🌊 El Zonte: Where Bitcoin Met the Ocean
El Zonte, also known as Bitcoin Beach, is a small fishing and surfing village located on El Salvador's Pacific coast. In 2019, this place became the world's laboratory for Bitcoin adoption, well before the country officially adopted it as legal tender in 2021.
⚡ The Birth of Bitcoin Beach
In 2019, an anonymous donor sent a significant amount of Bitcoin to a group of local volunteers with a simple mission: help the El Zonte community escape poverty using Bitcoin as a tool for financial inclusion.
How It Started:
- Bitcoin distribution to local families
- Training merchants on crypto payments
- Creating a circular Bitcoin economy
- Educational programs in schools
Results Today:
- 90% of businesses accept Bitcoin
- Thousands of Lightning transactions per month
- Inspiring model for the rest of El Salvador
- International community of Bitcoiners
💰 Living with Bitcoin in El Zonte
In El Zonte, Bitcoin isn't an abstract concept—it's the currency of daily life.
🏪 Businesses and Services:
- Local grocery stores
- Restaurants and pupuserías
- Bars and cafés with ocean-view terraces
- Surf schools
- Accommodations (hostels, boutique hotels)
- Hair salons, mechanics
- Nearby gas stations
💳 How to Pay with Bitcoin:
Most transactions are done via the Lightning Network for instant, fee-free payments.
Recommended Apps:
- Wallet of Satoshi (the simplest)
- Phoenix Wallet
- Muun Wallet
- Chivo Wallet (official Salvadoran)
Example Prices in Sats:
- Pupusa: ~2,000 sats ($0.50)
- Coffee: ~4,000 sats ($1)
- Beer: ~8,000 sats ($2)
- Surf lesson (2h): ~100,000 sats ($25)
🏄 El Zonte: A Legendary Surf Spot
Before being known for Bitcoin, El Zonte was already famous for its world-class waves.
🌊 The Waves:
- Point break: Long and powerful wave
- Perfect lefts: Ideal for longboarding
- Consistent year-round: March to October = peak season
- All levels: From beginner to expert
🏄♂️ Surf Schools:
- Lessons: $25-40 (payable in Bitcoin)
- Board rental: $10-15/day
- Private lessons: $50-60/2h
- Group lessons: $25-30/2h
- Weekly packages: $150-200
Best Times to Surf:
- Tides: Mid-rising tide
- Season: April to October (south swell)
- Hours: Early morning (6-9am) or late afternoon (4-6pm)
👥 The Bitcoin Community
El Zonte attracts a unique international community of Bitcoiners, developers, entrepreneurs, and digital nomads.
🎓 Regular Events:
Bitcoin Meetups:
- Every Wednesday evening
- Technical and philosophical discussions
- Networking among developers
- Free and open to all
Lightning Hackathons:
- Several times a year
- Bitcoin application development
- Bitcoin prizes for winners
Adopting Bitcoin Conference:
- Annual event (November)
- International speakers
- 500+ participants
- Technical workshops
"Surfing for Sats" Competitions:
- Prizes paid in Bitcoin
- Festive atmosphere
- Open to locals and tourists
🏨 Where to Stay in El Zonte
💎 Bitcoin-Friendly Accommodations (all accept BTC):
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mid/High-End ($60-150/night):
- Boutique hotels with ocean views
- Infinity pools
- On-site restaurants
- High-speed WiFi
- Modern design atmosphere
- Coworking spaces
⭐⭐⭐ Mid-Range ($30-60/night):
- Simple and clean rooms
- Ocean or garden views
- Breakfast included
- Common terraces
- Shared kitchen
⭐⭐ Budget ($15-30/night):
- Backpacker dorms
- Basic private rooms
- Common kitchen
- Surf/chill atmosphere
- Perfect for digital nomads
💡 Tip: Many accommodations offer discounts if you pay in Bitcoin (5-10% generally).
