Key facts
El Salvador is a country located in Central America. There are 2 countries (Guatemala, Honduras) that El Salvador shares its borders with. The official language of El Salvador is Spanish. Unfortunately, if you speak English, it might be problematic to communicate fluently unless you know Spanish.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, El Salvador was ranked 54th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in El Salvador is United States dollar (USD). The dollar ($) is subdivided into 100 cent (¢).
Salvadoran
Banknotes
$1$5$10$20$50$1002$
Salvadoran
Coins
1¢5¢10¢25¢$150¢
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in El Salvador is 67.62 Mbps and mobile is 34.63 Mbs.The global average is 187.01 Mbps and 128.37 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density The number of ATMs per person in El Salvador is close to the world average.36.28 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in El Salvador, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in El Salvador. Type A & Type B are widespread in North America (incl. the U.S.), Central America, Japan, and the Philippines.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2024, El Salvador will celebrate 26 national public holidays.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2023 | Labor DayDía del trabajo | |
| May 3, 2023 | The Day of the CrossDía de la Cru | |
| May 7, 2023 | Soldiers’ DayDía del Soldado | |
| May 10, 2023 | Father’s DayDía del Padre | |
| August 1, 2023 | August FestivalsFiestas de agosto | |
| August 2, 2023 | August FestivalsFiestas de agosto | |
| August 3, 2023 | August FestivalsFiestas de agosto | |
| August 4, 2023 | August FestivalsFiestas de agosto | |
| August 5, 2023 | August FestivalsFiestas de agosto | |
| August 6, 2023 | August FestivalsFiestas de agosto | |
| August 7, 2023 | August FestivalsFiestas de agosto | |
| September 15, 2023 | Independence DayDía de la Independencia | |
| October 1, 2023 | Children’s DayDía del niño | |
| October 12, 2023 | Ethnic Pride DayDía de la raza | |
| November 2, 2023 | Day of the DeadEl día de los difuntos | |
| November 7, 2023 | National Pupusa FestivalFestival Nacional De La Pupusa | |
| November 8, 2023 | National Pupusa FestivalFestival Nacional De La Pupusa | |
| November 9, 2023 | National Pupusa FestivalFestival Nacional De La Pupusa | |
| November 10, 2023 | National Pupusa FestivalFestival Nacional De La Pupusa | |
| November 11, 2023 | National Pupusa FestivalFestival Nacional De La Pupusa | |
| November 12, 2023 | National Pupusa FestivalFestival Nacional De La Pupusa | |
| November 13, 2023 | National Pupusa FestivalFestival Nacional De La Pupusa | |
| November 21, 2023 | Day of the Queen of PeaceDia de la Reina de la Paz | |
| December 25, 2023 | Christmas DayNoche Buena | |
| December 31, 2023 | New Year’s EveFin de año |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in El Salvador?
There are no Mariott hotels in El Salvador.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in El Salvador.
The IHG hotel chain operates in El Salvador.
The Best Western hotel chain operates in El Salvador.
There are no Radisson hotels in El Salvador.
There are no Accor hotels in El Salvador.
What fast food chains are present in El Salvador?
The McDonald’s chain operates in El Salvador.
The KFC chain operates in El Salvador.
The Burger King chain operates in El Salvador.
The Subway chain operates in El Salvador.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in El Salvador.
The Starbucks chain operates in El Salvador.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in San Salvador?
Weather data for San Salvador (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains operating between some cities.
Subway Systems There is no subway system in any city.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in El Salvador
Sources
- El Salvador Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for El Salvador (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.
Cananbis legality Both recreational and medicinal use of cannabis is prohibited.
Sources
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)