El Cuco is a quintessential beach with dark sands, lined with vendor huts, seafood restaurants and shaggy palms.

Playa El Cuco

Get in

The Pan-American highway travels through El Salvador and is a safe route for entering the country and travelling between San Miguel in the East and San Salvador in the West

From San Miguel bus terminal there are regular one hour bus rides to El Cuco. You can also get a $30 taxi or some hotels offer a shuttle service from San Miguel to Playa El Esteron via El Cuco

Get around

In Playa El Esteron you can find hotels that offer a shuttle service between Intipuca Beach, Playa Las Flores and El Cuco or alternatively you can take a cheap taxi between the neighbouring beaches.

See

• Playa El Esteron is next to El Cuco and is regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in all of El Salvador
• Playa Las Flores is next to El Cuco and is regarded as one of the best surf spots in all of El Salvador
• Intipuca Beach is next to Playa El Esteron and is famous for El Salvador's first microbrewery and where the river joins the ocean is hugely popular for stand up paddle-boarding.

Do

• Water skiing, Tubing, Wake boarding, Para sailing, Jet skiing
• Surfing in Playa Las Flores, one of the best surf spots in El Salvador
• Stand Up Paddleboarding at the famous Intipuca Beach
• Boat trips around the islands
• Kayaking through the mangroves
• Volcano hiking up Chaparrastique - One of the most active volcanoes in El Salvador
• Waterfalls and hot springs
• Nature hikes and lake tours to Isla de Olomega on Lake Olomega

Eat

You can find the best sea food in Central America fresh from the coast of El Salvador at Playa El Cuco

Drink

Intipuca Beach is home to the first microbrewery in El Salvador and offers an array of hand-craft beers by the beach. You can also find several bars and liquor stores in El Cuco or for party-nightlife you can head to Ave. Roosevelt in San Miguel which has numerous bars and clubs open until the early hours of the morning and is also hosts to the biggest carnival in Central America in November.

Sleep

see San Miguel

Go next

• There are regular buses that leave El Cuco for San Miguel bus station where you can catch a connecting bus to many other destinations inside or outside the country.
• Some hotels offer a shuttle service to San Miguel or other destinations inside the country.
• La Tortuga Verde offers transport between El Salvador and Nicaragua (skipping Honduras) by private boat $200 for up to 20 people.