Top 3 things to do in Jaco
Jaco's sun-drenched days will satisfy any visitor looking for their vacation-sanctioned beach time, but in-between those sun tanning sessions you've got to pack in a little bit of adventure… or at least a few meals. Luckily, Jaco has plenty of both.
read more closeIf you're not already planning a detour through Jaco on your next Costa Rican excursion, you better makes some time or you'll miss out on a few of our favorite things.
Surfing
Jaco has one of Costa Rica's finest beaches for learning how to surf. Seasoned pros set up shop along the shore offering two-hour lessons for $50 and renting boards on the beach for $10 to $20. The beach's south end offers smooth spilling waves with low breaks for learning, while the beach's northern end features a barrage of larger, hollow waves for intermediate and pro surfers.
Then there's Hermosa Beach. Just down the street from Jaco, Hermosa consistently has some of the best beach and point breaks in all of Costa Rica. During high-tide you'll find huge barrels that are strong enough to break your board if you're not careful. Even if you're not good enough to ride the waves yourself, it's worth travelling to Hermosa to watch the pros carve it up at the Saturday Surf Competition held every week starting at 4 p.m. at Backyard Bar.
Dining
Fresh caught tuna sashimi, massive burritos, duck confit and the obligatory $5 casados are just a few of the dishes you'll find walking up and down the main drag in Jaco. With its close proximity to San Jose, Jaco has a variety of mid- and high-end restaurants emanating from Costa Rica's urban center. This means that locals and vistors can enjoy a USDA-cut prime rib at the El Galeon and imported prosciutto cotta from La Lanterna – both of which are at the marina in Herradura – or they can enjoy the local flavors with fresh fish tacos from the Taco Bar or fresh caught tuna in the tuna poke at Mono Verde. Foodies visiting Jaco tend to gravitate toward two restaurants in particular, Lemon Zest and Graffiti. Both are known for their talented chefs and tantalizing entrees.
Wildlife
While most people know Jaco for its surf and nightlife, we'd like to be the first to contribute an additional item to that list: wildlife lies in wait just minutes outside of Jaco. If you drive too fast, you might miss it. Carara National Park and the Tarcoles River are just off the highway twenty minutes before you get to Jaco on your way in from San Jose.
Walk among the national park's four different trails through the thick foliage and ancient trees of the primary forest then hike through the fruit trees and marshes of the secondary forest. Carara has a variety of Costa Rican wildlife including tropical birds like scarlet macaws and toucans; furry forest critters like capuchin and howler monkeys, agoutis and coatis among others.
The park's northern border runs along the Tarcoles River, Costa Rica's most famous destination for crocodile watching. Daily boat tours take guests up and down the river looking for all sorts of wildlife and getting up so close to the crocodiles you can literally reach out and touch them.
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