El Salvador In March: Weather, Tips + More (2023)

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Backpacking El Salvador in March? This post explains everything you need to know about visiting El Salvador in March including the weather, events, temperature and crowds.

El Salvador is a 365-day-a-year destination, and you can often meet people backpacking at any time of year. From epic surfing waves, blue crater lake volcanoes and incredible El Tunco sunsets, it’s one of the best countries to visit in Central America.

El Salvador is nestled between Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It is often a country that is skipped when backpacking Central America, and I’m here to tell you it’s worth a visit.

Backpackers are often concerned about the safety of El Salvador, but again, this isn’t a correct representation of the country. For all safety tips in El Salvador, check out my in-depth and honest safety guide here.

March in El Salvador is one of the best months to visit. The crowds aren’t as hectic as in January, and the weather is bright, sunny and dry. Whilst El Salvador is hot all year round, the heavy rain begins around the end of May, so March is one of the best times to visit.

This post explains everything you need to know about visiting El Salvador in March. If there’s anything I’ve missed, or you’d like to know, be sure to DM me over on Instagram!

🇸🇻 Other El Salvador posts:

• Is El Salvador Safe? Solo Female Travellers Advice
• Playa La Paz El Salvador: Visitor Guide
• How To Get From El Tunco to Leon (Nicaragua): FULL Guide
• How To Get From San Salvador to El Tunco: ALL Options

El Salvador in March: A Summary

Overall, March is a great time to visit El Salvador. The days are long, sunny and dry, with an average of just three days of rain. You can expect up to 12 hours of sunlight, as well as an average daily temperature of 33°C (91.4°F).

El Salvador is a relatively small country, so the weather does not differ too much from city to city. The coast has hot weather all year round (such as El Tunco and El Zonte), and the cities and higher altitude areas will be a little cooler.

We backpacked through El Salvador in March, and found the weather and crowds to be perfect. It wasn’t too crowded, as it is in December and January (peak times for backpacking), but there were still enough people to have a fun and lively atmosphere.

Hostels booked out quickly in March, and we had to book about four weeks in advance for a private room. However, I’m not sure if this is because of the amount of people, or just the fact that there are hardly any backpacking hostels in El Salvador at the moment!

In terms of budget, March is in the middle of El Salvador’s dry season. This means you can expect higher prices that in the wet season (May-November). But when researching this, I found it is only marginally cheaper during the wet season, and nothing to change your plans around for.

What is the best time to visit El Salvador?

Let’s talk about the best time to visit El Salvador. This is always going to differ depending on your preferences.

🌍 Best time of year to visit El Salvador as a backpacker: November – April. This is considered ‘peak’ time in the backpacking Central America calendar.

💰 Best time of year to visit El Salvador for the cheapest deals: May – November, due to the wet season. Note this is the best time for surfing in El Tunco!

👫 Best time of year to visit El Salvador for avoiding crowds: November. Even in the wet months, Salvadorian schools are off in August and there are surf competitions along the coast. November is the quietest time to visit El Salvador.

🏄‍♀️ Best time of year to visit El Salvador for surfing: March and April. Due to the coastline (such as El Tunco) facing south, the best swells are from the south and southwest during this time.

📲 Don’t forget to download your eSim for El Salvador! ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!

Weather in El Salvador in March

You can expect the weather in El Salvador in March to be sunny and dry for most of the month. 

March is in the middle of El Salvador’s dry season, so there is little to no rain, and the temperature is warm with a welcoming breeze.

When visiting El Salvador in March, you can expect average daily temperatures of 31°C-33°C (87°F), which can feel much hotter near the coast.

There ar 12 hours of daylight in El Salvador in March, with nine hours of sunshine. The sun will rise around 6-7am, and set around 6pm.

The hottest time of day in March is around 2-4pm, and the sun at this time is strong. You’ll need to pack your suncream!

Need help planning your El Salvador trip? Check out my complete one week itinerary here!

