Is El Salvador Safe?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:El Salvador is supposed to be safer these days though with the recent current events - I would go there. We went to Guatemala over the winter for a week with kids. Had no issues - lovely country. Though I thought it was telling that everyone we met when they heard we would be wrapping up our trip in Antigua told us that we could let our kids roam free as it was very safe there. Does that mean the rest isn't?

Been to Belize and Costa Rica before with no issues.

I personally wouldn't do Honduras but would consider Panama and Nicaragua.

PP here - would not go to El Salvador due to their slightly insane president!

So El Salvador’s murder rate has fallen from 107 to 1.9 per 100,000 in 10 years and people are saying the president is insane or awful? Sure I wouldn’t want to live there but I wonder what bubble some people are living in.

PP again - yes - using questionable methods - the president has made El Salvador much, much safer for all the people who live there. However, many dictators do that originally. My students who are from there have the same mixed reaction. But, as an American I would not go there as I would not feel safe that my rights would be protected. Same reason I get nervous in China - physically safe but if anything went awry could I be sure I would get home. Do I worry enough not to go if I have a good reason? No. But, do I chose other options if possible? Yes.

I got news OP - US is scariest place for foreigners currently! Having been to China, let me just say that they could care less about you. They do not waste their brain cells at all on you. Americans are brainwashed into thinking China is a big bad enemy. The truth is, they are a successful civilization with years of experience over US and while they don’t do things we approve of, they are busy living their best life. Their government isn’t one we approve of but their way of life is so different from ours they could care less about us!

Most countries feel this way. Very few countries want to get caught up in drama like Trump does.

China has been a country since 1949. And no, they only became successful when they adopted capitalism in the late 1980s and we decided to bring them into the WTO.

Oh puhlease. China has been around for thousands of years and spent a few decades as Communist. Agree with their political ideology or not, it’s hard to argue they haven’t been ‘successful’. I would suggest you get out of your bubble and see the world, but here you are in the travel forum so maybe travel doesn’t broaden people’s thinking as much as they say.

China is a land mass where various leaders and regimes have ruled over thousands of years, including centuries that were dominated by warlords. It is not a single country that has lasted that long. Since I teach history and political science, I'm comfortable with my assessment. The vast majority of the population were peasants until the last few decades, so don't lecture me about their success.

So show me which countries in their current form which have been around for thousands of years and weren’t ruled by warlords or divided between tribes for centuries. Japan, Italy, Australia, the US? It’s not like the US didn’t rely on inventions and technology invented in other countries to achieve invade and achieve success (gunpowder, cotton ginning machines, rail, printing press, etc)? The fact China lifted its people out of mass poverty and is challenging US dominance in a matter of decades is pretty incredible. Brutal methods though. Do I want to live there ? Hell, no.

[Anonymous]

DH goes there for work a lot. I wouldn’t go there without the marginal additional protections afforded by being there for an employer. He does enjoy the people he meets there and has had great food.

He works with call centers that work with American companies. A lot of them are staffed by people who were deported from the U.S. and are completely fluent, regular people from places like Long Island who were undocumented and came to the U.S. as babies pre-daca, or who were undocumented and deported for criminal activity (which some of the employees were upfront about- he didn’t ask or assume). He said it was strange to walk into a call center with people switching depending on the call from Central American Spanish to English with a Long Island accent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s Level 1 but is it really safe?

Can we travel as a couple on our own or should I go with a tour group?

I’m looking for a cheap, safe trip. What other Central American countries would you recommend?

Why on earth would you go to El Salvador? You must endorse how Dump is selling legal US residents into slavery at CECOT with US citizens up next. Go somewhere not run by a fascist dictator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Sorry, meant to say the second option.

Speaks volumes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH goes there for work a lot. I wouldn’t go there without the marginal additional protections afforded by being there for an employer. He does enjoy the people he meets there and has had great food.

He works with call centers that work with American companies. A lot of them are staffed by people who were deported from the U.S. and are completely fluent, regular people from places like Long Island who were undocumented and came to the U.S. as babies pre-daca, or who were undocumented and deported for criminal activity (which some of the employees were upfront about- he didn’t ask or assume). He said it was strange to walk into a call center with people switching depending on the call from Central American Spanish to English with a Long Island accent.

Yeah, I lived in Nicaragua and you'd run into deported gang members. I have to admit, I felt a little sorry for them. They made bad choices, but driving a cab in Nicaragua when you grew up in New Jersey is kind of rough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH goes there for work a lot. I wouldn’t go there without the marginal additional protections afforded by being there for an employer. He does enjoy the people he meets there and has had great food.

He works with call centers that work with American companies. A lot of them are staffed by people who were deported from the U.S. and are completely fluent, regular people from places like Long Island who were undocumented and came to the U.S. as babies pre-daca, or who were undocumented and deported for criminal activity (which some of the employees were upfront about- he didn’t ask or assume). He said it was strange to walk into a call center with people switching depending on the call from Central American Spanish to English with a Long Island accent.

Yeah, I lived in Nicaragua and you'd run into deported gang members. I have to admit, I felt a little sorry for them. They made bad choices, but driving a cab in Nicaragua when you grew up in New Jersey is kind of rough.

I’ve always wondered if those folks who are deported are well situated in the employment market since they speak good English and had the benefit of an American education. Although maybe the gang members didn’t really take advantage of the educational system.

[Anonymous]

Considering that the US govt may just send you back there for whatever reason at this poy, I would not go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s Level 1 but is it really safe?

Can we travel as a couple on our own or should I go with a tour group?

I’m looking for a cheap, safe trip. What other Central American countries would you recommend?

How about Cocoa Beach, Florida, or Titusville? Maybe the hotel and food would cost a little more, but flights to Melbourne are cheap.

[Anonymous]

I just got back from there and did a really fun yoga retreat and had a wonderful time. There’s a direct flight from Dulles that is ridiculously cheap and the people and food are wonderful. I work for the government and have a very strong understanding of what’s going on politically and I will tell you I had a wonderful vacation with people eager to welcome me. It reminded me of Costa Rica, but a little less vanilla. For what it’s worth I was a woman traveling alone and this is what I chose to do for my annual vacation away from my family, and I would recommend it to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I love El Salvador. It’s a hidden jem, especially if you wanna try surfing. Try checking out Mizata resort

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s Level 1 but is it really safe?

Can we travel as a couple on our own or should I go with a tour group?

I’m looking for a cheap, safe trip. What other Central American countries would you recommend?

Why on earth you financially contribute to a fascist who is teaming with Donald Trump to export fascism around the world?