Jaco Beach
Jaco Beach
4
About
Less than two hours away from the hustle and bustle of San Jose, Jaco is a vibrant beach town well-loved by locals. Its dark pebbled beach is fringed with palm trees, with warm rolling waves that attract surfers from all over Costa Rica. As the undertow can get strong, swimming isn’t recommended, but you can always take a surf lesson or even ride a horse along the coast. Nearby, you’ll find plenty of shops and restaurants, and after sundown, Jaco’s beach bars come alive with music and dancing. For ideal beach weather, it’s best to visit between December and April.
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- William WHenderson, Nevada11 contributionsVacation in Jaco Beach, Costa RicaI’ve never experienced anything like this! There were all kinds of Women there and it was during the slow rainy season. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like during the summer. I recommend any single guy go to Jaco Beach once in their life to experience the unbeatable.Visited October 2019Travelled with friendsWritten 28 November 2023
- heidilcombs4 contributionsCosta Rica is a no goThe day trips are cool but a lot of people begging for money. Was approached by a guy, obviously on drugs, begging for money. That scared me. I called restaurant staff to get him away from me. Do not go out at night. Get dinner delivered or something. You can be eating in a restaurant and people are allowed to come in, interrupt your dinner, to try and sell you junk. Would I visit again?...probably notVisited November 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 15 December 2023
- TravelingLu23Carmel, Indiana4 contributionsBeautiful wide beach, great for a day!Beautiful beach with large cascading cliffs on each end. It is definitely a surf beach so waves crashing, strong undertow so need to be a good swimmer to be in it. No shells just beautiful rocks so would be good to have swim shoes. Very wide beach at low tide so great to walk and amazing sunsets. Restaurants around to walk to, sand is dark and hard to get out of a swimsuit but worth a fun day here. Definitely want to rent chairs and umbrellas which we did with Ticos.Visited January 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 21 January 2024
- Mimi CSeattle, Washington103 contributionsBeautiful and LivelyThe sunsets here are an amazing sight to see. In March, the water was so perfectly warm I just couldn't get enough. Also, in March, it is not too crowded. There are tons of palm trees in case you need shade and if you're lucky enough, you can knock a coconut down! The locals here are so friendly and there's plenty of places to eat. Lots of options for hostiles and nightlife too. The waves are great for surfing. I would come back!Visited March 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 18 March 2024
- Nadina PNew York City, New York585 contributionsGreat Pacific BeachThe beach is beautiful, and probably exactly what people picture when they think of a Costa Rican Pacific beach. It's a short walk to the main strip, which is very chic yet authentic. There are plenty of restaurants, watering holes, and lodging along the beach. The big down side (to me) is that this is very obviously more of a tourist spot; you hear lots of English, and you will be pestered A LOT to rent surfboards, ride horses, and buy knick knacks. Still worth the visit.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 April 2024
- Don PabloCape Coral, Florida3 contributionsPerfect temp. water, ceviche, good people. Costa Rica is more up to speed than other Latin countries.We stayed at the House Impala, which is about 100 yards from the beach. (2min walk). Jaco beach is composed of dark sand, water temp was 82degrees f. lots of american and canadian tourists but still had plenty, and I mean plenty! of room to enjoy the beach, surfing, ceviche, and cold beer. We did the alligator tour (3 out of 10), ATV tour (10 out of 10, about 5 hours long) and casino (8 out of 10). average daily expenses with all attractions was about $300.Visited April 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 6 May 2024
- Chris BColumbia, South Carolina561 contributionsSurprisingly few people at this really nice beach!After booking our getaway in Jaco (with very little research other than looking for beaches on the Pacific side of Costa Rica) I began to grow worried that I'd picked a horrible touristy (dirty, loud, sketchy) town (like Myrtle Beach but in Costa Rica). I couldn't have been more wrong. The beach is relatively quiet and not overcrowded (at least in early June), which never made sense to me. Yes, it's hot, and the ocean water is a bit rough (but great for surfers), but it was just what we needed - a beach vacation, and plenty of restaurants and nightlife just one block off the beach. Would go again in a heartbeat, and hoping some day we will.Visited June 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 May 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.0
1,666 reviews
Excellent
560
Very good
514
Average
376
Poor
135
Terrible
81
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Martin R
Jaco, Costa Rica45 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
I enjoy walking this beach every morning I spend in Jaco. Watching the sun come up over the beautiful green end of this pristine beach is priceless. The south end is considerably better for walking and sunbathing as there are no rocks less people all year and plenty of room and parking. From 2019 also wheelchair accessible as the first beach in Costa Rica.
