01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Visa · United States passport
Visa on arrivalSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 25 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
Uber gives cheap rides around the capital and from the airport, but is scarce elsewhere.BlueWallet pays in bitcoin over Lightning; visitors cannot sign up for the state Chivo wallet.HorarioDeBuses.com shows which bus to take and where the stations are.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in El Salvador
US Dollar · $ · USD
Stick to $1, $5, $10 and $20 notes; larger ones are widely refused.
Banco Hipotecario cash machines let you withdraw cash with a Visa card at no charge.
Break big notes whenever you can, for example at petrol stations.
Check what locals pay at street stalls, since some vendors raise prices for foreigners.
Collect US Dollar in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Sat, 7 Nov 2026 · National Pupusa Festival Festival Nacional De La Pupusa
Sun, 8 Nov 2026 · National Pupusa Festival Festival Nacional De La Pupusa
Mon, 9 Nov 2026 · National Pupusa Festival Festival Nacional De La Pupusa
Tue, 10 Nov 2026 · National Pupusa Festival Festival Nacional De La Pupusa
Wed, 11 Nov 2026 · National Pupusa Festival Festival Nacional De La Pupusa
Thu, 12 Nov 2026 · National Pupusa Festival Festival Nacional De La Pupusa
Fri, 13 Nov 2026 · National Pupusa Festival Festival Nacional De La Pupusa
Sat, 21 Nov 2026 · Day of the Queen of Peace Dia de la Reina de la Paz
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Noche Buena
Thu, 31 Dec 2026 · New Year's Eve Fin de año
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day Día del Trabajo
Mon, 3 May 2027 · The Day of the Cross Día de la Cru
Fri, 7 May 2027 · Soldiers' Day Día del Soldado
Mon, 10 May 2027 · Father's Day Día del Padre
Mon, 10 May 2027 · Mother's Day Día de las Madres
Sun, 1 Aug 2027 · August Festivals Fiestas de agosto
Mon, 2 Aug 2027 · August Festivals Fiestas de agosto
Tue, 3 Aug 2027 · August Festivals Fiestas de agosto
Wed, 4 Aug 2027 · August Festivals Fiestas de agosto
Thu, 5 Aug 2027 · August Festivals Fiestas de agosto
Fri, 6 Aug 2027 · August Festivals Fiestas de agosto
Sat, 7 Aug 2027 · August Festivals Fiestas de agosto
Wed, 15 Sept 2027 · Independence Day Día de la Independencia
Fri, 1 Oct 2027 · Children's Day Día del niño
Tue, 12 Oct 2027 · Ethnic Pride Day Día de la raza
Tue, 2 Nov 2027 · Day of the Dead El día de los difuntos
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover El Salvador say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise normal precautions
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Level 1 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 24 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 24 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 17 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 17 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Fake money requests in your name
Ask people at home to call you first before sending money to anyone claiming to be you.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine shots, hepatitis A, typhoid; hepatitis B if sex, tattoos or medical care may occur. Altitude risk.
Vaccinations
Be up to date on routine shots; hepatitis A and typhoid are advised for every traveller, and hepatitis B for those who may have sex, get tattoos or need medical care.
Altitude
Altitude sickness can affect visitors in some parts of the country.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: U.S. Department of State
Checked 25 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 25 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
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The travel layer
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What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $36.7 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $5,767Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 6.4 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 31.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 75.9 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2023 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 21,041 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplandsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateauSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +503Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 25 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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