Living in Surf City: El Tunco, El Zonte and the La Libertad beaches
Surf City is the name for the La Libertad beach strip, from the Port of La Libertad and Punta Roca past El Tunco and El Sunzal to El Zonte, about 45 minutes from San Salvador. Here's what living in Surf City is like, what's being built, and the houses and land for sale in Surf City, El Salvador today.
| Where | The La Libertad coast along the Litoral highway: El Tunco around km 43, El Sunzal near km 44.5, El Zonte at km 53 |
|---|---|
| Municipality | La Libertad Costa: Punta Roca in the La Libertad (port) district, El Tunco and El Sunzal in Tamanique, El Zonte in Chiltiupán |
| To San Salvador | About 45 minutes; the port is under an hour, and a bus costs $0.75 to $1.50 |
| To the airport | About 40 minutes from the airport to the Port of La Libertad |
| Surf season | Biggest swells May to October; smaller, beginner-friendly waves November to mid-April |
| Visitors | 2.1 million of the country's 4.1 million international visitors in 2025, by the tourism ministry's count |
Places in Surf City
El Tunco
El Tunco is the busiest beach in Surf City, at km 43 of the coastal highway, 7 km west of the Port of La Libertad, with surf, hostels, restaurants and nightlife.
El Zonte
El Zonte is a small surf village of about 3,000 people at km 53 of the coastal highway, the place where Bitcoin Beach began.
Living in Surf City
El Tunco is the busy hub
El Tunco, 7 km west of the port, has everything from hostels to upscale stays, small shops and pharmacies, surf shops, rentals, bars and dance clubs. It was a sleepy village in the 1970s and 80s and is now a favorite of the Salvadoran diaspora.
El Zonte, the quieter village
Farther west at km 53, El Zonte is a small surf village of about 3,000 people where Bitcoin Beach began. It has its own guide.
Groceries and health care
A Súper Selectos opened in 2024 at El Encuentro, about 500 m from the Surf City roundabout. The department's 24-hour public hospital is the Hospital Nacional San Rafael in Santa Tecla.
What's being built
In November 2025 the Assembly approved $135 million in loans for Surf City: wider roads, new bridges over the Huiza, El Palmar and El Zonte rivers, and sewer upgrades near beaches with pollution problems. Widening the Litoral between El Obispo and El Zonte is contracted.
Short on places to stay, high prices
The tourism minister says the strip is short of lodging, which is drawing construction. In January 2025, coastal listings included apartments from about $300,000 and a five-bedroom house at El Sunzal for $850,000; twelve beach listings averaged about $1,056/m² (asking prices).
Is it right for you?
Surfer
Good fitPunta Roca has hosted the World Surf League's Championship Tour since 2022, and the strip has breaks for every level.
Vacation-rental investor
Good fitThe government reports 2.1 million visitors in 2025 and a lodging shortage; entry prices are already high.
Remote worker
DependsClose to the capital and the airport, with full services in El Tunco; check internet at the exact address.
Retiree
DependsThere's a supermarket at the roundabout, but the 24-hour public hospital is in Santa Tecla.
Family with kids
DependsBeginner waves and family events, but El Tunco is a nightlife spot.
Commuter to San Salvador
DependsAbout 45 minutes with cheap buses, on a road that's still being widened.
Fun facts
- 1
El Tunco ("the pig") is named after a big rock just off the beach that once looked like a pig.
- 2
Surfing in El Salvador quite possibly started at El Sunzal, when American surfers showed up in the late 1960s.
- 3
La Bocana, at El Tunco, is a left-breaking wave on a coast of rights.
- 4
Punta Roca also goes by La Punta and Punta Chilama; before 2022 it had only hosted qualifying events.
- 5
428 young surfers from 56 countries competed at La Bocana and El Sunzal in the 2026 World Junior Surfing Championship.
- 6
On March 14, 1934, about six tonnes of dynamite blew up at the Port of La Libertad, destroying the customs house.
Frequently asked questions
What beaches are in Surf City?
El Zonte, Punta Roca, San Blas, El Tunco and the Port of La Libertad, with El Sunzal next to El Tunco.
How far is Surf City from the airport?
About 40 minutes from the airport to the Port of La Libertad, according to the airport authority.
How much do homes cost in Surf City?
In January 2025, coastal listings included apartments from about $300,000 and houses up to $850,000; twelve beach listings averaged about $1,056/m². These are asking prices.
When is the best surf season?
May to October for big waves, and November to mid-April for beginners.
What's being built in Surf City?
With $135 million in loans: a wider Litoral, new bridges over the Huiza, El Palmar and El Zonte rivers, and sewer and wastewater treatment.
More about La Libertad
Surf City is part of La Libertad department. See what the rest of the department is like, who it suits and its fun facts.
Sources
Facts checked 2026-10-25.
- 1. El Salvador Travel (MITUR): Surf City
- 2. El Salvador Travel (MITUR): El Tunco
- 3. El Salvador Travel (MITUR): El Zonte
- 4. Jurisprudencia.gob.sv: Decreto Legislativo 762
- 5. Transparencia: Hospital Nacional San Rafael
- 6. World Surf League: First Surf City El Salvador Pro
- 7. Diario El Mundo: Surf City 1 recibió más de 2 millones de visitantes (2025)
- 8. El Diario de Hoy: Surf City a 45 minutos
- 9. El Diario de Hoy: Del puerto a San Salvador en bus
- 10. El Diario de Hoy: Del aeropuerto al Puerto de La Libertad
- 11. El Diario de Hoy: Temporada de surf
- 12. El Diario de Hoy: Nuevo Súper Selectos en Surf City (2024)
- 13. El Diario de Hoy: Asamblea aprueba préstamos para Surf City (noviembre 2025)
- 14. El Diario de Hoy: Ampliación del Litoral entre El Obispo y El Zonte
- 15. El Faro: Bitcoiners, the new owners of El Zonte (January 2025)
- 16. El Diario de Hoy: Mundial Junior de Surf en La Libertad (2026)
- 17. El Diario de Hoy: Cuando explotó el Puerto de La Libertad