Jaco, Costa Rica

Oh Please Jaco haters..get over it! Jaco is the #1 Destination in Costa Rica and the most visited as well for many good reasons. There is more to see an do there than any other location in Costa Rica. The latest Mayor and his admnisitration have really cleaned Jaco up and it has improved in leaps and bounds. If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica, do yourself a favor and ignore the few idiots that dont like it themselves for whatever whiney reasons they write on line(whaaa whaaa whaaa), and join the thousands of those that are smart enough to choose Jaco adn have the most incerdible vacations there. Jaco is awesome...Period.. Thousands of repeat visitors and the fact that it is the top destination in Costa Rica , cant be wrong. See for yourself!

Jaco is a spring break kind of town. It's not the "real" Costa Rica people usually make the trip for, but for 4 guys fresh from the bar exam, it was a good starting-off point. Drank a lot of tequila and met a lot of interesting characters. Jaco is just minutes from Playa Hermosa, a world-class surfing destination. I would recommend Hotel Mango Mar if you're looking for a very cheap but comfortable beach-front hotel in Jaco. Mango Mar also features a guitar-shaped pool, which is always a plus.

This crusty americanized surf town used to be the first beach getaway on the west coast. Very popular with the masses from the San Jose area, being just a short 2 hour mountain rally along an unfenced road with mile-high drops around every corner, through thick fog...The sun comes out , you're finally out of the jungle and there's a little party heaven by the pacific ocean...Sounds awesome, no? Well, hate to say it, but development and crime kinda killed this slice of paradise...Too many gringos coming in too fast and Jaco turned into Yucko...Still is pretty fun for a short stop , I'm sure!

As a costarrican myself, I am disappointed on Jaco. I found Jaco dirty, horrible and full of whores. I went there with my gringo husband looking to invest in land when by mistake we went to the "Bettle Bar" with my gorgeous cousin and niece and of course that was just enough for the bouncers to kick us out, saying with no ID we couldn't be there!!!! (all of us were adults) but of course we were not good for the "business".... the owner surely supports this "Whore House" as it is, and it should be call like that.. I am soo ashamed that police (headquarters around the corner) support this kind of places.... DONT GO TO JACO, not good for families....

Jaco is a little piece of paradise! Killer waves, friendly people, Laidback lifestyle, good food, cheap beer, Can it get any better? Oh yeah, hot ticas too!

Guess what? Jaco is getting a brand new face! Everyone welcome! Not just surfers, hookers, and partying all night. My gut feeling is that families and international businesses and vacationers are going to create an upscale enviroment in the coming years...I met many wonderful local families enjoying themselves from the Central Valley. I stayed in a great condo called Bahia Azul. Very classy, expensive yes. But well worth it with it's fabulous views, washer and dryer and lovely enviroment. Thanks for making me, a middle class North American welcome in this diverse town!

I lived in Jaco for three years. Costa Rica isn;t about the volcanoes and surfing. It is a way of life that I feel I experienced with acceptance and love. I understand not everybody can do what I did. But I did what I did and I explored a culture that is very diverse and I think less stressful and loving and natural thsn a North American can fully appreciate until they live there. Not in an airconditioned room on the beach but a real home with real food and real tico style. I wish I never left. I only came back here because I needed to find myself. I didn't have any money while I lived there. Yeah try that.. you don't know the beauty of living day to day until you di it. People live and love and go on and on without investment corporations or Walmart or enevelectricity. I would be there in a flash and leave this life behind again if I could. But I got caught in love here. I will never again be free in Costa Rica. But I will never forget that mystic land and its green green... Read more

this is just the den of iniquity i was searching for.jaco has what everything one can possibly imagine.from great food and lodging to women willing to make your trip one never to forget.once here you will always want to return.

Jaco' is a touristy town full of gringos and also many European visitors. The discos are full of hookers, especially the Beatle Bar where prices are high for both drinks and ladies of the night. Prostitution is legal in Costa Rica, so that is to be expected. There are a few excellent hotels, as long as you don't have to have tv, a/c, and all the comforts of home... after all, this is Central America. And everyone does not speak English here. But the main attraction, the beach, is magnificent. It is nearly 300 yards wide, of dark brown (not black) sand, and the waves are stupendous. The water is warm, and temperatures on the coast tend to be higher than inland in the mountains. It is the nearest beach to San Jose, so it attracts most of the tourists. There are two banks, discos, a supermarket, liquor stores, many shops and restaurants, surf schools, and travel agents for trips to national parks and volcanoes. I spent a week here and loved it, but later found the Guanacaste beac... Read more

About as cheesy as Costa Rica can be, but still a good time. If you are a beginning surfer, this is not the place to go however. The waves are giant and unpredictable - I took my first surfing trip here and ended up with a broken board and a friend who got a concussion. Also, if you are in the Jaco disco and you think a local girl likes you.... she doesn't. No self respecting tica would be caught dead in that place. The girl who is giving you the eye is on the clock, so to speak.