This Hidden Central American Surf Town Is Known as 'Bitcoin Beach'-Here's How to Visit

"The celebrity clientele says a lot about how far this once-sleepy village has come. El Zonte first attracted local and international surfers in the 1990s, drawn to the consistent waves and tight knit community. (The town was largely spared from lingering violence of a civil war between the military and left-leaning guerrillas that ended in 1992.) And despite El Salvador's struggling economy-the country, which is about the size of New Jersey, has one of the highest poverty rates in Latin America-"

"An anonymous cryptocurrency donation in 2019 prompted the surf town to begin accepting Bitcoin for everything, from street-cart snow cones to hotel rooms. Soon, crypto traders and other digital nomads flooded El Zonte, lending it the nickname Bitcoin Beach. When I visited in August, I spotted big-wave riders from Uruguay and Australia, young families from Chile and Mexico splashing in infinity pools, and solo female travelers like me seeking to level up their surf game."

El Zonte is a small Pacific coastal town with black volcanic sand, known for consistent waves and a tight-knit surf community since the 1990s. The town was largely spared lingering civil-war violence. An anonymous 2019 cryptocurrency donation led the town to adopt Bitcoin for everyday transactions, attracting crypto traders and digital nomads and earning the nickname Bitcoin Beach. Tourist mix includes international big-wave surfers, families, and solo travelers. Accommodations range from $40 hostels to design villas and new hotels like the 2024 Wave House.

Read at Travel + Leisure