertad Beach

It is one of the most famous and crowded beaches in El Salvador. Excellent restaurants, a pleasant tropical climate, cozy accommodations, and its fascinating exit to the Pacific Ocean make La Libertad Beach an attractive coastal stop and recommended tourist destination throughout the year.


Visit La Libertad Beach
Visit La Libertad Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by Stu Klee. Flickr.

Conchalio Beach

The calm waters of this beautiful beach can satisfy the tastes of both swimmers and surfers. One of the few beaches in El Salvador where we will see less tourist influx, which is ideal for those seeking more tranquility. Many hotels and restaurants offer all kinds of amenities if you attend with your family.

Sonsonate Department

Barra Salada Beach

A wonderful stay to enjoy well-deserved days of relaxation you will find in the beaches of El Salvador, in the department of Sonsonate, as Barra Salada Beach offers a warm climate where you can take great sunbathing.

Get equipped beforehand with a beach chair, and towels, without forgetting your sunscreen. For fun, you will have access to fishing, volleyball, beach soccer, or delicious picnics outdoors. You will also find cozy accommodations.

Costa Azul Beach

Among the beaches of El Salvador, Costa Azul is one of the most distinguished for diving and other water sports. Its natural landscapes, surrounded by reefs, make it an excellent place for photography.


Costa Azul Beach. Beaches of El Salvador.
Costa Azul Beach. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

Its proximity to San Salvador, only one hour away, makes it an undeniable tourist attraction, with a wide variety of services for its visitors.

Los Cóbanos Beach

Located in a protected area, the golden sands of Los Cóbanos Beach invite nationals and foreigners to a large tourism section.

Enjoy Los Cóbanos Beach in Sonsonate
Enjoy Los Cóbanos Beach in Sonsonate. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

Its limpid waters invite us to practice snorkeling and scuba diving. Beach soccer and golf are other sports present in the place. It is possible to watch whales in the migratory process from its coasts.

Metalío Beach

A set of gentle waves, soft black sands, a shining sun, lush vegetation, and fresh and delicate breeze can provide tourists with an oasis for relaxation. But El Metalío is also an excellent place to exercise the body through football and beach volleyball.


Salinitas Beach

A tourist destination at any time of the year, Salinitas Beach awaits you with its gray sands. The typical activities are sunbathing and sea bathing, but its fame is based on diving, given the diversity of aquatic species that can observe in its crystalline waters.

Visit Salinitas Beach in Sonsonate.
Visit Salinitas Beach in Sonsonate. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

Barra Ciega

Barra Ciega Beach is part of a rural agricultural area with no exploitation or tourism development. However, it is one of the beaches of El Salvador that offers those who visit it a day of relaxation. For entry, it is advisable to request permission and support from its inhabitants.

La Paz Department

El Pimental Beach

El Salvador’s beaches have one of the maximum exponents for ecotourism in El Pimental. Its gentle waves, beautiful ochre-colored sands, protected sea turtle egg farms, and pleasant breeze make this jewel an incomparable place to rest, just 1 hour from San Salvador.

El Pimental Beach
El Pimental Beach. Photo by tanyaboza. Flickr.

La Zunganera Beach

Regarding relaxation, La Zunganera occupies one of the first places on the beaches of El Salvador. The other color of the sand scattered for several kilometers, with its coconut trees as custodians that also protect us from the sun, make this exotic beach a place to visit.


Costa del Sol Beach

You can’t miss Costa del Sol, the most spacious of the beaches of El Salvador, with its 15 kilometers of natural attractions such as the mouth, mangroves, islands, and estuary, which by its breadth allows many other tourist activities for its holiday infrastructure.

Visit Costa del Sol Beach
Visit Costa del Sol Beach. Photo by Gerson Rodriguez at Pixabay.

Las Hojas Beach

It is one of the most visited by tourists for its smooth sands, the blue sky of its waters, pleasant waves, calm environment, and excellent tourist configuration. It is a natural paradise for relaxation.

