Is San Salvador safe for solo female travelers?

San Salvador offers rich culture and interesting sights, but it also presents considerable safety challenges. Like many cities, it has safer and riskier districts and experiences a degree of gang-related crime. It's essential to be aware of your surroundings, avoid isolated areas, especially at night. Do your research and be sure to steer clear of neighborhoods identified as particularly risky. Traveling with caution and a local guide, if possible, can enhance your safety.

Safety rating

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How safe is San Salvador for solo female travelers?

How safe is San Salvador for women?

Local safety index

3 /5

Based on 3 local experiences

Local crime index

1.3 /5

Based on 3 local experiences

Maggie

Maggie

El Salvador is considered very safe now and I can agree there has been a lot of positive changes, nonetheless this a city built for cars so walking around feels lonely and not lively at all, you won’t find many people walking next to you at night so it can be nerve wrecking. Nonetheless, if you stay in the nicer areas I can assure you are safe, kidnappings are unheard of here and murders as well, but as a woman I am still cautious of men nonetheless.

Posted: March 23, 2025
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We are in a current state of exception which has moderate the violence. It used to be a really dangerous place but now is very secure for travelers. Since our country is very small you can easily move from place to place and the people here are very welcoming

Posted: December 25, 2024
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El Salvador’ safety rates have dramatically changed for better. It is a safer place than it was 3 or 5 years ago. You still need to be smart and careful because there are danger risks in every country. Overall, it’s a safe place to travel. Locals are the kindest people I’ve ever met from all the countries I’ve traveled.

Posted: September 4, 2024
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Safety in El Salvador

Expats in San Salvador

Maureen

Maureen

San Salvador

About me

I’m Maureen, I work as UI/UX designer. In my free time I really enjoy walking around the city, discovering peaceful places, and observing the everyday rhythm of people. I’m inspired by architecture, scents, colors, well-designed spaces, and everything that sparks my creativity. I also like reading short books, listening to music while I work or cook, meeting new people (I’m very friendly and empathetic), and having meaningful conversations. I prefer quiet plans over parties and enjoy being in spaces where I can take a pause and reflect. Sometimes I write down ideas, get inspired by the things I see, or explore visual references to feed my creativity. I consider myself a visionary person, currently planning a personal project. I’m also learning English. I’m at an A2 level and eager to improve, and I’ve started learning Italian too

Speaking

Kyra

Kyra

San Salvador

About me

Heeey! My name is Kyra, I’m 22 years old and I’m from El Salvador. I really love traveling, so far I’ve been to Turkiye, Spain and Ireland and plan to go back soon as well as travel to Brazil or Colombia next year. I would love to meet people to hangout with or even share accommodation. I also enjoy playing video games and taking photos:)

Speaking