Jaco Beach

Jaco Beach is the reason the town exists. A broad bay of dark, volcanic-tinged sand runs for several kilometres along the main strip, with the Pacific rolling in at a steady angle and the green hills of the coast rising behind. The surf is consistent enough that the town has become one of the most popular surf centres in Costa Rica, and the beach is busy from first light, when the surf schools gather beginners at the calmer ends, until after sunset, when the sky turns orange over the horizon and locals and visitors drift toward the beachfront bars and restaurants. There is no gate and no fee, and you can walk to the sand from nearly every hotel on the strip. The sand is not postcard white, and the town is a working beach resort rather than a secluded hideaway, but that is part of its charm. The promenade is lined with surf shops, ice cream stands, food stalls and open-air restaurants, and the atmosphere is relaxed during the day and more social at night. You will see boards on every corner, joggers at dawn, families under umbrellas, vendors selling jewellery and fresh fruit and the occasional scarlet macaw flying past. For many visitors, an afternoon at Jaco Beach is the easiest, cheapest way to settle into the coast.

Safety deserves a clear word. Jaco Beach is known for strong rip currents, especially at mid and high tide and when the swell is up, and drownings have happened. Swim only where lifeguards are present, if the beach has flagged areas follow them, and never swim alone or after drinking.

If you are caught in a rip, stay calm, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current and then angle back in. Leave valuables at the hotel, because opportunistic theft from unattended towels occurs in busy tourist areas, and be aware that the nightlife area of the strip gets rowdy after dark.

Plan the day around the tide and the sun. The north end near the river mouth is usually where beginner surf lessons run, the middle by the strip is the social zone, and the south end is quieter and better for a long walk. Early morning is the coolest and often the calmest time, and the afternoon wind can pick up.

Sunset is the main event, so claim a table or a spot on the sand an hour before the sun drops. The dry season, from December to April, brings the most reliable sunshine, and the green season, from May to November, brings lusher hills, fewer people and showers that usually arrive in the afternoon.

Beyond the sand, Jaco is a base for everything on this coast. You can take a surf lesson here, walk to dinner, join a food tour, ride a horse along the shoreline and set off on a day trip to Carara, the waterfalls or Tortuga Island. If you want a simple, free place to spend a few hours between tours, the beach delivers, as long as you respect the water and keep an eye on your belongings.

If you stay for several days, notice how the beach changes through the day. Dawn belongs to joggers, dog walkers and surfers, the middle of the day belongs to families and sunbathers, and the evening belongs to everyone, as the light softens and the music starts in the beachfront restaurants.

Having breakfast on the sand, a long swim in the late morning, a siesta in the shade and a sunset walk is a simple routine that many visitors say is the best part of staying in Jaco. Take a reusable bottle and pick up rubbish when you see it.