The short answer: yes — by every measurable safety indicator that exists in 2026, El Salvador is among the safer countries in the Americas to visit. The U.S. State Department lists it at Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions, the lowest of four tiers, the same tier as France, Germany, and Japan.[1] That advisory level was set on April 8, 2025 and has held since.
The longer answer is more interesting, and more honest. We've been booking Salvadoran trips since 1999. We watched the country during the period that put El Salvador on the cover of every "world's most dangerous country" list — and we're watching it now. Here is what changed, what didn't, and what we tell our travelers when they ask.
What the numbers say
In 2015, El Salvador recorded approximately 105 homicides per 100,000 people — among the highest peacetime rates ever measured anywhere in the world.[4] The country's National Civil Police (PNC) and the SNIC criminal-information system reported 114 homicides total for the entire calendar year 2024 — a rate of approximately 1.9 per 100,000.[6] 2025 came in lower still: 82 homicides, a rate of about 1.36 per 100,000, the lowest in the Western Hemisphere and roughly half the comparable U.S. national rate.
That is a decline of more than 98% from the 2015 peak. We don't say "95%" the way many headlines do — the actual published figures support a larger drop.
Why the change happened
The trigger was specific: between March 25 and 27 of 2022, gang violence killed 87 people in El Salvador, with 62 deaths on March 26 alone — the deadliest day in the country since the end of the civil war in 1992. President Nayib Bukele's government responded by passing a State of Exception on March 27, 2022, which suspended several constitutional protections and authorized mass arrests of suspected gang members.[7]
From the declaration through January 2025, Salvadoran authorities reported detaining approximately 84,000 individuals alleged to be affiliated with criminal groups — most held in or sent to the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), a 40,000-bed facility built specifically for this purpose.[8] Human rights organizations including WOLA have documented serious concerns about due process, conditions of detention, and the suspension of legal protections.[7]
We're a travel agency, not a policy publication. We mention this for two reasons. First, a complete picture matters to travelers: the safety improvement is real, and so are the human rights concerns about how it was achieved. Travelers should know both. Second, the policy is enacted at the state level, not the tourist level — meaning a visiting traveler is not interacting with the State of Exception in any practical sense. The visible effect on the ground is the absence of gang activity in places where it once dominated.
What the major travel advisories say right now
We pulled the current published guidance from the four advisory authorities most-cited by English-speaking travelers:
- United States: Level 1 — Exercise Normal Precautions.[1]
- United Kingdom: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises travelers to be aware of the State of Exception and notes that violent crime has decreased significantly. No general "do not travel" warning.
- Canada: Exercise a high degree of caution.[2]
- Australia: Exercise a high degree of caution.[3]
The U.S. advisory does carry one specific note worth quoting: U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling between cities at night (with limited exceptions for the airport corridor and the route to La Libertad), and from using public buses.[1] These are internal-employee rules, not traveler advice — but the reasoning behind them is reasonable advice for any visitor too.
What this means on the ground
We move travelers through El Salvador every week. Here is the lived picture in 2026:
- The international airport (SAL) is calm and well-organized. The drive from SAL to La Libertad / Surf City is approximately 21 miles on a four-lane highway, typically 30–45 minutes depending on the time of day. Daylight or after-dark, by private transfer, this corridor is routine.
- Tourist zones are visibly busier than they were five years ago. Foreign tourist arrivals reached 3.9 million in 2024 (up 17% year-on-year) and 4.1 million in 2025.[9][10] The largest source country is the United States (1.3 million arrivals in 2024). El Salvador placed second worldwide for tourism growth in the UN Tourism barometer that year, behind only Qatar.[10]
- Surf City, Joya de Cerén, Lake Coatepeque, the Ruta de las Flores, the volcanoes around Santa Ana — all are functioning, well-trafficked tourist corridors with marked roads and visible police presence.
- Police presence is high. Travelers will see uniformed PNC officers and military on highways and at tourist attractions. This is part of the security architecture that produced the homicide drop. It is also well-mannered toward visitors.
What still requires judgment
We are not in the business of pretending no country is ever risky. Things that still require ordinary traveler judgment:
- Don't drive at night between cities. The U.S. Embassy restricts its own employees from doing this for a reason — animals, slow unlit vehicles, occasional impaired drivers. Use private transfers we arrange, or stay where you are after dark.
- Don't display obvious wealth. No flashing of cash, expensive watches, or laptops in public buses, markets, or street parking. This is true in any travel destination.
- El Salvador has zero tolerance for driving under the influence. The U.S. advisory specifically warns of detention possible at any alcohol level.[1] Don't drive yourself if you've had anything.
- Some areas of San Salvador and the eastern departments are still better avoided if you are not with someone local. Our trips don't send guests through those areas. If you book independently, do your homework.
The 27-year view
We saw the worst years and stopped sending people. We saw the change and started again. Today the country is the easiest it has ever been for an American or European traveler to visit — but I still personally vet every property and every driver. That hasn't changed in twenty-seven years.
— Lylli · Founder, Lylli’s Services Travel Tours & Marketing Inc.
How to plan a trip from this position
The country is open. The infrastructure is in place. The crowds have not yet arrived. If you want a sense of what a curated week looks like — Surf City sunrises at El Sunzal, Joya de Cerén in the morning quiet, Santa Ana volcano at dawn, hot-spring soaks in Caluco — see our sample seven-day itinerary or tell us where you'd want to go and we'll design it.
This article was last updated May 4, 2026. Travel advisories, homicide statistics, and tourism figures change. We update this page when the underlying sources publish new data.