El Tunco beach paradise

Bas

5 years ago

Surfers at El Sunzal beach, El Tunco village, El Salvador

You can hardly call it a road. On this pulsatingly warm february night you can only discern some cobblestones left and right in what is otherwise just sand. In front of a cafe a guy is poking through the glowing coal, roasting the pork. The next restaurant is actually doing the same, street-barbecueing El Salvador style. The street is slowly filled with smoke, creating an almost hallucinatory glow when combined with the orange street lights. Is this really the tropical paradise of El Tunco beach?

Fast forward twelve hours, and in the early morning this beach town looks far less intimidating. Early-bird surfers are coming back from the water, having ridden the last waves of the early morning high tide. Surf shops are slowly opening, and owners of the around a dozen pubs and restaurants aren’t yet convincing you to visit them.

Three streets

Having read the description of El Tunco in the Lonely Planet guide, you’d almost think it is a proper town. But perched on maybe a 200 metre wide stretch between the national road and the beach, the municipality is not much more than three streets. And except for the weekends, when it’s party time on the bars along the water, this is exactly the sleepy town you would be looking for if you want to switch off and relax.

The only other reason to visit this place is obviously surfing. Instructors everywhere, and even more white waves rolling onto the gorgeous, lava-black sandy beaches. When you see the surfers go out to catch the high tide during sunset, with the hay-roofed (palapa) holiday homes in the background, you know El Tunco can really be a paradise.

Entrance street to El Tunco village, El Salvador

Main street in El Tunco village, El Salvador

Hay roof (palapa) in main street in El Tunco village, El Salvador

Humidity

I didn’t came to surf though, but just to wind down after Guatemala. And the Salvadoran beaches are just perfect for that. You already need at least 24 hours to get used to the heat and humidity, after coming from moderately warm Guatemala. If you don’t slow down, El Tunco will physically exhaust you.

And after adjusting to the climate… there literally is almost nothing to do but hang out near the swimming pool. Or slowly walk the narrow beach. Sip some freshly made juice. Have a swim in the water (28 degrees warm, all-year round). And then have some more juices, or a cerveza.

Which is a good idea anyway around sunset. Because high tide makes almost the entire beach disappear, and if you move to the El Sunzal side of the small creek, you might get stuck for a couple of hours or risk getting seriously wet (me took the latter option, but managed to stay relatively dry…).

Party gear

Nightlife, you say? Well, the backpacking hostel scene obviously gets into party gear in the weekend, but even then only in high season. The better option? Take one of a couple of mid-class restaurants at the beach, enjoy your food and the cocktails and then head for the rocks to listen to the endless waves crashing into El Tunco. Sleep-surf-repeat.

Eastern coastline of El Tunco beach in El Salvador

Man at El Tunco beach in El Salvador

Stones at El Tunco beach, El Salvador

Rock at El Sunzal beach, near El Tunco village, El Salvador

El Tunco beach by night

Sunset at El Sunzal beach, El Tunco village, El Salvador

El Sunza beach, near El Tunco village, El Salvador

Sunset at El Sunzal beach, El Tunco village, El Salvador

Good to know

accommodation: as the town is small, there aren’t loads of options. But there are possibilities for all budgets. Sombra and Papaya for example are good hostel options. The Eco del Mar, right at the beach, is more expensive for those expecting more luxury. And the El Dorado resort caters for almost every wish
Food: most budget options can be found on the last 100 metre pedestrian-only stretch of ‘road’ towards the beach. At the waterside, turn left along the small path to find some more mid-class options such as La Bocana and Remar. You will also find several bars here, some of them hosted by hostels
Orientation: when you turn right at the beach, you immediately reach El Sunzal beach. It basically has the same size as El Tunco, but most accommodations here are for hotel guests only. When you turn left, after 300 metres you will reach Rio Grande and will slowly be guided back to the main national road
Getting there and away: the best tourist options are the minivan shuttles from Gekko (https://gekkotrailsexplorer.com). Internationally they take you to and from Antigua Guatemala and to Leon / Granada / San Juan del Sur (all in Nicaragua). Domestic options are for example the beaches of El Cuco or El Zonte and the colonial city of Suchitoto
things get slightly more complicated if you want to get to San Salvador or to Juayua (on the Ruta de Flores / Flower Route). There is a minivan driving to the West bus terminal in San Salvador (around 90 minutes, be careful to ask the driver to stop). From there you can go deeper into the city center by taxi or walk or you go to other cities by chicken bus. One of those destinations is Juayua. In that case you first need a chicken bus to Sonsonate and there switch (at another terminal, 200 metres away!) to Ahuachapan and exit in Juayua. There is also a bus from El Tunco to Sonsonate, there is hardly any difference in time and price