La Puntilla Beach

The privileged position of La Puntilla beach, as a union of the departments of La Paz, Usulután, and San Vicente, apart from the local economic commerce and the captivating boat rides to the mangroves and Tasajera Island, offer all visitors to the beaches of El Salvador a fabulous tourist destination.

La Puntilla Beach
La Puntilla Beach. Photo by Erik Cleves Kristensen. Flickr.

San Marcelino Beach

In Costa del Sol’s tourist area, you can visit San Marcelino, where typical beach activities and artisanal fishing are the most common attractions for domestic and foreign tourists.


La Unión Department

El Tamarindo Beach

Lovers of tranquility will find in El Tamarindo one of the beaches of El Salvador with an atmosphere that borders almost on the private. Ideal for boat rides, diving, fishing, on the seaside, and on land for volleyball and beach soccer, as well as motorcycle rides.

Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo Beach. Photo by Lee Shaver. Flickr.

Las Negras Beaches

Like other beaches of El Salvador located in this same department, Negras Beaches has pools or jacuzzis where you can take a refreshing swim. Its name is due to the color of the sand, which resembles ground coal. As an inlet, adults, and children are safe to enter its waters.

Las Tunas Beach

Countless tourists visit Las Tunas for its gentle waves. In addition, here, you will enjoy natural rock pools that resemble jacuzzis. Your eyes will be impressed by the black color of its sands.

Las Tunas Beach
Las Tunas Beach. Photo by Rene Mayorga. Flickr.

Torola Beach

With an internationally recognized name, we find Torola Beach, located in eastern El Salvador.


TOROLA BEACH - Beaches of El Salvador.
TOROLA BEACH – Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

The impressive contrast of a blue sea with golden sands is an attraction for tourists since it combines with its calm and shallow waters, allowing the family’s youngest members to enjoy. Photography activities, hikes, and prolonged bathing comprise the distraction of its visitors.

San Miguel Department

Las Flores Beach

With its tourist attraction widely recognized by surfing lovers, who consider it a sanctuary, Las Flores Beach captivates other travelers because of its crystal clear waters. This exotic vegetation surrounds it, and once legal permits are obtained, camping is possible on its ample grounds.

Las Flores Beach, San Miguel. Beaches of El Salvador.
Las Flores Beach, San Miguel. Beaches of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

El Cuco Beach

One of the most visited beaches in the department of San Miguel, El Cuco beach is undoubtedly a paradise. It is in the municipality of Chirilagua, with calm waters, a vast beach, and waves that can reach a meter and a half in high season.

El Cuco Beach in San Miguel.
El Cuco Beach in San Miguel. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

It is an ideal place for extreme and aquatic sports.


Ahuachapán Department

Barra de Santiago Beach

Among all the beaches of El Salvador, one of the most complete, touristically speaking, is Barra de Santiago Beach: waves up to 2 meters high for the delight of surfers, scuba diving and freediving, boat rides through mangroves, water skiing, sailing, fishing, bird and reptile watching, impeccable hotel infrastructure, bars, and restaurants, as well as an excellent gastronomic network.

Enjoy La Barra de Santiago
Enjoy La Barra de Santiago. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.

Usulatán Department

El Espino Beach

El Espino is one of the most extensive beaches in El Salvador, thanks to its being more than 10 kilometers long. Varied activities, soccer, surfing, jogging, warm waters, and an enormous ecosystem, have allowed every day the concurrence of all kinds of tourists to the atmosphere of sea and sun is more remarkable.

El Espino Beach
El Espino Beach. Photo by Victor Castro. Flickr.

Indeed, on the beaches of El Salvador, you will find ideal destinations for a well-deserved and peaceful vacation, days of rest, and endless sports activities.

In short, the best option for enjoyment, with splendid places, a good climate, a pleasant atmosphere, and a high tourist level, make these Salvadoran natural sites a sensational stay.

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