Go, but pay attention.
El Salvador's sketch score rose to 72 today, and while the US and UK maintain level 1 advisories, Canada remains at level 2. Watch for the global measles notice before you book.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about El Salvador
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go, but pay attention.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Abortion prohibition
Abortion is illegal in El Salvador in all cases without any exceptions.
State of Exception
The government's State of Exception allows for the suspension of constitutional rights for anyone suspected of gang activity.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •El Salvador has a bad reputation due to the civil war of the 1980s.
- •You should use common sense and avoid entering into a zone that does not appear safe, just like you do in any country of the world.
- •Due to strong local conservatism, El Salvador is not an LGBT+ traveler's friendly country.
- •It is a good idea for anyone visiting El Salvador to keep only necessary forms of identification, such as a driver's license, when exploring the city or tourist locales.
- •Abortion is illegal in El Salvador in all cases without any exceptions.
Staying healthy
- •If you are not accustomed to food sold by street vendors, you might want to stay away from food sold on the streets until you acclimatize.
- •'Agua en bolsa' (water in a plastic bag) is very commonly sold in the streets and corner stores of El Salvador. Don't drink tap water.
- •Pharmacies are easily found all over the country. Take a first-aid kit if you travel to the countryside and to archaeological sites. Mosquito repellent comes in handy.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers looking into El Salvador prioritize safety as a primary concern for solo trips and multi-country itineraries. While users inquire about the reliability of Uber and the safety of intercity transit between hubs like San Salvador, Suchitoto, and Santa Ana, the provided discussions lack specific reports on crime, scams, or concrete safety incidents. Advice remains limited to general common sense, such as sticking to tourist-heavy areas and avoiding illicit activities. There is no consensus or data provided regarding the actual risk levels of walking at night or the prevalence of violent crime, as the available discourse focuses on transit logistics and general travel planning rather than specific safety warnings.
“I already covered common sense of staying within Touristy areas and not messing with dr**s or other non-safety things (I get that). But other than that, is there any other safety related issues I need to keep an eye on?
— r/travel
“I'm 23f from canada & i really want to travel to central america this summer. I would most likely be going by myself as a young solo female traveller (and i've never reallly travelled by myself before) so safety is important.
— r/travel
“My friend and I (two women) are travelling to Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. We'd like to find out more information about safety issues/tips for travelling through these places
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B · 115V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 132 / fire: 913
Zoom in
One El Salvador city on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (12 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- gdelt — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12