El Salvador · La Libertad and La Paz

The coast: La Libertad
& La Paz.

The surf beaches of La Libertad, the Port of La Libertad, the Tamanique waterfalls and the ISTU parks in La Paz.

7 places
5 open
2 unconfirmed
checked Oct 2026
12 sources

Before you go,
understand the place.

The La Libertad coast has the surf beaches of El Tunco and El Sunzal, in Tamanique, and El Zonte, in Chiltiupán. In 2019 the Tourism Cabinet declared 21 km of that coast, from Walter Thilo Deininger Park to El Zonte, a Tourist Zone of National Interest (MITUR); Surf City is the Government's programme of works in the area, not a place to visit.

Best time to go: According to Spain’s climate section and Canada’s travel advisory, the rainy season generally runs from May to November. Canada places the Pacific hurricane season between mid-May and the end of November.
Getting there: ISTU places Costa del Sol Recreational Park 65 km from San Salvador and Ichanmichen, in Zacatecoluca, 52 km away. According to the press (29 September 2026), CEPA estimates about 30 minutes from the airport to the Costa del Sol and about 40 to the Port of La Libertad: these are references that vary with traffic, time of day, road conditions and the exact destination, not timetables. This guide does not calculate travel times or road routes.

Get your bearings before you set out

Destination map

7 places with their status. Open a pin for details and sources, or use the list.

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Open
Status unconfirmed

Groups: the number in the middle is the total of places; the ring shows their statuses. Open a group to see the breakdown.

The “Open and seasonal” filter covers open (5) and seasonal (0) places. Check dates and conditions on each place.

Map: © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

Three ways to explore

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

3 places
Surf beaches of La Libertad
El Tunco, El Sunzal and El Zonte, on the La Libertad coast. Their details come from MITUR and the press. The sources consulted did not establish an access fee or a safety notice specific to these beaches.
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2 places
ISTU parks in La Paz
Costa del Sol Recreational Park, by the sea, and Ichanmichen, in Zacatecoluca, with ISTU fees and hours (2026).
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2 places
The port and the Tamanique waterfalls
The Mercado del Mar and seafront of the Port of La Libertad, and the Tamanique waterfalls. Both have unconfirmed status: read each card.
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The place, in context

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

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Showing 7 of 7 · 2 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 1

AdventureStatus unconfirmed
Tamanique Waterfalls
Tamanique (La Libertad). The pin marks the largest waterfall in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance or the place to meet the guides.31.6 km from the centre
Entry
Not confirmed
Hours
Not confirmed
Booking
Not confirmed
Four waterfalls downstream of Tamanique, the largest about 40 m high, with pools; the fourth requires a descent with ropes, according to the official tourism portal (2025).
Conditions unconfirmed: the official tourism portal (2025) and the press (April 2026) give local guides at Tamanique's central park, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., for about US$7 per person. The sources consulted do not confirm safety conditions for the walk. In March 2026 the head of Civil Protection warned of accidents from jumping from heights without knowing the depth (Infobae). Check before you go.
Source: El Salvador Travel – Cascadas de Tamanique · 2025 · +2
Practical details and sources
Entry
About US$7 per person with a local guide (official tourism portal, 2025; press, April 2026).
Booking
Local guides at Tamanique's central park (official tourism portal, 2025).
Nearby: El Zonte Beach (9.9 km) · El Sunzal Beach (10.4 km) · El Tunco Beach (10.7 km)
Sources: El Salvador Travel – Cascadas de Tamanique · El Salvador.com – Cascadas de El Salvador (30 abr. 2026) · Infobae – Recomendaciones contra ahogamientos (31 de marzo de 2026)

