Our El Salvador trip recap ~ November 2025
We spent two weeks in El Salvador not doing much at all, in the best possible way. Eating, reading, speaking Spanish, drinking coffee and of course surfing.
It was really special catching up with friends from El Salvador that I met three years ago when I attended the Boards and Art show. It was also nice getting an insight into my partner’s life there, as he lived in El Salvador for eight months a few years ago volunteering as a teacher at a local school, Escuela Libre.
We stayed in El Zonte, was full of charm and chill. Unlike Sayulita in Mexico, where I lived for six years and absolutely adored, El Zonte has more sleepy town vibes. It felt slower, quieter and honestly was exactly what we needed.
Surfers: Stanley Perez, Melvin Ayala and Clayton Schisler
Cafes & Food Spots
We ate at some delicious cafes, some local spots and others owned by friends of my partner who have called El Zonte home for more than ten years.
My Salvadorian friend Armando, who I met in 2022, is a very talented artist and designer and has his own cafe filled with his artwork in El Tunco. The vibes are great and the coffee is even better.
Another very talented Salvadorian friend, Andrea, who is also an artist and designer, has two stores in El Tunco and El Zonte. Her spaces are decked out with her work alongside surf and skate goods. Both Andrea and Armando have very iconic styles, and you have probably seen their work as part of WSL and Surf City.
This is probably Griffin’s favourite place in El Salvador. When he lived there a few years ago, he ate here every night except Wednesdays when they were closed. The best part was that they even remembered his name when we returned three and a half years later.
The food here was next level. Ollie, the chef, is very passionate about breakfast food and it shows. The menu is simple, every day there are two options, one salty and one sweet, and it was always such a treat eating there.
Another amazing cafe with beautiful garden outdoor seating. They have delicious treats, really good coffee and often host events.
The really cool and random thing about Cafe Cocoa was that the owner, Griffin’s friend Adam, had a few copies of The Surfer’s Journal. He just happened to have the issue where my images were published. Such a cool coincidence.
Our Breakfast Spots
We ate here most mornings. It’s owned by a local family and it’s a great place to get a decent local breakfast while watching the waves roll in. You definitely won’t be disappointed starting your morning here.
Restaurante Vista del Mar, El Zonte
And when we weren’t eating at El Teco, we were usually here. Another great place to get breakfast right on the beachfront.
Hijas Del Mar
Hijas Del Mar, is an amazing local NGO that works with local girls to empower them through surfing and skating, helping build self-confidence, resilience and life skills. After living in Mexico for six years, I’d always had a sense that surfing wasn’t as accessible to women as it was to men, but it was really through conversations with my Mexican female friends that this became clearer. They shared how, across many parts of Mexico and Latin America, women are often not encouraged to get in the water or pursue surfing in the same way men are, with more traditional roles still shaping expectations. Hearing their perspectives really highlighted how important initiatives like this are. Seeing an organisation like Hijas Del Mar creating space and opportunity for young girls to surf, skate and build confidence feels incredibly powerful. Access to equipment is often one of the biggest challenges in places like this, which is surprising considering El Salvador has become such a booming surf tourism destination.