| With only 2.5 hours (approx 117 km) drive from | | | | hotels can arrange that for you. |
| the capitol, San José, Jacó beach or playa | | | | The latest craze to emerge in Jaco is paragliding |
| Jacó is one of the most visited beaches in Costa | | | | and you can even go with a boat-plane to private |
| Rica. | | | | beaches. |
| The long sandy beach has a shape and ocean | | | | Places to go when in Jacó |
| floor that promotes big waves, very much to the | | | | You can go with local tours to Carara National |
| delight of most surfers visiting Costa Rica. | | | | Park, La Catarata (waterfalls) and Tarcoles |
| The most common route to take when going | | | | crocodile tours. You should also plan for a visit to |
| from San José down to Jacó is to drive via | | | | playa Hermosa south of Jacó where you can |
| Alajuela, continue to Atenas and further down the | | | | take the canopy tour. |
| dark green slopes of the west side of Costa Rica | | | | Some places to sleep in Jacó are, Jacó Fiesta, |
| until reaching San Mateo. Continue from there to | | | | Club del Mar, Copacabana, Best Western Jacó |
| Orotina and take highway 34 straight down to | | | | Beach Resort and Apartotel Gaviotas. |
| Jacó. | | | | Eating |
| Also make sure to peek through the car windows | | | | As Jacó is a quite big beach and a lot of tourism, |
| when passing el rio tarcoles (tarcoles river) where | | | | you'll find a lot of places serving food. Visit |
| you can see the natural habitat of the enormous | | | | Bananas, Chatty Cathy's, Emily's to the north. La |
| crocodiles of the Tarcoles River and the | | | | Fragata with pasta and fish. La Hacienda with mid |
| mangroves. | | | | priced snacks and La Ostra with fish as a |
| The Beach | | | | specialty. |
| The playa is a bit over 3km in length from one | | | | Bars & Nightclubs |
| end to the other. It makes a nice walk and if | | | | They come and go on almost a day to day basis. |
| your legs give up on you, the local taxis will be | | | | Two of the best are Central and Los Tucanes. |
| more then happy to help you out. You can also | | | | Shopping as what you expect on a tourist beach |
| rent cars and bikes. | | | | and if you run out of money, then visit Banco |
| For reading, keep your eyes open and look for | | | | Nacional in the centre of town. |
| Jacó News, a monthly English language publication. | | | | Finally, a warning |
| The surf is best in the rainy season from May to | | | | Jacó has a bit too strong surf to really be a |
| November, but depending on what you crave in | | | | good place for small kids. Big waves, rip tides and |
| size of waves; Jacó really can offer an all year | | | | under currents can be dangerous for someone |
| surfing experience. | | | | young or unaccustomed to the sea. |
| Sights of Jacó | | | | And as always, when dealing the sea, be careful. |
| Jacó is really the kind of place where doers go. | | | | The tide in Costa Rica changes the sea level |
| Not to much to see locally. Things you can do are | | | | many meters and can pull anyone out into the |
| rent kayaks, go deep sea fishing or take a sunset | | | | open sea. |
| cruise. Horse riding is also very popular and most | | | | |