Is El Salvador Safe? Solo Female Travellers Advice (2023)

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One of the most common questions I get asked on Instagram is ‘is El Salvador safe?’ especially in terms of solo female travel. In this post, I hope to dispel any thoughts that El Salvador isn’t ‘safe’, especially for those wanting to backpack the country solo.

Throughout our time backpacking El Salvador, we felt safe. However, there was one point when we visited a town which wasn’t used to tourists (specifically gringos). I’ll be honest, I didn’t feel too safe there. That’s why it is so, so important to stick to the main areas and read the tips in this post.

Most trips to El Salvador are safe, fun and trouble-free. But of course, like anywhere in the world, you need to use common sense and stick to basic safety precautions. Plus, there are a few extra ways that you can stay safe specifically in El Salvador. So, let’s get started!

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.

🇸🇻 Other El Salvador posts:

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Is El Salvador Safe? Solo Female Travellers Advice: A Summary

Contents

It’s no secret that El Salvaodr has a violent past. Just seven years ago, El Salvador was the most dangerous country in the world (outside of a war zone), and had a considerable amount of homicides per day. This is a daunting fact for any tourist wanting to visit the country.

However, in 2019, a new president was elected in El Salvador. This president has gone above and beyond to change the future of El Salvador, with safety being a priority. With a focus on gang-related violence, the safety of El Salvador has increased considerably in the past few years, meaning more tourists feel comfortable to visit.

But of course, there are still areas in El Salvador that are not safe for tourists. Some areas that are still sadly known for crime. It would be unwise and unsafe for tourists to travel to these areas.

It’s also important not to become complacent because of what you may have seen on social media. Social media is a tiny fragment of someone’s experience, and we all have different ideas of what we find safe and what we do not find safe. You will need to make your own choices, and make your own mind up.

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.

⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, please read the following UK Government advice. This information is correct as of 2023, but things change! Always, always check the government advice of your country before visiting anywhere in the world.

Need help planning your El Salvador trip? Check out this detailed route and itinerary for 7 days in El Salvador! < includes all safe areas for solo female travellers!

How to get from Santa Ana to Antigua? — ***Santa Ana volcano***

16 tips for staying safe as a solo traveller in El Salvador

1. Know basic Spanish

This really is the most important piece of advice when backpacking El Salvador, mainly as so many of the locals will not speak English. There will be many times when you will need to interact with others; from restaurants to public buses, buying a drink in a bar and ordering street food. It’s really important to know at least a few phrases.

If you know some basic Spanish, it will also help you out if you’re stuck with something, or need help and advice. It really is key to staying safe in El Salvador as a solo female traveller.

The app we use on a daily basis is SpanishDict. It translates more conversationally than Google Translate and gives examples of how you might need to ask or say something. It’s better than a word-for-word translation that may not actually make sense when spoken.

If you’re a solo female traveller in El Salvador, here are some helpful phrases in Spanish that you may want to screenshot!

Please: por favor
Thank you: gracias
My name is…: Me llamo…
Nice to meet you: Mucho gusto
Yes: Si
No: No
What: que
Where: donde
Toilet: banos/bano
Girls/ladies: mujeres or damas (look for an M or D on the toilet doors)
Help: ayuda
Algo mas: anything else?

Note that simple phrases such as ‘you’re welcome‘ will change between different countries. For example, in Guatemala, we found the locals to say ‘de nada‘ when saying you’re welcome. Then in Colombia, it was more common to say ‘con mucho gusto‘ for the same phrase. There are slight differences, but it’s easy enough to get used to.

2. Stick to busy, tourist areas

Sadly, there are still some places in El Salvador that are not suitable for tourists. Hopefully, this will change in the next few years, but for now, especially as a solo female traveller, it’s important to stay ‘on the beaten track’.

The main areas that backpackers visit when in El Salvador include:

Santa Ana
Suchitoto
Lake Coatepeque
El Tunco (and El Zonte)

There are a few other areas, such as towns on the Ruta de las Flores, San Salvador and El Cuco, but as I have no personal experience of visiting these areas and do not know anyone who has visited them personally, I won’t be talking about them in this specific post.