No hassle from vendors is also a good thing and multiple surf schools that also rent out beach chairs
No hassle from vendors is also a good thing and multiple surf schools that also rent out beach chairs
Written 15 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gone s
4 contributions
July 2021
WOW! Just where do you travelers come from and leave these inaccurate reviews of Jaco Beach? No, this area is not super hot and humid, I live here and never seen it over 90 degrees at any time of year and the humidity is average, I relocated from the Gulf of Mexico (Mississippi/Louisiana) where 95-107 degrees is common in July and August with humidity so high you can't breath. As far as black sand goes just where did you spot this 'Black' sand? The sand here is Coco and dark cream colored and and never what some would consider un walk able. And where are you seeing all these extremely rocky beaches at? Not true at all, our beaches here are smooth sand all along the beach area but the north beach does collect some egg sized pebbles at the high tide line (maybe 5 feet of pebbles) then sand to the waves at low tide and there is 100 feet or more of solid sand with no rocks to be seen! There are PLENTY of RIP CURRENT signs every where but unfortunately the few guard stations are usually un manned be cause Costa Rica as yet does NOT spend any of the Billions in taxes collected on offering the tourists good safe life guarded swimming areas (A real negative if there is one) I can understand that some traveler that has never seen an ocean or a beach before my have no other beach to make a comparison to but yet that tourist may feel compelled to spout off a lot of UNTRUE opinions such as I have noted above. The rest is all common sense, keep valuables out of site on beach or left in your auto, don't go off with strangers looking to buy drugs and don't be rude or act like the ugly tourist for you just might get treated as one! Have you been to the United States if America lately, I feel 100 times safer in Jaco than any blue state big city in America and that is a fact!! All Ya'll come on down and see for yourself, leaving the States 6 years ago and moving to the Pacific in Costa Rica was the smartest thing I ever did :)
Written 17 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jay Brooklyn
New York City, NY95 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
Had a good time in Jaco with friends for a relaxing, adventurous and party filled weekend. We rented an Airbnb in Las villas paraiso down the block from Jaco Blu Beach club and very close to all the nightlife and restaurants such as man cave. Cocal casino and hotel was a crazy experience but not recommended for families, just single men. We also did an ATV tour in Puntarenas province to Bijagual waterfall rainforest and river with ATV Adventure Tours Costa Rica. Kevin and Mariana were great guides as I mentioned in another review.
Overall Prices converted to USD were pretty high for a 3rd world country even though their colones was significantly less than USD. I had been to guanacaste and tamarindo a few years before and that was tamer than Jaco. Pretty safe at night but there are some sketchy areas and people out late so always be careful and don't wear flashy clothes and jewelry. Overall, good experience and recommended for bachelor parties or groups of friends. The beach by Jaco wasn't too bad, dark sand just as it is in guanacaste. Lots of surfers there as well for the strong waves and current. The family area and quiet area for surfing is playa Hermosa Beach south east of Jaco and playa herradura North West of Jaco.
Overall Prices converted to USD were pretty high for a 3rd world country even though their colones was significantly less than USD. I had been to guanacaste and tamarindo a few years before and that was tamer than Jaco. Pretty safe at night but there are some sketchy areas and people out late so always be careful and don't wear flashy clothes and jewelry. Overall, good experience and recommended for bachelor parties or groups of friends. The beach by Jaco wasn't too bad, dark sand just as it is in guanacaste. Lots of surfers there as well for the strong waves and current. The family area and quiet area for surfing is playa Hermosa Beach south east of Jaco and playa herradura North West of Jaco.
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephanie J
Greenacres, WA13 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
Jaco beach is beautiful! We had great walks on the beach and fun playing in the surf. It was a good place to boogie board and our teenager did a little bit of surfing. The sunsets were incredible and the beach was busier at sunset with everyone on the beach watching the sun go down. We can’t wait to go back!
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dee
19 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Great Beach. High tide in evening, low tide during day. Lots of sand and only the rocks that come in with the tide. Able to walk out far smooth sand. Big waves to play in. Recommend staying on either end of the beach and avoiding the middle as it backs onto downtown and is busier.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
susie530
Lakeland, Tennessee5 contributions
Mar 2021 • Family
My family and I have visited Costa Rica on several occasions. Every time we visit Jaco we use Pikotravel to assist us with our activities. Piko held true to the excellent service they provide with this tour! We hiked, zip lined, rappelled, and swam. After all of that, we enjoyed an excellent lunch at a local soda. If you are traveling to Costa Rica anytime soon, I highly recommend using Pikotravel to assist you in planning your tours! They take great care of their clients!