🍽️ Restaurants and Bars
🌮 Local Cuisine:
- Traditional pupuserías ($0.50-1 per pupusa)
- Fresh grilled catch of the day ($8-15)
- Fish ceviche ($6-10)
- Yuca frita con chicharrón ($5-8)
- Tamales and pastelitos ($1-2 each)
🍕 International Cuisine:
- Artisan pizzas ($8-15)
- Gourmet burgers ($7-12)
- Smoothie bowls and açaí ($5-8)
- Vegan/vegetarian cuisine
- Salvadoran-Californian fusion dishes
🍺 Bars and Atmosphere:
- Beach bars with feet in the sand
- Tropical cocktails ($5-8)
- Local beers ($2-3)
- Live music some nights
- Spectacular sunsets
All Bitcoin Lightning payments accepted!
🌴 Atmosphere and Lifestyle
El Zonte has a unique vibe that you won't find anywhere else.
🏖️ The Atmosphere:
- Quieter and more laid-back than El Tunco (its neighbor)
- Perfect for remote work
- Welcoming and open community
- Mix of locals, surfers, and tech entrepreneurs
- No mass tourism
- Preserved authenticity
💻 For Digital Nomads:
- Reliable WiFi in most cafés and hotels (20-50 Mbps)
- Informal coworking spaces
- Active community of remote workers
- Affordable cost of living
- Ideal climate year-round
🌅 Typical Routine in El Zonte:
- 6am: Morning surf session
- 9am: Breakfast with ocean view
- 10am-2pm: Remote work / coworking
- 2pm: Lunch and siesta
- 4pm: Second surf session or beach walk
- 6pm: Bitcoin meetup or sunset drinks
- 8pm: Dinner and chill evening
🛍️ Shopping and Bitcoin ATMs
🏧 Bitcoin ATMs:
- Several ATMs in the village
- Buy/sell Bitcoin for cash
- Fees: Generally 5-10%
- Convenient for new arrivals
🛒 Bitcoin Souvenir Shops:
- "Bitcoin Beach" T-shirts
- Stickers and posters
- Hardware wallets
- Bitcoin books (English/Spanish)
- Crypto-inspired local art
🚗 How to Get to El Zonte
From San Salvador (1h):
- By car: Well-maintained coastal road, GPS recommended
- By bus: Line 102 from terminal occidente ($1.50, 1h30)
- By Uber/taxi: $40-60 from the airport
From El Tunco (10 min):
- Walking on the beach at low tide (30 min)
- By car/motorcycle (5 min)
- By local tuk-tuk ($3-5)
💡 Practical Tips
📱 Internet and Connectivity:
- Decent 4G coverage
- WiFi in all tourist businesses
- Local SIM cards ($10-20/month)
- Sometimes weak signal on the beach
💵 Money:
- Have cash (dollars) as backup
- Not all businesses accept BTC yet
- Bitcoin ATMs available
- Some places offer BTC discounts
🏥 Health and Safety:
- Very safe village
- Pharmacy in the village
- Hospital 20 min away (Santa Tecla)
- Watch out for sun (sunscreen!)
- Tap water: bottled recommended
🎒 What to Bring:
- Laptop for remote work
- Hardware wallet if you have BTC
- Organic sunscreen (reef protection)
- Mosquito repellent
- Power adapter (US outlets)
🌟 Why Visit Bitcoin Beach
✅ Unique experience in the world: Only place where Bitcoin is truly daily cash
✅ Inspiring community: Meet Bitcoiners from around the world
✅ Quality surf: Consistent waves with few crowds
✅ Low cost of living: Perfect for extended stays
✅ Chill atmosphere: Far from mass tourism
✅ Learn Bitcoin: The best place to get started
🎯 Final Word
El Zonte / Bitcoin Beach isn't just a village with waves. It's the birthplace of a silent economic revolution that inspired an entire country to adopt Bitcoin.
Whether you're a convinced Bitcoiner, passionate surfer, digital nomad, or simply curious, El Zonte offers a unique experience where technology meets authenticity, where satoshis buy pupusas, and where the future of money is lived in the present.
Come with dollars, leave understanding why Bitcoin changes lives. 🌊₿