San Salvador – the capital city – is used as a transport hub for most backpackers. Travelling through San Salvador is safe, as long as you stick to the main bus routes and don’t wander off to areas that are unknown to you.

Most backpackers will base themselves in Santa Ana, El Tunco and possibly El Zonte for a few days. Santa Ana and El Tunco are great locations to stay in and travel to some of the bucket-list destinations such as the Santa Ana volcano and rainbow slide.

3. Only walk around at night if absolutely necessary

This rule depends on where you are and who you are with. However, a general rule of safety when in El Salvador is to limit the amount you walk around at night, especially if you are alone.

If you’re staying in one of the main El Tunco hostels, you will only be a few seconds’ walk from the main bars and restaurants, so it is safer to walk around than in the big cities. El Tunco is also tiny, and it’s impossible to get lost.

In my personal experience, El Tunco felt the safest to walk around at night alone. However, this isn’t the same for everyone, and my feeling of being safe may be different from yours.

If you are walking around at night, especially in Santa Ana where it’s a larger and busier city, stick to well-lit streets. Don’t walk down a street that is unknown to you, and stick to the busy areas. If you need to walk for a longer distance (longer than 5 minutes), get an Uber or licensed taxi.

***Is El Salvador safe for solo female travellers?***

4. Never get in an unlicensed taxi

Sounds pretty obvious, right? But when you’re in need of a taxi and there are swarms of men offering you one, it can be easy to say yes. However, the people operating these unlicensed taxi services are illegal, and you could be putting yourself in danger.

Never get in a taxi in El Salvador that simply has the word ‘TAXI’ written on the front (usually in white marker pen or even chalk). We found these to be pretty common in El Salvador! Taxis in El Salvador must be licensed, and are similar looking to other taxis in the world. For example, the taxis in Santa Ana are bright yellow.

Ubers are available in the major cities in El Salvador, but not in places like El Tunco. Luckily, El Tunco is walkable as it is so small. Just be careful walking around at night, and always stay in a group.

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.

➡ You can check prices and bookings for your own private driver in El Salvador here.

5. Only use the public buses on well-known routes during the day

Public buses in El Salvador are similar to the chicken buses in Guatemala (just with less decoration!). They are an easy and common way to get around the country, mainly because they are so frequent and cost-effective.

As a backpacker in El Salvador, it is important to stick to buses that take safe and well-known routes. It is still common for buses in El Salvador to be targeted by criminals in unsafe neighbourhoods.

Policing isn’t common on buses, so there is also the issue of reckless bus drivers and speeding on roads in bad conditions.

Again, most of the time, public buses in El Salvador are safe. But to be even safer, make sure you are taking a well-known route, keep your belongings close to you and use common sense.

⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, particularly on public buses, please read the following UK Government advice.

6. Stay in hostels

Hostels are one of the best ways to stay safe as a solo female traveller in El Salvador. The reception desk is there to listen to you if you have any worries or fears, and they put your safety first. Plus, the recommended hostels in El Salvador are in safe areas and have good security measures.

As a backpacker myself, I’m a big advocate for hostels. Staying in hostels means you can make friends from day one, and there are people around you immediately.

During your stay at a hostel, you might become friends with a group of people and end up travelling around with them. Or, you might book tours and activities with the hostel, which again are always done in big, safe groups.

7. Book tours for bucket-list experiences

Whilst you can visit most of the big attractions in El Salvador alone, visiting these locations in a group is safer.

Most tours will organise transport to and from the locations, and you will be with other like-minded travellers. This gives an extra level of safety and security, especially if something goes wrong.

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!

8. Dress appropriately

As sad as it is, it’s important not to attract too much-unwanted attention if you’re travelling El Salvador solo. I know this is a sad fact of life for women, and I don’t agree with it. But if you dress inappropriately, you are more likely to be harrassed on the street.