Average Temperature in El Salvador in March

The average temperature in El Salvador in March is 31°C-33°C (87°F). It’s still hot, but cooler than April, where El Salvador reaches its peak temperatures. Daily high temperatures are around 33°C, and the lowest temperature can reach 17°C (during the night).

For more in-depth weather and temperature statistics for El Salvador in March, click here.

Check out my honest opinion about safety in El Salvador here 🫣

Is there rain in El Salvador in March?

On average, there is little rain in El Salvador in March Most days are sunny with blue skies, with very little cloud coverage. If it does rain in March, it is usually in short bursts, and doesn’t last very long.

On average, there is between 1-4% chance of rain in El Salvador in March.

Of course, this isn’t definite and can change last minute. But if you do get caught in the rain in El Salvador, it should only last a few minutes.

Related post: El Tunco Beach El Salvador Complete Guide: what to do, where to stay, what to eat and how to make the most out of your trip to one of El Salvador’s prettiest beaches!

What is the rainy season like in El Salvador?

Rainy season in El Salvador is between May-November, with the rainiest month in El Salvador being September. You can expect around 358 mm of rain throughout September, and showers tend to come in the afternoon and are torrential. You can expect rainfall to be over in an hour or two.

Related post: Best time to visit El Salvador for backpackers: weather, humidity, rainfall, wildlife and more! ☀️

Is it hot in El Salvador in March?

Yes, the weather is hot in El Salvador in March. Humidity is at around 43%, meaning it is less humid than the wet months in May-November. Days are often dry and sunny, with up to 9 hours of sunshine per day.

The average temperature in El Salvador in March is 31°C-33°C (87°F-91.4°F).

🌈 Recommended tour in El Salvador: The Rainbow Slide! Slide down a colourful rainbow slide – a must-do for any adrenaline junkies in El Salvador! ➡ Check prices now!

Are there hurricanes in El Salvador in March?

Hurricanes are rare in El Salvador. During the rainy season, there may be an occasional hurricane, with an average of happening four times per year. For up to date information about hurricanes and natural disasters in El Salvador, check out the Gov.uk El Salvador information page here.

Is the water warm in El Salvador in March?

Yes, the water is warm in El Salvador in March! The coast at El Tunco and La Paz were both warm enough for swimming and surfing.

We could not believe our luck when we first dipped our toes into the Pacific in El Salvador. It’s as warm as a bubble bath! It’s quite a surreal experience, especially when you’re used to water being as cold as ice!

🚗 One of the easiest and most popular ways to travel around El Salvador is by rental car. Driving in El Salvador is safe, straightforward and easy. ➡ Check car hire prices in El Salvador now!

El Salvador in March local events

There are many national traditions and events that take place in El Salvador throughout the year. If you’re visiting in March, some of the events include (but may change from year to year):

• Holy Week and Easter: (Semana Santa) runs through late March.

Other than this, there are smaller local events. For example, in 2023, there was a Bitcoin Beach Festival, food festivals and music festivals. But of course, this will change depending on the year you are visiting.

Related post: EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador

Where to stay in El Salvador

Knowing where to stay in El Salvador is important. Although the majority of areas in El Salvador are now safe, you want to be somewhere where you feel secure and surrounded by like-minded travellers.

Below I have listed some of the best hostels in certain locations in El Salvador. These have all been personally tried by myself or another travel blogger that has recommended it. 

🇸🇻 One word of advice when finding accommodation in El Salvador. Stick to the main areas. We accidentally booked somewhere away from one of the main tourist areas and didn’t enjoy it. We felt unsafe and it ruined part of our experience. We ended up leaving halfway through to move to a more touristic area. Do your research, and stick to the busy areas. 

Best hostels in:

• Santa Ana: Casa Verde or Casa Vieja Guest House
• El Tunco: Canuck’s Guest House or Papaya Lodge
• Lake Coatepeque: Captain Morgan

View all El Salavor hostels now!

