Playa El Cuco

El Cuco is the beach for the east of the country, a wide sand strand backed by palms with a fishing village at one end where boats are drawn up and the catch is landed and sold, and a spread of hotels, hostels and beach houses along the shore in both directions. It is busier and more developed than the Usulutan beaches to the west and quieter than the surf coast west of the capital. Nearby beaches, Las Flores, Esteron and Punta Mango, hold the surf breaks that draw international visitors, so El Cuco has become the base for reaching them. Holy Week fills the whole coast. Turtles nest along this shore and hatcheries operate seasonally.

What you actually see

• The beach - the long sand strand with palms behind.
• The fishing village - the boats and the landing at one end.
• The hotel strip - the accommodation along the shore.
• Turtle hatcheries - the seasonal community nurseries.

When to go

November to April in the dry season; surf on the nearby breaks is best from March to October, which overlaps with the rains. Holy Week is the peak and fills everything. Weekdays are quiet.

Honest expectations

Rip currents are strong and there are no lifeguards. Development along the shore is uneven and some stretches are run down. Holy Week crowding is extreme. The surf breaks are at neighbouring beaches, not at El Cuco itself.

Nearby

Playa Las Flores is adjacent; San Miguel lies north.