Sea, beach and reef · 4

BeachOpen
Costa del Sol Recreational Park
Cantón San Antonio de Los Blancos, San Luis La Herradura (La Paz), 65 km from San Salvador (ISTU). The pin marks the park grounds in OpenStreetMap, not its entrance.24.1 km from the centre
Entry
Foreign visitor US$5
Hours
Mon–Sun 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
An ISTU park on Costa del Sol beach, reopened on 31 October 2025 after its renovation, with pools, shelters, cabins, beachfront palapas, restaurants and lifeguard towers (ISTU). This card is the park, not the whole of Costa del Sol beach.
Source: ISTU – Tarifas y horarios de parques (2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
Day pass: nationals US$2.50; foreign visitors US$5; free for children under 7, seniors and people with disabilities. Parking: car US$2; heavy vehicle US$3 (ISTU, 2026). The national rate requires a Salvadoran ID (DUI).
Hours
Monday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ISTU, 2026).
Tip: Lifeguard towers do not guarantee safety: swim where there is supervision and follow the lifeguards' instructions.
Sources: ISTU – Tarifas y horarios de parques (2026) · ISTU – Parque Recreativo Costa del Sol
BeachOpen
El Tunco Beach
Tamanique (La Libertad). The pin marks the beach in OpenStreetMap.24.6 km from the centre
Entry
Not stated
Hours
Not stated
Booking
Not stated
A surf beach in Tamanique, on the La Libertad coast. According to MITUR (2023), Morocco handed over a 120 m ecological boardwalk there; the same publication put visits to El Tunco at more than a million a year. No published access fee was found.
Source: MITUR – Malecón ecológico en playa El Tunco (21 sep. 2023) · 2023 · +2
Practical details and sources
Tip: Civil Protection (12 September 2025) advised not to go deeper than waist height, to swim during daylight and to respect flags and signs. No warning specific to this beach was read, and none of this guarantees safety.
Nearby: El Sunzal Beach (0.6 km) · El Zonte Beach (6.3 km) · Port of La Libertad: Mercado del Mar and seafront (7 km)
Sources: MITUR – Malecón ecológico en playa El Tunco (21 sep. 2023) · Presidencia – Limpieza de la playa El Tunco con la Alcaldía de Tamanique (27 jun. 2021) · Protección Civil – Advertencia por mar de fondo (12 sep. 2025)
BeachOpen
El Sunzal Beach
Tamanique (La Libertad). The pin marks the beach in OpenStreetMap.25.2 km from the centre
Entry
Not stated
Hours
Not stated
Booking
Not stated
A beach next to El Tunco, in Tamanique, which the press (March 2026) describes as popular with surfers, with consistent waves, surf schools and small restaurants.
Source: El Salvador.com – Cuánto cuesta un día de playa (13 mar. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Tip: Civil Protection (12 September 2025) advised not to go deeper than waist height, to swim during daylight and to respect flags and signs. No warning specific to this beach was read, and none of this guarantees safety.
Nearby: El Tunco Beach (0.6 km) · El Zonte Beach (5.6 km) · Port of La Libertad: Mercado del Mar and seafront (7.6 km)
Sources: El Salvador.com – Cuánto cuesta un día de playa (13 mar. 2026) · Protección Civil – Advertencia por mar de fondo (12 sep. 2025)
BeachOpen
El Zonte Beach
Chiltiupán (La Libertad). The pin marks the beach in OpenStreetMap.30.8 km from the centre
Entry
Not stated
Hours
Not stated
Booking
Not stated
A black-sand beach in Chiltiupán, at km 53 of the Litoral highway, with waves of up to 10 feet, several surf breaks, an estuary and caves, according to the press (March 2026).
Source: El Salvador.com – Así es El Zonte (19 mar. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Tip: The press advises watching the sea before going in and keeping away from rock formations in heavy surf. No official warning for this beach was read, and none of this guarantees safety.
Nearby: El Sunzal Beach (5.6 km) · El Tunco Beach (6.3 km) · Tamanique Waterfalls (9.9 km)
Sources: El Salvador.com – Así es El Zonte (19 mar. 2026) · Protección Civil – Advertencia por mar de fondo (12 sep. 2025)

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls · 1

WaterOpen
Ichanmichen Recreational Park
Zacatecoluca (La Paz), 52 km from San Salvador (ISTU).30.8 km from the centre
Entry
Foreign visitor US$3
Hours
Mon–Sun 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
An ISTU park in Zacatecoluca, opened in 1952, with pools, ponds, slides and spring-fed pools (ISTU).
Source: ISTU – Tarifas y horarios de parques (2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
Nationals US$1.50; foreign visitors US$3. Parking: car US$1; heavy vehicle US$2 (ISTU, 2026). The national rate requires a Salvadoran ID (DUI).
Hours
Monday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (ISTU, 2026).
Sources: ISTU – Tarifas y horarios de parques (2026) · ISTU – Parque Recreativo Ichanmichen

