🇸🇻 El Salvador: Central America's Safest Hidden Gem

Travel Diary 2025-07-17 This summer’s Central America plans took twists and turns, but I finally landed on the region’s only two safe destinations: Panama and El Salvador. If you want authentic Central American culture without safety worries, these are your choices! El Salvador is the underdog of underrated travel spots: ✔ Tiniest country in Central America ✔ Few foreign tourists (only surfers & volcano hikers) ✔ Most dramatic comeback story—from "world’s most dangerous country" to safer than the US (ranked alongside Canada/Japan!) The turnaround? A millennial president’s iron-fisted anti-gang crackdown jailed 70k+ criminals almost overnight. By 2023, crime plummeted—now it’s the 2nd safest country in the Americas (after Canada). Mind-blowing! 🌊 Why Visit? 🏄 Surfing Mecca • Only Pacific coast (no Caribbean side) = consistent epic waves • Hosted the 2021 World Surfing Games—compared to Hawaii & Bali! 🌋 Volcano Adventures • Hike Santa Ana Volcano with its emerald acid lake 🌮 Food Culture • National dish pupusas (cheesy corn cakes with beans) = delicious! 📝 Travel Diary 2025-07-20 Locals deeply value their new safety—even with rising prices (blame USD inflation & remittance drops). But as one told me: "Peace is worth 100x more than cheap eggs." 💡 Tips for Travelers • Safety level: 👍👍👍 (but stay street-smart) • Currency: USD only (no exchange needed) • Best for: Surfers, adventurers, culture seekers #CentralAmerica #ElSalvador #SurfParadise #TravelDiary #SafeTravels