El Tunco El Salvador Nightlife: Party Guide 2023

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Did you know that El Tunco El Salvador is known for its nightlife? It’s not just the incredible surfing waves, black pebble beaches and blood-orange sunsets that attract tourists and locals to the area.

It’s also one of the best places in El Salvador to party.

But, the party in El Tunco is not an ‘every night’ thing. As most of the people partying in El Salvador are locals from San Salvador, the nightlife really only picks up on the weekend. So if you’re looking to party in El Tunco, arrive from Thursday onwards.

In the following post, I outline the best places to party, eat and dance in El Tunco. If you would like to avoid the El Tunco party scene (it is possible) and visit for the sunsets, surfing and beach days, check out my complete non-partying El Tunco guide here.

Did you know I’ve written an in-depth guide about backpacking El Salvador? Check it out for what to do, public transport, where to stay, what to eat, how to stay safe and everything in between! ➡️ View the backpacking El Salvador guide now!

🇸🇻 Other Central America posts:

El Tunco El Salvador Nightlife: A Summary

Contents

If you’re a backpacker looking to party, El Tunco is the place in El Salvador. From Thursday – Sunday, the small, sleepy town becomes a loud, partying beach spot with most cafes, restaurants and bars turning the music up to attract guests.

We found the party scene in El Tunco to be quite chaotic, but we can see why it attracts so many people. The beach clubs have bright, strobe lighting, the DJs play tunes from sunset until the early hours, and street vendors sell shots for discounted prices.

Different clubs, bars and restaurants will host different events, with some offering happy hours, discounted drinks, ladies’ nights and drinking games. Similar to Puerto Escondido, the party goes on all night in El Tunco.

If you’re visiting El Tunco for the party, make sure you stay at either Papaya Lodge or Canuck’s Guest House. They’re the main backpacker hostels in town and often have social events at the weekend for pre-drinks.

But remember, El Tunco is small. Really, really small. Wherever you stay, you’ll be able to hear the music from the nightclubs and bars, and as long as you follow the trail of music, you’ll find somewhere to party!

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!

best time to visit el salvador — ***Sunsets in El Tunco***

El Tunco is best enjoyed at a slower pace — ***Sunsets in El Tunco***

Where to stay in El Tunco

There are currently two hostels that I recommend for staying in El Tunco. They are Papaya Lodge and Canuck’s Guest House. Both are centrally located in El Tunco, are safe, and are perfect for backpackers.

🇸🇻 Papaya Lodge is suited for backpackers who want to socialise and party. It’s just minutes away from all of the best nightlife and attracts young, solo backpackers.

🇸🇻 Canuck’s Guest House is perfect for digital nomads, couples and backpackers who want to surf, chill and socialise. It’s a new hostel with rave reviews – I think it may slowly overtake Papaya Lodge with being the best hostel in El Tunco!

➡ Book a stay in Papaya Lodge here, or a stay in Canuck’s Guest House here!

Best hostels in El Tunco — ***Papaya Lodge, El Tunco***: ***the best backpacker hostel in El Tunco!***

Is El Tunco a party town?

Yes, at the weekends! At the weekend, locals and tourists from all over El Salvador flock to El Tunco for its buzzing nightlife scene. Think beach clubs, DJs, small shot bars, cocktails and late nights! We found the music in the streets and from the nightclubs to be loud from Thursday onwards.

If you would like to avoid the El Tunco party scene (it is possible) and visit for the sunsets, surfing and beach days, check out my complete non-partying El Tunco guide here.

Backpacking El Salvador — ***Live performers as we eat dinner!***

El Tunco El Salvador — ***Live performers as we eat dinner!***

Where to party in El Tunco

If you’re looking for a late night in El Tunco, the following places are some of the best. Note some of these venues may be quieter from Monday to Wednesday, as the party in El Tunco really picks up from Thursday onwards.

As El Tunco is so small, most people will party in the same place (especially gringos). So you don’t need to worry about losing everyone – it’s strange how it happens, but we always seem to end up in the same bar!

Also, as El Tunco is expanding daily from tourism and more locals visiting, there are new bars that pop up all the time. I’m sure even since our visit a month ago there are more bars to enjoy! El Tunco is tiny – just walk the streets and follow the music!

