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El Zonte

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Overview

El Zonte is a beach town on the Pacific Ocean in Western El Salvador. It is a popular destination for surfers who regard it as one of the best beaches in Central America. The town is known for accepting Bitcoin and being

Wikivoyage guide · 10 sections

▸Introduction302 chars

▸Understand454 chars

The town's economy is largely based on surfing. Surfers come from North America, Europe, and Brazil to ride the waves and to take surfing lessons, which are available for as little as US$10. The town is smaller than neighboring beach towns like La Libertad or El Tunco, but it has everything a surfer needs along with lower prices and no crowds. El Zonte is known for its black sand beaches and spectacular evening sunsets (the town's idea of nightlife).

▸By plane209 chars

The nearest airport with international connections is the San Salvador International Airport (SAL IATA). San Salvador is 40 km north of El Zonte. An airport taxi is the most convenient way to get to the beach.

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Facts

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage

Media

From Wikipedia394 words

Introduction

Town in La Libertad Department, El Salvador Town in La Libertad, El SalvadorEl ZonteTownEl ZonteLocation in El SalvadorCoordinates: 13°29′42″N 89°26′24″W / 13.495°N 89.440°W / 13.495; -89.440Country El SalvadorDepartmentLa Libertad • Mayor(ARENA)Population • Urban3,000 El Zonte is a town in La Libertad Department in El Salvador. A popular tourist destination, El Zonte has been described as a "world surfing mecca". Playa El Zonte (English: El Zonte Beach; nicknamed Bitcoin Beach) became one of the first locales in El Salvador to accept bitcoin as a payment method, and inspired the country's adoption of bitcoin as a legal tender.

Town profile

[edit] El Zonte is a town with a population of 3,000. According to Reuters in 2021, "El Zonte is visibly poor, with dirt roads and a faulty drainage system.". El Zonte is located 26 mi (42 km) from San Salvador, the national capital. In Summer 2023, the roads in El Zonte were updated from dirt to brick, as well as an improved drainage system. The local economy is heavily dependent on tourism, particularly surfing. According to France 24, El Zonte attracts tourists from United States, Canada, Europe, and Brazil looking to surf, with surfing classes costing between $10 and $50 an hour. In El Zonte, a foreign volunteer-run program called the "Medusas" provide English and art education as well as low-cost surfing instruction. Skateboarding is a popular activity among young residents of El Zonte, and a local community skatepark was established in the town.

More in sights0

▸Eat1,241 chars

1 Covana, Puro Surf, km 52.5 Carretera del Litoral. Playa El Zonte, ☏ +503 6055 6081. Spectacular scenery from an open-air palapa-style dining area with modern furnishings and contemporary Salvadoran cuisine. Large breakafasts with fresh squeezed juices. Big drinks. Friendly service. (updated Sep 2024)

2 Canegua Cafe. Th-Su 08:30-13:00, closed M-W. Small cafe with a beautiful dining area and creative breakfasts made with locally sourced ingredients. Espresso and coffee drinks can be laced with a homemade plant-based milk substitute. Organic and vegan options available. US$15. (updated Sep 2024)

3 Nan Tal, ☏ +503 7260 0002. Daily 07:00-21:00. Popular fusion restaurant with hearty breakfasts and elegant dinners with spectacular ocean views from the open air dining room. Many of the dishes have indigenous (particularly Nahua) origins. Fresh squeezed juices and baked goods in the morning. The frutti del mar is recommended for dinner. US$20. (updated Sep 2024)

4 Olor de Mar Pacifico, ☏ +503 7532 7665. M-F 11:30-20:00, Sa Su 07:30-20:00. Popular seafood restaurant with open-air dining room. Large drinks made with fresh squeezed juices at very reasonable prices. Lobster is excellent as is the sopa de mariscos. (updated Sep 2024)

▸Sleep1,139 chars

1 Olas Permanentes, ☏ +503 2103 3145. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Popular surfer hotel about 100 meters to beach. On-site restaurant. Rooms have good air conditioning. US$45. (updated Sep 2024)

2 Garten Hotel, Km 53 Avenida del Mar, ☏ +503 6312 0143. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 11:00. Expensive upscale hotel with rooms in a main hotel building and a series of standalone villas. On-site infinity swimming pool. Yoga sessions Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On-site restaurant. US$250. (updated Sep 2024)

3 Esencia Nativa, ☏ +503 2300 9094. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Excellent surfers hotel with clean, but somewhat basic rooms that are pleasant and have balconies with hammocks. On-site restaurant and bar in a beach palapa. Swimming pool on-site. 50-meter walk to the beach. US$60. (updated Sep 2024)

4 Hotel Michanti, Chiltiuapan, ☏ +503 7087 0342. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Comfortable hotel with friendly service. Rooms are spacious and clean. On-site swimming pool. Free yoga Monday and Wednesday mornings. On-site restaurant and bar. Garden area with hammocks under the shade trees. US$50. (updated Sep 2024)

History

[edit] When an anonymous American began sending bitcoin to nonprofits there, nonprofit workers began an initiative to start a local bitcoin ecosystem. The beach became one of the first places in El Salvador to accept bitcoin as a method of payment: President Nayib Bukele cited the town as an inspiration for the Bitcoin Law recognizing the cryptocurrency as one of El Salvador's two official currencies, alongside the U.S. dollar. In early 2025, under pressure from the IMF, El Salvador functionally reversed this policy. Between 2015 and 2024, the average price per square meter in El Zonte rose by 134.8%, from $34.33 to $80.61 following the Bitcoin Law, and by 2025, some luxury developments are reaching prices of up to $1,058.57 per square meter.