The best of Jaco, Manuel Antonio and Dominical
Part of the beauty of the central Pacific lies in its diversity, like drawing a card from a tarot deck, each beachside town bestows its own serendipity; Dominical's the surf bum reclining on the hammock waiting for high tide; Manuel Antonio's the capuchin monkey playing in the treetops and running along the beaches; and Jaco's the lantern burning the midnight oil long after the sun has set behind the Pacific ocean.
read more closeFor those looking for the best of the central Pacific, we've got the answer to help you find the location that best matches your personality.
Families
The rolling hills of Manuel Antonio are our favorite destination for families. Explore the trails of Manuel Antonio National Park while looking for sloths, monkeys and toucans then cool off with a dip at Manuel Antonio Beach. After spending some time in the national park walk back along the beach and catch a bus back to your hotel. Canopy tours, ATV, Jet Ski and catamaran tours and don't forget surfing lessons are just a few of the things you'll find to occupy your time. You'll find a number of places to eat among the hills and valleys including fun restaurants to take the kids like El Avion, which is built around an old cargo plane.
Solo travelers
Dominical has a certain amount of camaraderie you won't find in Manuel Antonio or Jaco. It's a little farther off the beaten path, it feels further from civilization and encapsulates that shipwrecked-on-a-tropical-island attitude. You'll find plenty of like-minded solo travelers among the hostels, beaches and waves of Dominical Beach, most are likewise interested in making friends and finding a good place for a cocktail at the end of the day. Locals in Dominical are equally amicable and often befriend travelers sharing with them the best spots and taking them along for adventures.
Budget travelers
Budget travelers can find cheap lodging in any of the three destinations; you just have to look in the right place. For visitors to Manuel Antonio, check out the hostels in Quepos for the most affordable places to stay. Eat at the sodas (small, family-owned restaurants) near the bus station and avoid the higher prices of the restaurants in Manuel Antonio.In Jaco, get off the main road (Pastor Diaz) and look for accommodations farther back from the beach. You'll find cheap food along the main street among the local sodas and street vendors. In Dominical, you'll want to stay in town where you'll find a number of inexpensive hostels and restaurants.
You'll find hostels with shared dorms in all three areas for about $10 to $20 per night.
Surfers
Hermosa Beach in Jaco and Dominical Beach in Dominical are often regarded as two of the best surf spots in the whole country. Choosing between them is impossibly difficult; You'll just have to do both. Both beaches offer powerful, barreling waves, both have beach breaks, but Hermosa also offers a great point break. You'll find great surfing beaches nearby each destination and a happy-go-lucky surf culture in town. Dominical is the more laid back, beach bum destination complete with hammocks, dirt roads, cheap restaurants and lodging. Hermosa Beach meanwhile, is a little bit more expensive, closer to the nightlife in Jaco and known for its weekend surf competitions.
Wildlife Lovers
All three destinations offer great opportunities for seeing wildlife. Jaco is close the Carara National Park and the Tarcoles River where you'll find flocks of scarlet macaws and the country's largest population of crocodiles. Manuel Antonio National Park in Manuel Antonio is famous for the capuchin monkeys that swing through the trees, don't mind the visitors and occasionally steal food from unguarded backpacks on the beach. Just south of Dominical, nature-lovers can go whale and dolphin watching, snorkeling and kayaking in the Ballena National Marine Park or Cano Island.
Partiers
Jaco has the most famous nightlife where the party can go all night as visitors bounce from bar to bar. Each night of the week, features a different special at a different bar: Ladies night, surf competitions, DJ nights and more. You'll find plenty of cheap cocktails at places like the Mono Verde, which serves $2 margaritas, or at any of the city's bars during happy hour where you'll find two-for-one drinks. Dominical, though smaller and generally quieter than Jaco also has a pretty avid nightlife. Mostly resigned to the weekends (unless its high season), there's always at least one party going on. And when there is, you'll find most of the town there mixing it up both inside the bars and out on the streets.
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