City and food · 1

FoodStatus unconfirmed
Port of La Libertad: Mercado del Mar and seafront
Puerto de La Libertad (La Libertad). The pin marks the seafront in OpenStreetMap, not the car-park entrance.17.6 km from the centre
Entry
Not stated
Hours
Last known: Jul 9, 2021
Booking
Not stated
A CORSATUR tourist complex with the Mercado del Mar — fresh seafood stalls, a mooring for fishing boats and restaurants overlooking the pier — and the seafront promenade, whose upgrade is listed among the phase I works of Surf City (MITUR).
Hours and parking unconfirmed: CORSATUR's page (published in June 2021 and updated in July) gave Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Friday to Sunday 7:30 a.m. to midnight, with parking at US$1 (motorbikes, cars and minibuses of up to 18 passengers) or US$2 (minibuses of more than 18 passengers and buses); the seafront was then being rebuilt. Check before you go.
Source: CORSATUR – Complejo Turístico del Puerto de La Libertad (2021) · 2021 · +1
Practical details and sources
Nearby: El Tunco Beach (7 km) · El Sunzal Beach (7.6 km) · El Zonte Beach (13.3 km)
Sources: CORSATUR – Complejo Turístico del Puerto de La Libertad (2021) · MITUR – Surf City

The coast: La Libertad & La Paz · Practical guide

The essentials

The waves of El Tunco, El Sunzal and El Zonte
Seafood at the Mercado del Mar
Costa del Sol Recreational Park
The pools of Ichanmichen

The coast: La Libertad & La Paz · Practical guide

Where to stay

El Tunco and El Sunzal: Next to the two surf beaches of Tamanique.
El Zonte: By the El Zonte river, where the press places hostels, rental houses and restaurants.

The coast: La Libertad & La Paz · Practical guide

Practical tips

At Costa del Sol, ISTU (2026) charges nationals US$2.50 — with a Salvadoran ID (DUI) — and foreign visitors US$5; at Ichanmichen, US$1.50 and US$3.
No published access fee was found for El Tunco, El Sunzal or El Zonte; surf lesson and rental prices are each operator's own.
The Port of La Libertad and the Tamanique waterfalls have unconfirmed status: read their cards.

Safety and precautions

According to the Spanish Government's advisory (updated 2 June 2026), a state of exception is in force in El Salvador. Check its current status before travelling.
In a warning of 12 September 2025, Civil Protection advised not to go deeper than waist height, to swim during daylight and to respect flags and signs; its notice of 9 March 2026 refers to the Environment Ministry’s reports and the lifeguards. These recommendations do not guarantee safety: check current warnings before you go.
Emergencies: 911 (National Civil Police). Fire brigade: 913.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Costa del Sol Recreational Park?

ISTU (2026) charges nationals with a Salvadoran ID US$2.50 and foreign visitors US$5, with parking at US$2 or US$3. Open Monday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. That is the park, not the whole beach.

Do I have to pay to go to El Tunco?

No published access fee was found for the beach. Restaurants, chairs and surf lessons are each business's own services.

Is Surf City a beach?

No. It is the Government's programme of tourism works on the coast (MITUR). The zone declared in 2019 runs from Walter Thilo Deininger Park to El Zonte.

The coast: La Libertad & La Paz · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

Before you go,understand the place.

Themed guides

Surf beaches of La Libertad

ISTU parks in La Paz

The port and the Tamanique waterfalls

Everything you can do

Nature and jungle · 1

Tamanique Waterfalls

Sea, beach and reef · 4

Costa del Sol Recreational Park

El Tunco Beach

El Sunzal Beach

El Zonte Beach

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls · 1

Ichanmichen Recreational Park

City and food · 1

Port of La Libertad: Mercado del Mar and seafront

The essentials

Where to stay

Practical tips

Safety and precautions

Frequently asked questions

Sources consulted

Other destinations

Before you go,
understand the place.