I've lived in Playa San Diego for a couple of years when I first moved to El Salvador and it's a wonderful community. That said, what I'm about to tell you is second hand information from people I know who still live there. The properties near La Bocana are fairly safe and see very few problems. The properties mostly to the right of the main entrance to SD and some that are on the left close to the entrance almost all have had serious incidents of crime and theft. Never have I heard of anyone being physically harmed, but people have been threatened, things and animals have been stolen, and some are too frightened to even leave their properties alone for fear of having them broken into. Near La Bocana, I have heard of much less of these types of problems, but I would be weary of buying around the entrance to SD...

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Over the past 2 years I have traveled all over El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica. I now live in Apancoya El Salvador on the beach in Barra Salada. Of all the places I have been Playa San Diego is the only place where I had items stolen. I looked at property there, but in relation to other areas it is overpriced. I would not recommend it.

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Thank you for the insight and advise
about Playa San Diego. We where also looking into a property in San Alfredo Playa Cangrejera which is south of Playa San Diego would appreciate any advise about that area as well.
Thank you for this great information sense we are planing on buying instead of renting it will help us in making an informed decision.

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My significant other is from Cangrejera. He says that the area is not that great either. We looked at property there too. It is a nice beach, but I have not been there since the tides of this past May. No beach in the country was unaffected by that weather. Here, we lost 20 feet of beach. Many properties were damaged so be sure to get very recent pics of the houses you are considering. If you are going to buy property here you will need an attorney. My attorney was nice enough to come with me and my boyfriend to inspect the area and to go an chat with the local police about gang activity etc. The farther you go up the coast towards Guatemala, the more peaceful and rural it becomes and the unsavory activity diminishes. I scouted properties all way from Usulatan to the Guatemalen border before settling here. I do not know how much you have visited here, but I would recommend scouting many areas before deciding.

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Thank you so much for all the information you have given us we greatly appreciate it. The information we get back from people who actually live in these areas is much more reliable than trying to research it ourself. We will be going to El Salvador in December and will look into properties on the other side of La Libertad. Again thank you so much and if anyone else has any more advise it will be appreciated.

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I would be happy to help anyway I can. This is a lovely country and a great place to retire. I will be back in the states in Dec but am back on the 28th. Let me know if I can be of more assistance. My boyfriend is bilingual and a great help in navigating the country.

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Hi. After a 3 year search I'm now a new member of the playa San Diego community, with no regrets. Beside the beautiful beach this area has a lot to offer, its 30 minutes from the airport and 5 minutes to town all its amenities. I spent a lot of time travelling up and down the coast and looked at several dozen properties. This is my view only, and hope you find it helpful in your journey. I also looked at the properties that are for sale in playa cangrejera, that area is clearly MARKED and a long way from the main road. If you decide to buy there, keep in mind you will have a hard time selling. When you start going past La Libertad the landscape starts to change. The shore line becomes rockier with cliffs and smaller scattered beaches. The beaches start to stretch out again when you reach an area called playa dorada, this area is beautiful with an amazing sunrise and sunset from the same beach, but the beach here is short and drops fast into the water. If your coming from the airport expect a 2 1/2 hour drive on winding mountain road. Town is 45 minutes with all amenities including a hospital. You could keep going to acajutla area, the beach there is similar to playa San Diego, but that’s where the main port is and there is heavy traffic, not only on the roads but also in the water. To finish I found Costa del sol to be the nicest beach I visited in El Salvador, plan to spend some time here before you decide, the prices are a little higher than the other beaches but you will see why.
Hope this was helpful.

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I appreciate your offer to answer very much. My questions is not about safety on the beach,but I did not find qualified answers to the topic I want to ask for.
I am German, live since 12 years in Belize and built / run a small successfully resort for individual tourists including tours through Belize, Mexico, Guatemala. Mentioning this is not about telling how good I am ... but not being a greenhorn regarding Central America.
Now I try to hit the points.
I would like to by a hotel in Libertad and move to El Salvador.
My question: What permits do I need to run a place in El Salvador? Visa? Work permit? How do I get this?
Thanks for your advice.
Peter

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I have lived in the planada San Diego a block inland from the beach since Nov 2015, know people living along the beach from the Bocana to the entrance. I have never had a problem and never heard of anything other than petty theft on the beach.

The location 5 minutes from La Libertad with bus service every 1/2 hr for 23 cents, 1/2 hr from the airport, 40 minutes from the Multi-Plaza, 1 hr from Centro San Salvador makes it ideal for me.

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busman772 - thank you very much for your reply. It helps me a bit because all I got from somewhere else are warnings and more warnings.
Thanks again.

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You can purchase and run a place in El Salvador on a tourist visa as long as you hire Salvadorans...you can then apply for Business Residency, Getting Residency of any kind is a long drawn out process in El Salvador, easier if you have Guatemalan residency. A friend of mine, an Ex Pat, Salvadoran wife but no residency owns and operates a Hotel and Hostel in San Salvador and would be glad to assist you with advices - Malcolm - Hostal Cumbres del Volcan - E mail info@cumbresdelvolcan.com We also have a good friend from Romania who owns and operates a Beach Resort West of La Libertad. He -Marius - returns in March - as Well Robert "El Gringo" Salvadoran/American owns a Hostel, Restaurant, Bar and Tour Opreration in Suchitoto, El Salvador and is very helpful Contact Robert via his website www.theotherelsalvador.com The El Salvador "Ex Pat" Group on Facebook is probably the most supportive and least abrasive Ex Pat Group in Central America. Closed Group apply to join. Gluck haben.

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pato23:
thank your very much, this was really helpful. I have the Permanent Residence for Belize.
Peter

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Just beware the expat group on Fascistbook is populated by a bunch of Salvadorian expats living in the US who know diddly squat about the current conditions in El Salvador, religious/NGO workers and embassy personnel so you're getting varying information that may be correct or not.

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