Best Time to Visit El Salvador

Dry season vs green season

El Salvador has two seasons. The dry season runs from about November to April. The rainy season, which locals call "invierno" (winter), runs from May to October. Don't let the name fool you. It's warm all year.

In San Salvador, December to March is the best stretch. Skies are mostly clear, and you can plan volcano hikes without worrying about afternoon storms. March is the hottest month, at 29°C, so the city feels sticky by midday. Do your climbing early on Santa Ana Volcano or around the Boquerón crater at San Salvador Volcano, then cool off with a cold drink in the Juayúa food stalls or a shaded plaza.

The rainy months

Rain usually comes in the afternoon, not all day. Mornings are often fine. September is the wettest month, with 306 mm, and storms can be heavy enough to flood roads and slow buses. If you visit then, keep your afternoons flexible and save museums, like the Museo de Arte de El Salvador (MARTE), for the downpours.

The upside? The hills turn bright green, and prices can be lower. Surfers also like the wetter months, since swells tend to be bigger at breaks like El Tunco and Punta Roca near La Libertad.

Holidays and crowds

High season matches the dry months, especially December and January. Salvadorans travel for Christmas and New Year, and beach towns fill up fast.

Semana Santa, or Holy Week, before Easter is the biggest local holiday. Families head to the coast, and many businesses close for a few days. Expect packed beaches and busy roads. Sonsonate and San Salvador also hold solemn processions, and some streets are decorated with sawdust carpets.

In early August, the Fiestas Agostinas honour El Salvador del Mundo, the city's patron saint. San Salvador gets lively, with parades and music, and some roads close.

If you hate crowds, aim for February or late November. You'll get dry weather without the biggest holiday rush.