El Salvador travel tips to keep in mind

Great El Salvador travel tips on safety

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There's no doubt that El Salvador is a beautiful place to visit with exciting activities and great sights, but safety in El Salvador is a concern for many.

But you know, no matter where we go these days safety is always a concern so we need to do our homework and know ahead of time what we can do to.

Here I will share some excellent El Salvador travel tips with you to help you have a safe and enjoyable time.

El Salvador Travel Tips on Safety

• First of all, just follow your common sense. If an area or a situation does not appear safe, don't go, avoid it or get out of it ASAP - common sense does go a long way
• Try to leave all your fancy gadgets at home but if you must take them with you, leave them back at the hotel, many of them have safety boxes available for guests
• Don't wear gold jewelry when you're out and about in public areas (specially in downtown San Salvador), they attract thieves - it's best to just leave them at home
• Remember that tourists are a target everywhere, so do not attract undue attention and if you must ask someone something - be aware of who you ask (a person's appearance says a lot)
• Domestic bus services are available, but they can be confusing. The buses will usually be very crowded and this makes riders a target for pick-pocketing
• If you happen to become a victim of this, it is better to let the petty thief run away with a little than to fight with them, it's not worth it
• Longer bus rides (those going to the interior) are much safer but you should still be aware of your surroundings
• I prefer to travel by taxi which is very inexpensive and safer. Just make sure you agree on a flat fare with the driver before getting in the car
• It's better to not have a lot of cash on you when you are out and about in the city and avoid large bills. Stick to $1.00 - $20.00 bills nothing higher
• Keep only the necessary ID with you when you're out exploring, you may be asked for ID by police officers so keep it ON you, a photocopy may be enough, take good care of the originals
  traveller's pouch is handy for this)
• If you are in San Salvador and want to go out and night, your best option would be to go to La Gran Via a newer entertainment center in San Salvador, where it's very safe and is the center of night life in El Salvador
• Don't venture out by yourself to other parts of the city at night, you run the risk of being mugged

Now I don't want to scare you with all these El Salvador travel tips, you may not need them all, but I just wanted to give you a list of things to keep in mind.

I have talked to many people who agree with me that safety concerns in El Salvador are overrated.

Big cities are usually also big with crime and safety is an issue, and
San Salvador is no exception. The smaller cities and towns in the interior of the country are much safer with a much slower pace, check them out too!

El Salvador Travel Tips on Weather

El Salvador is a tropical paradise, so the weather is always nice and hot. After a couple of weeks in El Salvador, I come home with a nice glowing tan, so be prepared for that!

But we all need to look after ourselves, so I make sure I pack the following for our trips to there.

• Wear a hat and sunglasses
• Make sure to put on sun protection, the sun can get very strong especially at the beach
• Wear light clothing
• sandals and a pair of other comfortable shoes, there will likely be a lot of walking
• Try to avoid being outdoors during the hottest time of the day which is between 11am and 3pm

Police Info Desks in El Salvador

El Salvador has a special police department that specializes in assisting tourists (POLITUR)

Below is a list of these police detachments in El Salvador, but in case of emergency, just dial 911

• San Salvador: (503) 2298-9982, 2298-9984
• Zona Rosa and Zona Real: (503)2263-3904
• Parque de La Familia: in Planes de Renderos - (503) 2280-6402
• National Park El Boqueron: (503) 2305-6478
• Suchitoto: (503) 2335-1141
• Costa del Sol: (503) 2238-2067
• Puerto de La Libertad: (503) 2346-1893
• Los Cóbanos: (503) 2420-5374
• Puerto de Acajutla: (503) 2452-5850
• Ilopango Lake: (503) 2299-5419

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These El Salvador travel tips are intended as informational only, if more detailed or specific alerts are required, please contact an embassy near you.