Aelfgifu Travels

Hi Aelf Crew,

We’re off to El Salvador – once the most dangerous country in the world, now transformed into one of Central America’s safest destinations.

In the span of just five years, President Nayib Bukele’s government has changed the country’s reputation almost beyond recognition. Once plagued by violent gang crime, El Salvador now boasts one of the region’s lowest homicide rates – dropping from over 6,600 murders in 2015 to just 114 in 2024.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, it’s now the third fastest-growing holiday destination in the world, behind only Albania and Qatar. More than 3.2 million international visitors arrived in 2024 – over a million from the US alone.

And I can see why. Crossing the border from Guatemala was surprisingly smooth – so much so we didn’t even have to leave the car (a first for me!). Read more about this on my latest post!

Over the next couple of posts, I’ll cover two very different sides of this small but striking country:

• Santa Ana, where waterfalls tumble through the jungle and local guides lead you into wild adventure.
•  El Tunco, a laid-back surf town on the Pacific coast.

Currency and ATMs

El Salvador uses the US Dollar, which makes life a little easier if you’re travelling through multiple countries. That said, ATMs can be tricky – especially in smaller beach towns.

• In Santa Ana, I used Banco Hipotecario de El Salvador, which didn’t charge fees (at least with my Revolut card).
• In El Tunco, ATMs are fewer and most charge high withdrawal fees – so I highly recommend getting cash out before you go.

Local Food

You can’t leave El Salvador without trying pupusas – thick griddled corn pockets stuffed with cheese, beans, pork crackling, or squash, served with curtido (a tangy pickled cabbage) and tomato salsa. They’re the national dish, best eaten fresh from a street stall, and they cost next to nothing.

What struck me most in those first moments was how warm and welcoming everyone was. Stay tuned for the next couple of posts to come!

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With adventure (and a few bruises),
Aelfgifu