Related post: El Tunco Beach El Salvador Complete Guide | Best hostels in El Tunco El Salvador | La Paz Beach El Salvador

Getting around El Salvador

You can travel around El Salvador in multiple ways, depending on how much time you have, your budget and where you want to visit. The most common way for backpackers to travel around El Salvador is via rental car or shuttle. 

🚗 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY CAR

One of the easiest and most popular way to travel around El Salvador is by rental car. Driving in El Salvador is safe, straightforward and easy. Driving in between towns like El Tunco and Santa Ana will save a lot of time on shuttles. You can also drive the Rutas De Flores at your own pace if you have your own car.

➡ Check car hire prices in El Salvador now!

🚖 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY A PRIVATE DRIVER

Hiring a private driver to get around El Salvador is one of the most popular and safest ways to see the country. Private drivers can be hired for different amounts of time.

➡ Check prices and bookings for your own private driver in El Salvador here.

🚌 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY SHUTTLE BUS

If you aren’t hiring a car in El Salvador, you can travel via shuttle bus. This is another easy and safe way to travel around El Salvador. Shuttles in El Salvador will be with other backpackers, and can either be booked online or via your hostel. I recommend pre-booking your shuttles in advance.

➡ Check shuttles in El Salvador now!

Bucket list tours in El Salvador 

Looking to book a tour in El Salvador? Tours are one of the best and safest ways to see the hidden gems of El Salvador. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!

When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else! 

Some of the best tours in El Salvador include: 

• Santa Ana Volcano, Full Day Tour 🌋 ➡ check prices here!
• Rainbow Slide Experience 🌈 ➡ check prices here!
• Tamanique Waterfalls and El Tunco Beaches ➡ check prices here!
• Day trip to Honduras, Copan Ruins 🇭🇳 ➡ check prices here
• Half-Day San Salvador City Tour ➡ check prices here!

➡ Check out more tours for your trip here!

El Salvador in March: FAQs

1) Is El Salvador safe for backpackers?

If you stick to the right areas, El Salvador is a safe place for backpackers to visit. In these areas, it felt safe, welcoming and fun. El Salvadorians were some of the friendliest locals we met on our trip. It was just unfortunate that we had a case of feeling unsafe in some of the outskirts.

As a solo female traveller, you are safe to visit El Salvador, but you must follow some simple safety advice (similar to anywhere in the world). My biggest tips are to stay in well-known, backpacker areas, stay in hostels, stick to the beaten track and avoid walking alone at night.

Visiting El Salvador solo? Check out my solo safety tips for El Salvador first.

I highly recommend getting travel insurance if you are backpacking El Salvador or Central America. SafetyWing is the best company to cover your trip, covering both medical and travel delays, lost checked luggage, emergency response, natural disasters and personal liability. ➡️ You can sign up for SafetyWing here.

2) What season is March in El Salvador?

March is still in El Salvador’s dry season. El Salvador, similar to most of Central America, only has two seasons, wet and dry. The dry season runs from November – May, and wet season is May – November.

3) Can you use USD in El Salvador?

Yes, USD is the official currency of El Salvador. We used USD all over the country. There is also the option to pay with Bitcoin in places like El Tunco, but we rarely saw this ever be used.

Related post: El Tunco Beach El Salvador Complete Guide

Best backpacker travel insurance for Central America

If you’re visiting Central America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.

Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.

I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.

If you need medical help at any point whilst in Central America, you need travel insurance.

With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)

Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Central America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!

If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!

El Salvador in March: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about El Salvador in March. When you’re planning a trip to El Salvador, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

And don’t forget I’ve written a comprehensive, easy-to-read guide about backpacking El Salvador, so be sure to check it out before you visit!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more El Salvador content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

🇸🇻 Where to next?

• Backpacking El Salvador: Routes, Itinerary, Safety + More!
• Playa La Paz El Salvador: Visitor Guide
• El Tunco El Salvador: COMPLETE Guide
• Is El Salvador Safe? Solo Female Travellers Advice