Many people come to Costa Rica to turn almost everything off and just loosen up. Some others want to do loads of activities, get out over the city, and naturally just take from the region’s renowned beach locations and lush jungle. If the latter feels like you, then Jaco may be an ideal suit. In this particular write-up, we’ll address almost everything you need to know about this well-liked central Pacific coast place, like our picks for activities, shorelines, eating places, and inns.

Jaco Pacific Coast Vacation spot | Two Weeks in Costa Rica


About Jaco
Positioned under 1.five several hours from Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria Global Airport (SJO), Jaco will be the closest significant beachside location into the capital metropolis of San Jose. With rolling eco-friendly hills of jungle and farm pasture in the space, Jaco sits in a wide cove with rocky factors on Just about every stop. The beach is a lengthy grey arc that includes a backdrop of palm trees, surfside motels, souvenir and boutique outlets, a massive variety of eating places and bars, and also the occasional mid-to-higher-increase condo sophisticated.

Jaco Beach | Two Months in Costa Rica


Jaco is thought of as amongst Costa Rica’s most created Beach front towns, and the key strip, which operates adjacent to your sand, is bustling, equally day and evening. The city has designed a track record through the years for its celebration atmosphere (mainly while in the bars) and Grownup-only nighttime actions, but in recent years has place plenty of effort and hard work into rendering it a lovely put to visit for everyone, together with people.

There are several parks, childrens’ Participate in and activity centers, and plenty of eating places with child-friendly menus close to city. Lots of the families browsing Jaco are locals who Reside in close proximity to San Jose and flock into the Beach front on weekends, vacations, and vacations, injecting a good combination of neighborhood lifestyle into the normally touristy town.


Things to do in Jaco
One of the key draws of Jaco is definitely the seemingly countless listing of actions out there. Every thing from ATV and zip-line tours to catamaran cruises, surf classes, and sport fishing could be booked with on the list of region’s tour operators. Out from the a lot of things to carry out, Below are a few of our picks.

Sunset Cocktails at Villa Caletas
North of Jaco over a tall ridge overlooking the scenic Gulf of Nicoya and Pacific Ocean is an awesome location to soak up the sunset around a tropical drink. Resort Villa Caletas has created a extraordinary outdoor amphitheater into the side on the cliff that makes you really feel like you’re along with the entire world. You don’t must be a visitor to knowledge this one of a kind environment; just explain to the staff you’re there for sunset and get a consume from the bar.

Sunset at Villa Caletas | Two Months in Costa Rica
The amphitheater at Villa Caletas

Surfing
Costa Rica is recognized for its great surf, plus the Jaco location is undoubtedly one of the country’s scorching spots. Surf shops are scattered all around city so it is straightforward and reasonably priced to rent a board or have a lesson. At Playa Jaco, the lesser waves are ideal for Discovering or shaking from the rust should you haven’t been out shortly.

For the greater advanced, there’s Playa Hermosa in order to the south. This environment-class surfing Seashore is noted for owning by far the most constant waves in the region. It’s not unheard of to view browsing experts practicing or simply competing in one of several a lot of tournaments held at Hermosa.


Carara National Park
You wouldn't anticipate it so near to a remarkably designed city like Jaco, but just north and stretching into the mountains is an enormous expanse of pristine rainforest. Carara Nationwide Park has a little community of trails that guide as a result of Main and secondary forest. They actually have a loop that may be handicap available.

Along any in the trails, you can see wildlife like monkeys, leaf-cutter ants, and plenty of birds. Actually, Carara is thought to be one of the best birding spots in Costa Rica with about 400 various species recognized.

We do the job with a firm with fantastic naturalist guides that can help you see some of Carara’s quite a few great birds and animals. Guided tours are all around $eighty five for each individual for four hrs and involve lunch. Contact us by our Tour Reserving Company web site or at bookings(at)twoweeksincostarica(dot)com To find out more or to guide a tour.

Carara Nationwide Park | Two Months in Costa Rica
Thick rainforest at Carara Nationwide Park

Tarcoles River Boat Crocodile Tour
With your method to Jaco, you may go a bridge with crowds of people leaning above and looking out down. Basking alongside the financial institutions with the Tarcoles River down below, you’ll obtain large crocodiles. Whilst the bridge is a good location to watch the crocs, a lot better is having a boat tour up the river. We really enjoyed this tour due to the fact don't just do you have pretty near to the crocs, but there are actually amazing views and you obtain to find out plenty of birds as well as other wildlife far too.


Browse more details on our trip along the Tarcoles River and how to e book a tour right here.

Neo Fauna Costa Rica
Just outside downtown Jaco is usually a wildlife Heart that's well worth a stop by, particularly when you might have kids. Neo Fauna takes in animals that were injured or held as Animals and helps to rehabilitate them. With a tour ($twenty five pp), a guide will acquire you round the rustic facility to explain to you the several creatures They're at this time caring for.

On our go to, we noticed quite a few snakes, turtles, some awesome tree frogs, a feisty toddler racoon, a monkey who was kicked outside of his troop, and a lot of butterflies during the butterfly enclosure. Our manual, David, was particularly educated and taught us quite a bit about what we were seeing. The tour is interactive and there’s even the opportunity to keep a few of the animals.

Jaco Place Guide - NeoFauna Wildlife Center
A Purple-eyed Tree Frog posing for us at Neo Fauna

Aerial Tram Experience
Just a brief generate in direction of the mountains outdoors Jaco is often a facility that gives a tram trip through the rainforest. The open up-air gondola can take you superior higher than the treetops to love some amazing jungle views. On the best way down, you'll be able to see the Pacific Ocean in the gap. Rainforest Adventures also has an enormous butterfly garden stuffed with lots of varieties of butterflies that are in the tropics.

We remarkably advise this activity for people with youthful kids, seniors, individuals with constrained mobility, and anyone who’s keen on a stress-free rainforest tour.


To learn more and also to ebook a tram tour, examine our write-up A Rainforest Tram Trip in Jaco.

Rainforest Tram Jaco
An aerial tram ride with the rainforest close to Jaco

Jaco Farmers Marketplace
In the event you’re being in town for a while, you might like to take into consideration hitting up the weekly farmers market place. Below, you can find the freshest fruits and greens and artisanal breads, cheeses, along with other goodies.

The farmers market place, or feria because it is known as locally, is held every Thursday afternoon and Friday early morning from the south conclude of the key way, Avenue Pastor Diaz. In the event you’re coming from the middle of town, transform ideal for the Palacio Municipal, then choose another proper near the Article Place of work.

Jaco Farmers check here Current market | Two Weeks in Costa Rica