Written 1 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brubenow
United States264 contributions
Mar 2021 • Family
This might be my least favorite beach I’ve ever been to in the entire world. There is a river that empties onto the beach and drains mud onto one side of the beach. The beach is extremely rocky and the waves are extremely rough and strong, to the point that you cannot even go into the water past your legs. It is very noisy beach with people playing loud music and smoking and limited parking. If you are into surfing this might be a good beach, but otherwise I would not recommend it at all. It feels dirty.
Written 1 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liv'n Life
Ilderton, Canada64 contributions
Feb 2019
Beautiful black sand, Took long walks every morning at 7 AM had to get off the beach by 11 because the sand is black so I gets very hot. The beach is spotless there’s no stones there’s no garbage it’s clean clean clean. One of the best beaches I’ve ever been too. In the evenings to watch the tide go in and out was stunning the sunsets again were stunning December and January perfect months to visit this wonderful location
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Muriel
Sao Paulo, SP18 contributions
June 2024 • Family
Easily accessible beach for those in San José, but prepare your pocket to pay the various tolls on the way to the beach. We went on a quiet Sunday, but we found the shore very difficult to walk on because there are a lot of rocks, it can hurt your feet, so we recommend taking flip flops. And I missed having a shower outside the beach to remove excess sand. However, the water was delicious and a refreshing temperature to stay in. We also parked our vehicle very easily and loved the local food, we ate a lobster that was divine for 18000 colónes (except that the price may change depending on the day and with the application of the 10% service fee).
Written 11 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
heidilcombs
4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
The day trips are cool but a lot of people begging for money. Was approached by a guy, obviously on drugs, begging for money. That scared me. I called restaurant staff to get him away from me. Do not go out at night. Get dinner delivered or something. You can be eating in a restaurant and people are allowed to come in, interrupt your dinner, to try and sell you junk. Would I visit again?...probably not
Written 15 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, I’m going to jaco in October and I would like to know what beaches are not so rough. I know jaco is known for its surfing waves, but unfortunately my friends and I don’t surf. Lol. I also read that the rip tied is very strong as well. Can anyone recommend beaches in jaco that are more swim friendly?
Thank you
Written 10 September 2019
If you want swim beaches, Jaco is not the place. It's known as a surf haven for a reason. Go to Manuel Antonio if you want to swim. The swim beaches there and nearby are glorious.
Written 10 September 2019
Hi, I am looking to have a formal birthday dinner with some friends in or near Jaco. Preferably a well renowned steakhouse or seafood restaurant. What would you recommend? By formal I mean a place that enforces proper attire as well.
Written 19 March 2019
The best most intmate small but classy place we found was Lemon Zest! Service and food incredible!! Our rental company suggested it and it could not have been better! If yo wear shorts and flip flops to this place yo may feel uncomfortable! we were therelast month!
Written 27 March 2019
Over the years Ive been to Jaco, there is a kind of party flow every night. Last year it was Monday Jaco walk Tuesday Orange Wednesday Blu, Thursday Black Marlin..etc etc. What is the current bar scene and what are the Ladies nights.
Written 15 February 2019
So sorry, I was only there for the day, afternoon, it poured for the most of the afternoon, maybe one of the hotels can answer that question, good luck
Written 18 February 2019
Hi! I'd love to know more about where you found beach chairs and umbrellas to rent! We are staying at Oceano up the street a bit so we will need chairs and an umbrella. Also, any suggestions on any resorts that allow you to use their loungers and order from their staff?? Thanks in Advance!!!
Written 13 February 2019
Hi there,
Sorry I can't help you with info on renting beach chairs and umbrellas. We stayed at VRBO and they had the chairs available for use.
Written 18 February 2019
What resorts are at Jaco Beach.
Written 19 December 2018
There aren't any huge resorts but smaller ones such as Jaco Laguna or Balcon del Mar however my opinion is that the Oceano is the best hotel with great spaces and beautiful views!! Hope this helps!!
Written 20 December 2018
Would early June be a good time to visit? Planning to learn to surf.
Written 9 May 2018
Tourism tapers off so you get a lot of special attention yes
Written 11 May 2018
We have booked with Transport Costa Rica Mv S.A. to get around Costa Rica. I can't find any reviews on this company. Can anyone offer some input?
Written 7 January 2018
All the transport companies in Costa Rica are good
Written 25 February 2018
We are staying at a B&B just outside of Jaco, I'd like to find a place where we can spend a day hanging in a pool with a swim up bar and a beach. Any suggestions?
Written 16 December 2017
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