In general, I found men to be respectful in El Salvador, but I always took precautions. In a foreign country that I didn’t know too well, I didn’t want to get into any unwanted scenarios.

9. Keep your valuables close to you at all times

There are a number of pickpockets and thieves working in El Salvador, just like any other country. Personally, I didn’t see this in El Salvador, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen!

There are accounts of phones being snatched out of people’s hands as they’re walking along the street, similar to what happens in Bali, Thailand and even London. It’s a common trick thieves use, as they can drive off quickly on their motorbikes without being caught.

Always have your iPhone in your pocket or bag, safely hidden. Don’t follow a GPS as you’re walking, as you make yourself a target. Look at your route beforehand.

iPhones and Apple products are prone to be stolen in El Salvador. This is because there aren’t any ways to buy Apple products in El Salvador (well, very few ways!) so they are worth a lot of money. This also means if you get your iPhone stolen in El Salvador, it’s going to be hard to replace.

Just be vigilant. As I said, this is no different to anywhere else in the world. Keep your belongings safe, zipped away and hidden when walking around El Salvador.

10. Know your emergency numbers

Hopefully, you will never need to use El Salvador’s emergency numbers, but just in case you do, these are the numbers you will need to dial.

🚑 Medical emergencies: 132 or 911 (if you dial 911, be sure to ask for medical assistance)

🚓 Police: 911

For safety reasons, always let someone know where you are when travelling El Salvador. Check in with a family member or friend often, and let them know where you are staying.

Things to do in Santa Ana — ***Is El Salvador safe***

El Tunco to Leon — ***Is El Salvador safe***

11. Trust your gut!

If you’re backpacking El Salvador as a solo female traveller, you’ll find a lot of times you’ll need to rely on the kindness of strangers. Luckily, the majority of Salvadorians you meet are kind, welcoming and friendly. We loved meeting some of the locals – they were so sweet and we felt totally safe with them.

However, we all know that sometimes people do not have the best intentions – again, something that’s true all over the world.

Don’t be afraid to lie. It’s way easier to get yourself out of a situation sooner rather than later.

Be rude if you have to be. Trust your gut if something doesn’t feel right.

If you’ve experienced something that makes you feel uneasy, go back to your hostel and tell someone. Phone a friend or family member. It’s ok, it happens, and prioritise getting yourself somewhere safe.

Travelling El Salvador alone? One of the best ways to get around is to hire a private driver.

12. Always let someone know where you are, or where you’re going

Another way of staying safe in El Salvador is to always let someone know where you are. Similar to location tracking, smartphones are great at allowing anyone to track your taxi or journey. This is so important when you’re travelling alone!

But I know this can be hard when you’re backpacking in a country with a time zone completely different to your family and friends back home. And do you really want to keep bothering them with your location?

You have two choices.

A) You don’t care about ‘bothering’ them, as they love you and want to keep you safe! You ask them to keep an eye on when you’re doing uncomfortable or long journeys. This is great!

B) If the time zone is too difficult, let someone in your hostel know where you’re going. You don’t need to tell them your life story, or what you’re doing, but if you’re visiting somewhere new (or meeting someone new!) someone should know where you are. If you can, exchange numbers with someone at your hostel. It’s likely you won’t need to use it, but it’s an extra layer of security.

Normally, the reception staff in hostels are friendly and are there to make you feel comfortable and safe. I’ve often told hostel staff that I’m heading off to a waterfall or on a long hike, just as an extra sense of security.

13. Always have a working phone whilst travelling around El Salvador

Whether you choose to get a local sim or an eSIM, always make sure you have data when backpacking El Salvador. This gives an extra layer of security and means you can reach out to someone if necessary.

ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchase. They’re great if you’re landing or crossing into a country solo, and would like to use your phone immediately. If you’re visiting El Salvador solo, I recommend checking out the eSIM packages here.

El Tunco is best enjoyed at a slower pace — ***Beautiful El Salvador!***

14. Always carry a portable charger

Similar to point 7, If you’re backpacking El Salvador alone, I advise you to always carry a portable charger so you can use your mobile phone whenever needed.

