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When I visited El Salvador in 2020, I was constantly side-eyed when sharing my travel plans.
This was not only due to the risk of becoming stranded due to rampant pandemic-related flight cancellations but also because El Salvador was notoriously ‘dangerous’.
5 years later, that has all changed, and not without its well-documented share of controversies of human rights concerns given re-elected President Nayib Bukele’s hardcore, yet inarguably effective, roundups of criminals.
Regardless of which side of the fence you stand, the fact is El Salvador’s crime rates have dropped tremendously, creating a beautifully diverse safe haven for adventurous travelers to explore.
Backed by the U.S. State Department’s recently updated travel advisory, which designates this surprising nation as one of the safest in Latin America in the exclusive club of Level 1-countries with Argentina and Paraguay, this move signifies that El Salvador is now even safer than Cancun.
From No-Go Zone To Welcome Home: El Salvador Declared Safer Than Costa Rica And Much Of Mexico
Before you work yourself into a tizzy, we’re not directly comparing El Salvador’s surfer-laden beach towns to Cancun — just simply showing how remarkable of a turnaround Central America’s smallest country has undergone to now go from having the highest murder rates to now be designated Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions compared to American’s favorite international destination, Cancun, which the state of Quintana Roo still holds Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution status.
Truth is much of Mexico is ranked Level 2 or worse and Costa Rica, along with Belize, a pair of other easy-to-reach Central American paradises have seen their own share of problems.
El Salvador is truly safe, opening the door for travelers to venture off to an off-the-beaten path exotic location, whether seeking cultural cities like Santa Ana, vibrant villages like Ataco, or idyllic coastlines such as El Tunco, without feeling like your head is on a swivel.
Truth be told, I’ve felt this way in parts of Mexico and Belize and it definitely takes away some of the joy of traveling.
In the U.S. State Department’s own words from the newly updated travel advisory issued April 8, 2025, “Exercise normal precautions in El Salvador. Gang activity has decreased over the last three years. This has caused a drop in violent crimes and murders.”
For what it’s worth, a report from last fall claims 88% of Salvadorans now feel safe in their country. Could Americans say that?
El Salvador’s “State Of Exception”
Crime is a fickle topic, so let’s not pretend there aren’t bad apples still out there.
That being said, the idea of being locked up in perhaps the world’s most stringent prison has to make would-be criminals think twice.
President Bukele has not been shy about showcasing the ins and outs of Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (known as CECOT) — video tours are all over YouTube.
Furthermore, in what many say is an odd agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador, President Trump’s administration has facilitated the transfer of immigrants with criminal records to CECOT, including a big “oops” moment, essentially detaining the wrong man and shipping him off to an international prison, bringing into question even more human rights issues and the logistics of this clunky, unheard-of arrangement.
Not to mention a Supreme Court judge has since ordered the return of this wrongly deported man due to a “administrative error”, but so far the order has been as effective as if Judge Reinholdt issued it.
So, you might be wondering why this is important to travelers. Fair enough.
That’s because El Salvador has a “State of Exception”, also brought to attention by the U.S. State Department’s updated advisory and it’s laid out as:
In 2022, El Salvador declared a “State of Exception” in response to an increase in heinous crimes:
- The State of Exception allows authorities to arrest anyone they believe is involved in criminal activity.
- It suspends several constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy or fair trial.
- Thousands of people are currently locked up under the State of Exception, including American and foreign citizens, which have yet to face trial
While unlikely for Americans to be caught up in gang member roundups, or to be falsely recognized as a target for CECOT, it’s important to know The State of Exception is still in place and a key driving force for CECOT’s “success”, if you want to call it that.
El Salvador’s Appeal As Your Next Vacation
To be fair, I visited El Salvador during its Level 3 heyday and couldn’t have felt safer once I became accustomed to shotgun-wielding guards posted up on seemingly every block, especially in Santa Ana, El Salvador’s second largest city and the gateway to my favorite hike I’ve ever done, reaching to top of the Santa Ana Volcano and looking down at the otherworldly turquoise crater lake.
I’ve done nothing but promote the country as one of the biggest surprises in all my travels, considering some people practically begged me not to go in 2020.
The country is home to incredible cuisine. It seemed as if every corner was a pupusa paradise and remarkably cheap. Oddly enough, though, I can’t recommend Donkey’s enough — a Mexican fusion restaurant with top notch margaritas and even better Mexican food than some places I’ve been in Mexico.
El Salvador is home to some highly underrated coastlines as well.
Our Managing Editor, Tyler, had the pleasure of visiting an upscale beach resort in La Libertad back in 2023 and loved it, even though it wasn’t considered as safe to visit as now.
I hopped around from the capital city of San Salvador, which had some cool markets and affordable luxurious hotels like Barcelo, but the real charm and delights lied in El Salvador’s villages — Ataco being my favorite.
You’ll hear more about Suchitoto than Ataco on travel blogs, but Ataco was one of the highlights of my trip 5 years ago, and given its stuck-in-time cobbled streets, I’m sure not much has changed.
Definitely indulge in locally-sourced coffee at La Casa Barista and wander through the artisan markets for unique souvenirs.
Sam Sears
Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 36 countries and written over 1000 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.
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