In Case You Were Wondering:
- How do I reserve my spot? Fill out our booking form and someone from our team will be in touch with next steps in the booking process! We require a $500 down payment to secure reservation. The remaining payment (less $500) will be collected 60 days prior to your stay.
- What happens if I want to cancel? Our cancellation policy is as follows:
- The initial deposit is nonrefundable
- Cancellation 45-30 days before arrival — loss of 25% of trip amount
- Cancellation 29-15 days before arrival — loss of 50% of trip amount
- Cancellation 14 days before arrival — trip nonrefundable
- What is required to enter the country?
- Passport — Depending on what country you are traveling from, your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of entry into El Salvador. Make sure to check your passport to confirm your expiration date is not within 6 months of the time of travel.
- Visa — No visa is required to enter the country. You should obtain a tourist visa which you will get at immigration upon arrival at the airport, it costs $12 USD (must be exact cash or payment in Bitcoin).
- Travel Insurance — we do not require travel insurance but we highly recommend it. We are happy to suggest a few options upon booking.
- Immunizations — The recommended vaccines (not required) are tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The government of El Salvador requires a proof of yellow fever vaccination if you are traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever.
- Is it safe? El Salvador has had a reputation for violence in the past, however the situation has been rapidly changing, with tourism increasing at least 30% in 2022 alone. El Zonte in particular is very safe — it’s become a popular tourist destination. The Surf & Stay villa is especially guarded, with 24/7 security.
- Are there hospitals nearby? The great thing about El Zonte is we are located just 45 minutes from San Salvador and the main hospital. We also have a local doctor who is available for house calls.
- How is the Wifi? The Surf & Stay villa has fiber optic high speed internet. If, for any reason, an outage occurs (very rare from November – March!) we will do our best to relocate to an area with access.
- I have food allergies and/or require modifications to the menu. Is that possible? If you have food allergies please let us know in advance so we can do our best to modify your meals.
- What should I bring? We will provide packing recommendations for you before arrival. In general we recommend a comfortable and secure bathing suit, SPF, beach towel, hat, running/hiking shoes and reusable water bottle.
- What is the timezone and weather conditions? The high season is typically from November – March. Surf is pretty consistent throughout the year but the best time for beginner waves is typically during the high season. The weather from April – October is a mix of daytime sun and rain, and nighttime thunderstorms. The rain slows down around November, but it’s still pretty lush and green! Water is warm year round! El Salvador is on Central Standard Time (CST).
- What is the local currency? The local currency is the US Dollar, but El Salvador also accepts Bitcoin as legal tender. We recommend bringing cash, in small bills (under $20) but there is also an ATM in town.