Not only is this needed for directions and communication, but it’s vital that you have a phone battery in emergencies. Can you imagine that uncomfortable gut feeling whilst having a dead phone?

Portable chargers aren’t that expensive, and you can buy a tiny one that fits into your purse or pocket. It may seem annoying, but trust me, it could save your life! You can buy my favourite and most reliable portable charger here. It lasts up to 4-5 charges!

15. Be kind

As I previously mentioned, Salvadorians were some of the friendliest locals we met on our Central America trip. Everyone greeted us with a smile, welcomed us to the country and made us feel safe. This was one of our favourite things about backpacking El Salvador.

And this works in both ways! Treat the locals with respect, and speak in Spanish (even if it’s broken or not so great). A simple ‘gracias’ and ‘por favor’ will make a difference! Being kind will directly impact how safe you are on your trip to El Salvador.

16. Don’t spend all of your time worrying!

I know El Salvador has a bad reputation when it comes to safety, and I’m hoping this changes in the next few years. It’s an amazing country with friendly locals, beautiful scenery and some epic things to do.

Enjoy your time in El Salvador. Don’t spend all of your time worrying! If you follow basic safety tips and some of the tips in this post, you will be fine. In fact, you will have an amazing time exploring El Salvador, even as a solo female traveller!

Useful apps for staying safe in El Salvador

Always have a local or eSIM installed whilst travelling through El Salvador. Avoid being on buses, in taxis or walking around without any phone signal. 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.

Google Maps allows you to follow area maps even when you’re offline. Download some of your local areas before heading out to ensure you can travel safely on the right route at any time.

SpanishDict: This is similar to Google Translate – but it gives more conversational terms when translating rather than direct word-for-word translations. We used it daily when travelling Central and South America.

Shake2Safety allows users to input emergency contacts to which a message, location, audio or photo can be sent in an emergency situation. Simply shake your phone or click the unlock button 4 times to send the alert. This can also be used without wifi and when your phone is locked.

The Circle Of Six app allows you to save 6 contacts of your choice which can be notified in just two taps if you’re in an emergency situation.

As horrible as it sounds, One Scream works by being able to detect the scream of a panicked female. A loud siren will go off, and after 20 seconds an automated voice call and message will be sent to your emergency contacts.

Where to stay if you are a solo female backpacker 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. This ended up with us leaving halfway through to move to a more touristic area. Do your research, and stick to the busy areas.

Best hostel 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!

Getting around El Salvador as a solo female traveller

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, private driver or shuttle.

There are public buses in El Salvador, which are cheap and inexpensive. Please refer to point 5 about staying safe on public buses in El Salvador.

Is El Salvador safe? FAQs

1) Is it safe to travel to El Salvador alone?

Yes, it is safe to travel to El Salvador alone. Use basic common sense, follow some safety tips (similar to the ones in this post) and stick to the tourist areas. There are sadly some areas in El Salvador that are not safe for tourists, so do your research, stay in well-known accommodations and stick to the ‘beaten track’.

🤩 Related post: Backpacking El Salvador? Be sure to check out my in-depth guide!

2) Is El Salvador tourist friendly?

Yes, El Salvador is tourist friendly. We found the locals to be kind and welcoming and felt safe in all of the tourist areas in El Salvador.

3) Are beaches in El Salvador safe?

Yes, especially beaches such as El Tunco and El Zonte. These beaches are safe for tourists and solo female travellers. El Tunco and El Zonte attract surfers from all over the world, and there is a chilled, sleepy vibe to them. They are both safe beaches.

4) Is El Salvador safer than Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is considered to be one of the safest countries to backpack in Central America. Statistically wise, Costa Rica is safer than El Salvador. However, El Salvador has increased its security measures in the past few years, and there are now some safe areas for tourists and backpackers to visit.

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!

Is El Salvador safe for solo female travellers? In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about staying safe as a solo female traveller in El Salvador. 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).