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Best time to visit El Salvador

El Salvador is a great place to visit all year round. As the country is close to the equator, it is almost always warm and has only two seasons.

In brief:

The dry season runs from November to April;
The rainy season is from May to October, don't be deterred from travelling during the rainy season, however, as showers are usually limited to the afternoon only.
Temperatures fluctuate throughout the year, averaging between 25 and 30 degrees, depending on which area you are in.
Are you looking for an active trip of El Salvador? If so, the best time to visit is during the dry season, from November to April, as the weather conditions are most favourable for activities such as volcano climbing, surfing and ziplining.

San Salvador

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Ju	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min. temperature ˚C	18	19	20	21	21	20	20	20	20	20	19	19
Max. temperature ˚C	30	30	31	30	28	27	28	28	27	27	28	29
Number of hours of sunshine per day	10	10	10	10	9	9	10	10	8	8	10	10

San Salvador has a tropical savannah climate. As a result, temperatures are warm all year round. There are two distinct seasons: November to April is the dry season, during which there is hardly any rain. The rainy season runs from May to October. During these months, there are regular short but heavy showers, often in the afternoon and evening. During the rainy season, humidity in San Salvador can be high, partly due to its location in a valley.

Suchitoto

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Ju	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min. temperature ˚C	20	21	22	23	22	22	22	22	21	21	20	20
Max. temperature ˚C	32	33	34	34	32	30	31	31	29	29	30	31
Number of hours of sunshine per day	9	10	10	10	10	9	10	10	9	8	9	9

Sushitoto has a tropical climate, which means that average temperatures differ slightly from those in other parts of El Salvador. The climate is influenced by its location and proximity to Lake Suchitlán. The nights are cooler compared to the high daytime temperatures. The dry season runs from November to April. The rainy season runs from May to October, with short, heavy downpours.

Coast

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Ju	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min. temperature ˚C	22	22	23	24	24	23	23	23	23	22	22	22
Max. temperature ˚C	31	31	32	31	29	29	30	29	28	28	29	30
Number of hours of sunshine per day	10	10	10	10	9	9	10	10	8	8	10	10

The climate in the coastal region of El Salvador is tropical. This results in high temperatures and fairly high humidity, partly due to its coastal location. Its coastal location means the region can be susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms, often between June and November. The likelihood of actual hurricanes is low, but weather conditions can be affected by hurricanes and storms at sea. The dry season runs from November to April. The rainy season is from May to October; during these months, there are regular intense downpours, sometimes accompanied by thunderstorms.
The coast of El Salvador, for example at Playa El Tunco, is ideal for surfing. Surfing is possible all year round. For beginner surfers, we recommend surfing during the dry season, as the sea is calmer and the waves are lower then.

Santa Ana

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Ju	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min. temperature ˚C	17	18	19	20	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	18
Max. temperature ˚C	28	30	31	31	29	28	29	29	27	27	27	28
Number of hours of sunshine per day	9	10	10	10	9	9	10	10	8	8	9	9

The climate in Santa Ana and the surrounding area is a tropical savannah climate. This means temperatures are warm all year round, although nights can be cool. As Santa Ana and the region are situated at a slightly higher altitude than other areas in El Salvador, it can be cooler in some places than in others. The dry season runs from November to April and the rainy season from May to October. During these months, there can be heavy, short showers. The area around Santa Ana is ideal for sporting activities such as volcano climbing, buggy driving, ziplining and similar pursuits. In principle, these can be enjoyed all year round, although the weather conditions are best for such activities during the dry season.

All the information you need about the best time to visit El Salvador at a glance

You can visit El Salvador all year round;
The country lies close to the equator, which means it is almost always warm there;
Temperatures average between 25 and 30 degrees during the day all year round;
It is only in the higher (mountain) areas that it can cool down in the evening;
The dry season runs from November to April;
The rainy season runs from May to October. Most of the rain falls during these months;
For an active holiday in El Salvador, it is best to visit during the dry season.

The best time to visit El Salvador when travelling with children

If you’re travelling with your children, the best time to visit El Salvador is during the summer holidays. Although this is the rainy season, you’ll find that the weather in El Salvador is fine for travelling. The rain is mainly limited to the afternoons and you’ll be impressed by the beautiful green countryside. If you’re travelling during the Christmas holidays, you’ll be visiting during the dry season. This is also an excellent time to visit El Salvador, particularly if you want to learn to surf or enjoy an active holiday. Please note, however, that the Christmas holidays also coincide with the peak tourist season, when accommodation fills up more quickly. So make sure you start planning your unique trip in good time.

Time difference between El Salvador and the Netherlands/Belgium

During Dutch/Belgian summer time, it is 8 hours earlier in El Salvador.
During Dutch/Belgian winter time, it is 7 hours earlier in El Salvador.

How long is the flight to El Salvador?

There are no direct flights from Amsterdam to San Salvador. You will always have to change flights in Panama or the United States. The minimum flight time from Amsterdam to San Salvador is 18 hours and 45 minutes, including transfer time. This time may be longer depending on the flight route and transfer time.

Would you like to organise your own trip of El Salvador and are you curious about the options? Then do have a look at the itineraries we’ve put together for inspiration. You can book these tours directly, but we’d also be happy to put together a personalised itinerary based on your wishes and ideas.

Do you have a question? Please feel free to contact us. Call us on +31 73 610 62 04 or send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl. We’ll be happy to help.

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