La Guitarra: a favourite with both locals and tourists in El Tunco.They often have live music and bands playing on different evenings of the week. It also overlooks the ocean, so you can sip your beer and watch the sunset at the same time!
Barba Blanca: great for cocktails!
Bambar: for evening drinks
El Chorcho: a quick stop off for a glass of wine or shot
Beach Life: DJs and a good atmosphere, loud music and strobe lights from 8 pm onwards
Jungle SV: food and drinks with a really fun and social atmosphere.
Papaya Lodge: if you’re staying in the hostel, there are often social events around the pool where you can make new friends and head out to a bar later in the evening.

💃🏼 🪩 TOP TIP: There are ladies’ nights that take place in different bars on different nights of the week. If you’re looking for free drinks, do your research and look around! The bars and events change frequently.

Best beach clubs to party in El Tunco

El Tunco is home to some of the best beach clubs in El Salvador. You can either visit the beach clubs during the day (like we did), and have a few cocktails overlooking the waves, or visit at night for the party.

Note, we found the beach clubs to be empty Monday to Wednesday evening. They only became busier at night from Thursday onwards.

The best beach clubs in El Tunco include:

Monkey Lala: popular with backpackers, especially as you can use the pool whilst drinking your cocktails! It’s a popular place for backpackers staying in Papaya Lodge to go after pre-drinks.
Kako’s Gastrobar: along the beach, great for dancing.
La Bonita Beach Club: DJs and late-night music. A little more expensive than some of the other beach clubs in El Tunco. Attracts both locals and tourists.
Long Beach Karaoke Bar: does what it says on the tin! A late-night karaoke bar perfect for those who want to party by the beach.
Blu Bar: a beach club with a DJ overlooking some of the best surfing spots.
Papaya Surf Garden: on the beach with comfortable seats and cocktails.

Best places to eat in El Tunco

Rather than go into all the amazing street food options there are in El Tunco (which is detailed in my El Tunco guide), this section is about restaurants, bars and beach clubs where you can enjoy a meal before your night out.

Bao House: perfect for a sit-down Bao dinner with music. They also serve cocktails!
La Bocana Restaurant: a restaurant serving fish, meat and traditional Salvadorian food.
Mopelia: live music on Tuesday and Saturday, happy hour every day 4pm-7pm and happy hour all night on Thursdays!
Captain Cook: a seafood restaurant a few minutes walk from the beach, in the Tunco Town Plaza
Coyote: American-style restaurant in the Tunco Town Plaza
Michela Grill: burgers, tacos and chips with a range of cocktails
Restaurante Erika: fried fish and barbeque food

Where to go AFTER El Tunco

Where do you go after El Tunco? Well, you have a few options. These options depend on where’s next on your Central American backpacking trip, or if you’re flying back home.

Leaving the country? You can get onward flight travel. You can fly from El Salvador’s International Airport just 50 minutes from El Tunco.

Staying in El Salvador? Check out Santa Ana, one of the largest cities in El Salvador, known for its adventure activities.

Backpacking Central America by land? Your next stop after El Salvador will either be Antigua, Guatemala, or Leon in Nicaragua. Both of these locations can be reached by shuttle bus directly from El Tunco.

El Tunco Nightlife: FAQs

1) What is the best party town in El Salvador?

El Tunco is the best party town in El Salvador. It attracts both locals and tourists from all over the country for its buzzing nightlife on the weekends. El Tunco’s nightlife is best enjoyed Thursday – Sunday.

Related post: El Tunco: A Complete Guide

2) What is El Tunco known for?

El Tunco is known for being one of the best holiday destinations in El Salvador. It has a buzzing nightlife, a variety of beach clubs, incredible surfing spots, delicious restaurants and independent puperserias.

3) Does El Salvador have nightlife?

Yes, El Salvador has amazing nightlife in El Tunco. El Tunco is on the southern Pacific Coast and is known for its epic partying, sunsets and surfing.

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

4) Is Uber available in El Tunco El Salvador?

Not necessarily. It is available in bigger cities such as San Salvador, where Ubers can take you from the city to El Tunco. However, Uber is not available in El Tunco itself.

5) Do I need a SIM card to travel around El Salvador?

Yes, I highly recommend downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and safety in El Salvador. We found most of the cities to be chaotic and difficult to find local SIM cards.

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!

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

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 Tunco El Salvador Nightlife: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about El Tunco’s nightlife! 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

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MEET THE AUTHOR!

Jennie

TRAVEL BLOGGER

Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.

If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).