LITTLE WONDER

The latest under-the-radar surf town to catch on? El Zonte, a mellow enclave on El Salvador's west coast with chic hotels, laid-back restaurants, and a legendary right-hand break

- FLORA TSAPOVSKY

Clockwise from bottom left: The outdoor space at AI Suave House; El Zonte's epic right-hand break; the art gallery at Wave House; an evening surf check

THE CRASH AND HUM of the ocean is everywhere in El Zonte, a small town on the lush Pacific coast of El Salvador about an hour's drive from the capital, San Salvador. For years the destination has been a magnet for surfers and backpackers, who come for affordable tranquility and a perfect, rolling right-hand break. Now, as the country enters an era of greater safety and stability under the much-scrutinized, Bitcoinpowered presidency of 43-year-old Nayib Bukele, the beach town is shifting upmarket, luring wellness seekers, digital nomads, and families with its recently opened boutique accommodations and a fresh food scene.