Jacó

Jacó is one of the two largest tourist towns on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It is a surfing town with a 4-km long black sand beach and several local surf shops where you can get a board or sign up for lessons.

Get in
Jacó Beach Costa Rica is about 130 km from San José's airport (SJO)

The closest airport from Jacó is Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). Along the Autopista del Sol highway, Jaco Beach is only a quick and scenic 1 hour 20 minute ride from the airport.

The safest and most worry-free way to get to Jacó from the airport is to book a private van/airport transfer service to meet and greet you at the airport and bring you directly to your hotel or vacation rental condo/home.

There are hourly buses going to Jacó from the Coca Cola bus station in downtown San José. Fares are about US$7 each way; however, you must first find a bus near the airport to take you into downtown San José, which is 30 minutes in the opposite direction, then wait for the next bus to Jacó, which is 2.5 hours by bus. While a bus is cheaper than a van, it's not worth the headaches and time it takes to get to Jacó by bus, and buses can also be dangerous (see "Stay safe" below).

Make sure you stop at the bridge over the Tarcoles River along the way, a prime spot to observe wild crocodiles. It is illegal to feed the crocodiles, as they are protected.

Get around
Transportation in and around Jacó is quite simple. The city is small enough, that walking from one end to the other is not an impossible feat. But when it's hot, or it's dark, there are always plenty of taxis to take you down the strip wherever you might want to go. The taxis in Jaco are red. Uber is also available in Jaco. There's a taxi stand by the main grocery store, Mas por Menos. All official taxis have meters and are clearly displayed. ₡1,500 (colones) is a standard price to go just about anywhere in the town, or to Herradura, unless it's a short distance and then it's usually ₡750. Ask a local if you are unsure of how much you should pay. Always ask the taxi driver to use the meter, or "Maria" as they call it here.

There are local buses that circulate from Herradura to Jacó every hour. The bus does not go through all of Jacó, it does not travel to the most northern side, but it you can get off at any spot in central Jacó, along the strip. The main bus stop to go to Herradura is located across the street and down the road a short distance from the grocery store, Mas o Menos. There is a bus stop there, and usually a congregation of people waiting for the bus to come. If you take the bus from Herradura to Jacó you can pick it up at Herradura beach, at the crossways of the Costanera in Herradura, or down the road at the Herradura gas station, otherwise known as La Bomba. The Herradura/Jacó bus will take you to Central Jacó, and all the way to Herradura beach for less than it would cost to take a taxi.

At the north end of Jaco, across from the Best Western hotel, is the official bus station. If you want to take the bus from Jacó or Herradura to San José, this is where you need to go to buy tickets. You can also purchase tickets online. There is a ticket window where you can purchase tickets, and it's recommended that you do so. Seats are assigned, but the Costa Ricans have no qualms about over-selling the bus. The trip from Jacó to San José generally takes 3-4 hours, and without a seat, you're forced to stand the entire, perilous trip, until someone gets off and there's an empty seat. This rarely happens. At this bus terminal you can also purchase tickets to other destinations such as Puntarenas and Quepos. Bus fare is inexpensive, and bus travel is always sure to be an adventure. If returning to San José by bus from Jacó, there are many places throughout Jaco that you can catch the bus: the bus terminal, of course, the bus stop in front of Mas o Menos, or various other locations along the Jacó strip. It's also possible to pick up the San Jose bus on the west side of the road at the crosswalk in Herradura. There are set times when the buses come and go, and for the most part they are usually on time. Be there a little early so you don't miss it. As always, be cautious with your belonging on the bus.

See
Jacó is fairly small, and it's easy to see the entire town in one day. But you can also just as easily take your time and spend several days exploring, shopping, going to the beach, surfing, dining out, going to bars, and taking tours in the Jacó area. There is an art tour to explore the incredible large and small murals painted throughout the town. If you have a rental car, a drive along the Western Costa, along the Costanera is very beautiful, and offers many opportunities to stop, take pictures, or find private, secluded beaches. Manuel Antonio, one of Costa Rica's national parks, is an hour drive from Jacó, and is nearly a straight shot south along the Costanera highway. Also, ask locals directions to "El Muro", an abandoned structure up in the hill overlooking the southern end of Jaco. You can only get to it by walking or mountain bike.



Do
Jacó is not very big, but there are plenty of things to do there. Surfing and boogie boarding are extremely popular, and it's fairly inexpensive to rent a board for the day. Jacó is known for being one of the best beginner surf spots in Costa Rica for the beach breaks (sand bottom) and good waves during high tides. There are lots of surf camps and surf schools in the area, make sure you choose one that is credible and especially certified to guarantee quality. There are also many shops along Jacó's main street that offer surfboard/boogie board rentals. Lying out on the beach and swimming are nice. The beach is beautiful, however the black sand at midday is scorching hot. There are some fantastic restaurants in Jacó, including some excellent "sodas", the local traditional restaurant. At night there are numerous clubs and bars that stay open late.


 * Costa Rica Fishing Experts with more than 40 fishing charter to rent you can be sure you get the best fishing deal from Los Sueños and Jaco Beach phone + (506) 8310-8393 Inshore Fishing, Nearshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, and Deep Sea fishing adventures available for half or full day fishing.
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Costa Rica Fishing Experts with more than 40 fishing charter to rent you can be sure you get the best fishing deal from Los Sueños and Jaco Beach phone + (506) 8310-8393 Inshore Fishing, Nearshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, and Deep Sea fishing adventures available for half or full day fishing.
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations
 * Jaco Art Tour City tour of Jaco's art installations

Buy
There are numerous, small shops and stands all along Jacó's main strip that runs parallel to the water. Most of these stalls offer similar things: jewelry, fabric, surf clothes, knick-knacks, and traditional Costa Rican gifts. Many stores offer Costa Rican handicrafts and souvenirs. A couple places that seem to offer more unique, higher quality offerings are TICO POD (art and gifts) and Fruity Monkey P*op, where you can sample different coffee drinks and buy the beans to take home too.

At nice place to sit and enjoy a coffee is Bohio Coffee on the main street.

Drink




Clubs
Many people come to Jaco to party and there are plenty of clubs with loud music and dance floors to accommodate. On weekdays there may not be enough people in the clubs to make it worth going but on the weekends there is a good crowd. It seems like no place consistently charges a cover but many places seem to charge them based on how they feel the moment you walk up. When the main clubs close you'll find many folks on the street handing out fliers for after parties. Be extra careful at the after parties as phones seem to be lost much more often there then at the other clubs.

Splurge




Stay safe
Buses are very popular places for thieves and pickpockets to steal luggage and backpacks from unsuspecting tourists. They may be stolen from the storage underneath the bus, but always keep an eye on your belongings inside the bus as well.

Don't get in a taxi that does not look official. Often there are pirate taxis that are generally safe, but it's best to stick with the official companies.

Go next

 * National Park Manuel Antonio: There are many photo opportunities travelling south along the Costanera, and many secluded beaches. If you continue an hour south you will eventually come to the National Park, Manuel Antonio. It can be a bit confusing winding through the town of Quepos to get there, but simply follow the signs, or ask the locals for directions. Manuel Antonio boasts 6 or 7 secluded, white sand beaches. Be aware of the tide variations as they can change from season to season. Also be on the lookout for monkeys as Manuel Antonio is an excellent place to see them up close. Avoid feeding them, even though they're cute, as they come to depend on this food and risk danger by getting so close to humans.
 * Playa Hermosa - A popular surfing beach 5 minutes South of Jaco.
 * Esterillos - A beach town about 30 minutes South of Jaco.