8 Great Things to Do in Costa Rican Beach Town Jacó

[Shannon Farley]

The Central Pacific coast is one of the top places to visit in Costa Rica, and Jacó Beach is at the center of it all. Here in the home of Hotel Amapola, the water is warm, the sunsets breathtaking, and the surf legendary.

Only 75 minutes from the San Jose international airport, Jacó is one of the best beaches in Costa Rica and is the most developed beach town on the Central Pacific coast. However, while Jacó has restaurants, shops, services and conveniences that are important to having a great vacation, it also is at its core still a small surf town. 

At 2 1/2 miles (4 km) long, bordering a wide curving bay, Jacó Beach is very accessible. You can walk or bike from one end to the other in about 20 to 30 minutes. When the tide goes out, the brown sand beach is immense and rocky points bookmark each end.

Here are eight ideas for things to do in Jacó Beach:

Go for a long beach walk early in the morning or at sunset, when the light is prettiest and it’s a cooler time of day.

Jacó offers some of the best surfing in Costa Rica. The Central American Surfing Championships, hosted by the Costa Rican Surfing Federation, were held in Jacó Beach from Nov. 11-13, 2016, and the ISA World Surfing Games were held in Jacó in August. Learn how to surf with lessons – there are several surf schools in the area.

While Jacó is best known for its surf, the protected southern corner of the bay is more sheltered for swimming. You should still always be aware of strong currents.

Rent bicycles to explore the town and the beach.

Go hiking up to Miro Mountain. This moderately easy hike will reward you with spectacular views over Jacó Beach and a chance to enjoy nature close to town.

The scenic mirador (viewpoint) on the way from Jacó to Hermosa Beach is not only a beautiful spot to take in all of entire Jacó Bay to the north and the long line of powerful surfing waves at Hermosa Beach to the south; it also is a good place to see wild scarlet macaws hanging out in the trees.

Go horseback riding in the mountains close to town up to a scenic viewpoint.

Try a zipline tour to be eye-level with toucans and howler monkeys in the jungle.

 

Hotel Amapola is less than ten minutes from the beach on the main road near the municipal offices. Airy rooms and suites have terraces or balconies, and there is free Wi-Fi. Parking also is free, along with breakfast served in its casual restaurant. There's an outdoor pool, a casino, and a spa. For reservations and information on tours in Jacó, contact Hotel Amapola.