Things to Do

Jaco is a small, yet extremely active town geared towards surfers, parties & nightlife. As you walk down the “strip,” you will find countless surf shops, restaurants, bars, discos and a variety of accommodations (including La Hacienda and Backyard Bar). This is the ideal destination for surfers or young travelers looking to be in the middle of the action. Carara Biological Reserve is located about 25 minutes north, you will find the unique opportunity to see the scarlet macaw, hundreds of species of flora and plenty of other wildlife including the occasional toucan.

Local activities include surfing, fishing, canopy tours, horseback riding, kayaking, and more.

Other Adventures

• Surf Lessons in Hermosa - Duration is 2–3 hours, and includes transportation, surf instructor, surf board.
• Tortuga Island Tour - The Original “Calypso Catamaran Cruise”. Particularly enchanting for it’s beauty, Tortuga Island is known for its immaculate white sand beach and turquoise waters, a perfect stop for swimming, snorkeling and Calypso’s Famous Lunch. GREAT food.
• Hermosa Canopy Tour - This is an exciting look at one of the few remaining transitional forest in Costa Rica . The Tour consists of 11 suspended platforms and a hanging bridge from tree to tree in order to reach the other platform, connected with steel cables, the total length around seven hundred meters (+2000 feet). The height of the platforms vary from 60 to 120 feet above the ground.
• Kayak & Snorkeling in Jaco - Includes transportation, guide, kayak, water, fresh fruit buffet, snorkeling equipment. Duration: 3 hours approximately
• Horseback Riding in Herradura - Includes transportation, guide, horses.
• Sportfishing in Herradura - All full day charters include lunch, beverages, bait and tackle.
• Manuel Antonio National Park - A half day trek that includes transportation, entrance fee & snacks.
• Aerial Tram - What a ride! Includes transportation to and from the Park, meal, guide, optional hike, all transportation at the Preserve. The Pacific Rain Forest Tram is about two hours from San José (108 km) and is located 2 miles from the main entrance to Jacó Beach.
• Carara National Park - Carara National Park covers a low mountainous area of 15,000 acres of an interesting ‘transition’ forest between the Dry Tropical Forest and the Rainy one. Home of many mammals, as well as the rare Scarlet Macaw and vast number of species of plants and trees. Appreciate the wonders of this intricate eco-system. And there’s monkeys!
• ATV Tour - Includes drinks & snacks. Explore Costa Rica with an ATV! Modern equipment with all the fixings.

  

 

 

 

Things to Avoid

Playa Hermosa and nearby Jaco is THE definitive surf mecca of the central pacific coast. This area arguably offers the most consistent year-round surf with over 3 ½ miles of steep beaches with excellent exposure to swells from almost any direction. Although this area is extremely popular, there are so many peaks up an down the beach that you are likely to find an uncrowded, head high peak at almost any time of year.

Playa Jaco, located just 2 short hours from the international airport, has become one of Costa Rica’s most visited beach towns, especially amongst the traveling surf community. Jaco is a small, yet extremely active town geared towards surfers, parties & nightlife. As you walk down the “strip,” you will find countless surf shops, restaurants, bars, discos and a variety of accommodations.

Hermosa is geared more towards the hard-core surfer while Jaco is designed for the active type looking for plenty of hotels, surf shops, bars, discos and an overwhelming nightlife.

Best Time for surfing:
May ~ November

Powerfull and consistent beachbreak that sticks out into the Pacific, assuring constant swell. You will rarely be surfing under head high here.

It can be perfect sometimes, delivering a nice barrel, but at other times you might see the barelling waves all over the place, but have trouble finding that perfect wave for yourself!

Hermosa is actually a several mile long stretch of beach, and you can go surfing anywhere along beach. There are a few distinct areas people surf:

 
• Cabinas: right behind the cabinas that line the beach, Cabinas Las Olas being an example.           

• The Gate: if you are coming from Jaco, right after you pass Cabinas Las Olas, turn right onto the dirt road.           

• The Tree: Drive down a little more past the gate, and you will see a huge tree on your right, probaly with few surfer’s cars parked underneath.           

• Tulin Rivermouth: Continue driving past The Tree for a while, and your surfing at Tulin. VERY powerfull rivermouth beachbreak, usually a little bigger than the rest of Hermosa.