Day 1
The first item on the vacation check list is to find comfortable accommodations that meet your requirements. There are a lot of great beachfront bargains in Jaco if you’re not already a homeowner. My top pick after seeing numerous rental properties in the Jaco area is the Luxury Oceanfront Community of Vista Las Palmas. The majority of the condominiums in Vista Las Palmas are 2670 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and every residence is direct beachfront boasting stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Vista Las Palmas is strategically located on the same block as the new Jaco Walk which is home of the best restaurants and shops in Jaco. I’ve traveled to most of the popular tourist destinations around the world and have yet to find a better value for the amount of beachfront luxury included at Vista Las Palmas.
The next item on the agenda should be to stock up on food and beverages at the local supermarket. Jaco Beach is a three mile stretch and has a couple different supermarkets to choose from. The main supermarket is Mas x Menos located in the center of town just two blocks north of Vista Las Palmas. In addition, every Friday morning all the local farmers have a full scale farmers market where you can buy everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to homemade bread. The farmers market is highly recommended for Farm to Table Foodies. The Jaco farmers market is conveniently located on the south end of Jaco next to the soccer field.
Day 2
Depending on where you travelled in from you may be a little jetlagged and in need of some caffeine. Costa Rica is known for its excellent coffee and Jaco Beach has numerous coffee shops on the main street that runs parallel to the beach. The breakfast is just as delicious as the coffee at all of the boutique coffee shops in town.
The best activity to work off a massive Gallo Pinto (Rice & Bean) breakfast is to go surfing in the warm 80 degree waters of the Pacific Ocean. The surfers were the pioneers that put Jaco Beach on the tourism map back in the 1980s. I consistently hear from the Ticos (Costa Ricans) how much Jaco has changed over the last 20 years from a little farm town to a major tourist destination. One staple that remains the same and a big part of the Jaco Beach charm is the surf culture. You’ll find a surf shop on every block in Jaco. It’s also possible to rent surf boards from the surf schools located right on the beach with surf lessons included. The surf is so good in Jaco and the neighboring town of Playa Hermosa that you’ll most likely find yourself surfing daily.
A cool place to go after surfing all day and talk about the 10 ft wave you caught when it was actually 5ft is Puddle Fish. Puddle Fish is a new microbrewery located in Jaco Walk that specializes in Craft Beer and Sangria. Did I mention Jaco Walk is walking distance and only a half block from Vista Las Palmas?
Day 3
The closest sport fishing marina to Jaco is called Los Suenos Resort and Marina. Los Suenos is a high end gated community with a world class Marina, Golf Course, Marriott, Luxury Homes, and Restaurants. Los Suenos is the mega resort that put the Jaco area on the map for luxury home buyers. The fishing off the shores of Los Suenos is outstanding and is often referred to as the sport fishing capital of the world. The sport fishing boats offer half day or full day excursions and the catch rate has literally set world records. I always recommend spending time in Los Suenos after fishing to check out some of the excellent restaurants and bars. My favorite restaurant in Los Suenos is called the Hookup located in the Marina Village. The fish stories at the Hookup happy hour are second to none.
Day 4
One of the most popular and exciting excursions to do in Jaco is the ATV rainforest tour. The speed while riding the ATV is at your own pace and there are stop points to take advantage of the phenomenal views from the mountain top trails. You’ll also see some amazing wildlife including monkeys, macaws, toucans, etc up in the jungle. The ATV tour will provide some of the best photo opportunities of the week. If you’re not comfortable on an ATV another very popular tour is the canopy zip line tour. The canopy zip line tours are also located in the rainforest ten minutes outside of town. The zip line adventure is equally as thrilling as the ATV tour and probally not a good idea for someone that is afraid of heights.
Day 5
La Iguana golf course located in Los Suenos is a world class golf course and highly recommended for golf enthusiast. La Iguana is a public golf course and Tee Times can be scheduled a couple days prior to golfing as it’s typically uncrowded. I recommend teeing off early morning becuase the temperatures can get pretty hot during the day. The front 9 holes are in the jungle with abundant wild life and the back 9 holes are on the Pacific Ocean with very scenic ocean views.
Day 6
Day 6 should be reserved for relaxing at the beautiful Vista Las Palmas infinity edge pool that is located right on the sand in Jaco Beach. There are two beachfront restaurant bars on either side of Vista Las Palmas which is perfect for refilling your poolside umbrella drink. I can say from experience that there is no better place in Jaco to enjoy a sunset cocktail then the beachfront pool at Vista Las Palmas.
There are plenty of gourmet restaurants in Jaco Walk to choose from after a relaxing day at the beach. The local favorite restaurants in Jaco are Graffiti, Tsunami Sushi, and Juanita’s. Jaco Walk also provides live entertainment on the weekends making for an enjoyable evening.
Day 7
The Backyard Beach Bar in Playa Hermosa holds a professional surf contest every Saturday and is the ideal place to wrap up the perfect week. Playa Hermosa is a short 10 minute taxi ride from Jaco and is the most consistent surf break in all of Costa Rica. Playa Hermosa is a heavy black sand beach break and recommended for the more experienced surfers. The surfing in Playa Hermosa is top notch and very entertaining to watch during the Saturday surf contest happy hour.
Please feel free to contact me anytime to discuss any of the above excursions or any other questions you might have regarding Jaco, Costa Rica. I'm also available for Real Estate tours or any Real Estate questions or needs you may have.
Pura Vida!