El Tunco El Salvador

El Tunco El Salvador is a tiny off the beaten path beachside town.

Made up of just two streets, it’s not the place to come if you like a jam-packed itinerary. But if you like rolling waves, incredible sunsets, and a chilled-out vibe, then El Tunco is for you.

It wasn’t that long ago that Tunco – as everybody calls it – was known only to the locals.  These days it’s the most touristed town in El Salvador.

Backpackers and surfers come for the nightlife and legendary surfing. And every weekend the town bursts at the seams with partying Salvadorans who love mixing it up with the tourists.

Playa El Tunco isn’t a gorgeous powder-white beach instead, it’s a black sand beach that’s covered in dull grey rocks that shift and change with the tide.

But, El Tunco beach has its own wild beauty and once you’ve been, you’ll want to go again and again and again.

El Tunco means “The pig”, and the town gets its name from a huge ocean rock that used to look like a pig. The rock has become the most photographed and iconic image of Tunco beach.

Things To Do At Playa El Tunco

Go Surfing At Playa El Tunco El Salvador

Playa El Tunco El Salvador is famous for its surfing and people come from all over the world to ride the El Tunco surf.

At the west end of the beach is a rocky right-hand pointbreak called Sunzal, and in the east, there’s Bocana a stronger left. And between Sunzal and Bocana are two beach breaks that are perfect for beginners.

Explore The Caves At El Tunco

Any beach that has caves has got to be cool right?

And the caves at El Tunco beach in El Salvador are a fun way to spend an hour or two. There aren’t any tunnels so they’re good for people with claustrophobia and it doesn’t involve any crawling.

In fact, the caves are big amphitheaters that you can walk through.

The caves are only accessible at low tide, but even then there’s still water about. Bring a dry bag for any valuable belongings you don’t want to get wet.

To get to the caves walk left (facing the water) along the beach for about ten minutes. You’ll need to have something on your feet as a lot of the walk is over rocks.

Check Out La Libertad

Like Playa El Tunco, La Libertad is famous for its surfing.

But if you’re staying in El Tunco, La Libertad is a great place to stock up on groceries. The shops in Tunco can be expensive!

The supermarket is one street back from the waterfront. And there are fruit stands along the street where you can buy delicious fresh papaya. Yummee!

There’s a fish market out on the pier where you can see Salvadorans going about their everyday life. The market is an explosion of sights and sounds but the smell will curl your toes.

The fishermen are only too happy to show off their wares, and you can watch their incredible knife skills as they fillet the fish.

Tip: Make sure you hang around to see the boats being hauled in. They use ropes and pulleys!

You can catch the bus from El Tunco to La Libertad on the highway. It costs 0.25USc and takes twenty minutes to get there. The buses come every 10 – 15 minutes so you won’t have to wait long.

Look for the “Sunza” bus for your return journey.

There are some fancy restaurants along the waterfront where you can treat yourself to lunch. La Libertad is not considered safe after dark.

Hike To The Tamanique Waterfalls

A hike to the Tamanique waterfalls is great for anyone that’s fit and agile. A sense of adventure is helpful too as it’s not an easy walk.

The way isn’t clear and the path is steep with exposed roots and loose stones. The return journey is tricky too as you have to use a rope to pull yourself up the cliff.

Be careful, we know someone who had a nasty fall on this trail.

But for those who make the effort, they’ll be rewarded with gorgeous waterfalls and sparkling pools to swim in.

And for the daredevils, there’s a twelve-meter high cliff jump!

This hike is not suitable to do on your own, and you can hire a guide from any shop in El Tunco. They cost $US10 per person for groups of 3-4 or $US20 if you do it on your own.

Alternatively, you can catch a bus on the highway to Tamanique and organize a guide from there.

Soak Up A Stunning Sunset

Everyone goes to the beach at sunset. It’s a tradition. – A long-term visitor to El Tunco

The sunsets at Tunco are incredible

Every night there’s a spectacular explosion of colour across the sky.

And everyone heads to the beach to see it.

It’s when you catch up with friends, play frisbee, and have that last dip in the ocean.

Then it’s time to grab a happy hour cocktail and watch the sun sink below the horizon.

Special thanks to Gumnutsabroad