Thinking About A Costa Rica Vacation? Check Out Jaco

Mar 08

Victor KrummUncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

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Some of the most popular beaches in Costa Rica are close to the small yet bustling town of Jaco. Two hours away from San Jose, and easily reached by car or comfortable, cheap, ubiquitous buses, Jaco is located on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast in the northern part of Puntarenas province. This is a party town.

Jaco has long been popular because of its fun, casual and relaxed atmosphere, and many friendly people. More and more tourists from around the world have already learned of this fantastic place and travel to Jaco for its nearby tranquil, beautiful clean beaches and many things to do. And, it is easy to reach by car or comfortable, cheap, ubiquitous buses.

Only about half a dozen years ago, Jaco was still pretty laid back and quaint. Not so much anymore. With tourists came more bars, restaurants, and shopping centers. They were followed by developers: more hotels, more resorts, and now towering high rises. But, the beaches remain—and they are still spectacular.

Fortunately, Jaco isn’t just a great location for people who have lots of money. Indeed, it caters to any budget. There are hotels and accommodations ranging from luxurious to, well, basic (think hostels with dorms and cold water—but cheap). Restaurants of every kind have sprung up here as well, not to mention tropical bars and taverns.

Jaco Beach sits directly in front of Jaco and is very, very popular but , in my opinion, nearby beaches just a couple of miles or kilometers away, are much better. There are fewer people and the waters are some of the purest on earth. The best beaches are awarded Blue Flag ecological certifications for cleanliness. When you vacation in Jaco, I strongly recommend going to spectacular Hermosa Beach, a couple of miles south of Jaco. Though it is not good for safe swimming due to its currents, it is pristine and pure with some of the best surfing on the planet. How good is the surfing? Think world class. Indeed, this July professional surfers from more than 35 countries are descending upon Hermosa to participate in a week of world surfing championships. Watch them during the days or party with them at night in Jaco.

There are dozens of different things to do and innumerable places to visit close at hand. Costa Rica is tiny but filled with interesting places and activities. Go whitewater rafting or learn to sea kayak. Take a horseback ride along the beach or through the mountains (if you’re into extreme riding, you can literally ride across Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Caribbean). Visit volcanoes, sit in volcanic hot springs, try rappelling in tropical mountains, go ballooning. Or just sit back and enjoy the great ocean views and beautiful, romantic sunsets. But, take care when swimming. Some of the beaches, wonderful for surfing, can be dangerous for swimming because of riptides. There are no lifeguards—and no warning signs—so ask if it is safe to swim before jumping in.

And, if you exhaust all the other activities (probably pretty difficult), don’t forget that you can also experience great off shore fishing. The warm, tropical waters are alive with marlin, tuna, sailfish, porpoises, dozens of other varieties, and often whales. But, whatever your tastes, Jaco is definitely a wonderful place to take your vacation.

Though it is easy to reach by air, Costa Rica remains to be discovered. Columbus was the first to find it and, indeed, gave it its name “Rich Coast.” It remains a spectacular haven with one-fifth of every species of plant and animal on the planet residing together in a tiny little country. So, don’t limit yourself to the beaches of Jaco. There’s lots more waiting.

Mr. Vic Krumm writes from beautiful Costa Rica and and has a lovely website Costa Rica Vacations. Look here to see lots more Costa Rica Beaches

Off The Beaten Path: Caribbean Costa Rica Beaches

Jan 25

Victor Carl KrummCosta Rica , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

The Latin American country we know as Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet, world-famous for its pristine waters, tropical mountains, and volcanoes. There are sandy beaches ranging from white to black, coral beaches, and rugged boulder strewn beaches with magnificent surf along the Caribbean Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Because of its many attractions and stability, it has become one of the favorite tropical vacations for beach lovers and eco-tourists.

Few visitors to Costa Rica appreciate its rich history or how it got its name. About 10 years after discovering the New World along the American coast, Christopher Columbus returned and sailed south. He became so enthralled with the Caribbean beaches he found here that he named his discovery Costa Rica! The name is Spanish for rich coast and has stuck for over 500 years.

Despite the passage of centuries there is still a lot for travelers to discover on the Atlantic side of this little country. This coast is much more undeveloped and has a very different ambiance from the Pacific. Think reggae.

For many eco tourists, no Costa Rica vacation is complete without touring one of the country’s Seven Wonders, Tortuguero National Park. Tortuguero is the largest nesting area for the green sea turtle in the western hemisphere. When Columbus landed, these oldest of reptiles, dating back millions of years before the first dinosaur, nested here in unfathomable numbers and surely provided fresh meat for his crew. For centuries, beaches here were some of the world’s largest hunting grounds for these gentle animals. That changed in 1961 when it was transformed into the world’s premier reserve and leading center for turtle monitoring and research. In addition to green sea turtles, three of the other six surviving endangered sea turtle species come ashore to nest. You will find a growing number of tours and lodges which service an increasing number of fishermen and families. Wildlife is very abundant and the rivers and ocean provide great fishing.

Limon is often the starting point to head north by boat or small aircraft to Tortuguero or along the Costa Rica Caribbean highway to great beaches south, including the beach where Columbus named the country. Limon is not a recommended vacation destination and is best thought of as the place to go north or south. Heading south will take you to Puerto Viejo. This small place is legendary for surfers and a favorite Costa Rica surfing destination. From November through April, it is often filled with surfers. The top surfers head for the world-famous three-mile long La Salsa Brava wave. A short distance south beginners and intermediates can have lots of fun surfing at Playa Cocles.

Between Limon and Puerto Viejo is the small community of Cahuita, primarily a stop for snorkeling and beach walks. There are white and black sand beaches here and good snorkeling. The coral reef is just offshore and has two shipwrecks to explore. At night, vacationers find this place very quiet and many head down to Puerto Viejo for its restaurants.

As one drives farther south, the Gandoco-Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve awaits nearly at the Panama border. This is where Columbus came ashore and named Costa Rica. Here he found, and you will, too, crystal clear tropical waters perfect for swimming. But, unlike him you will be able to go scuba diving at Costa Rica’s largest coral reef. The rare and recently discovered river Tucuxi Porpoise lives only here. Visitors can see sea turtles nesting and fishermen often find tarpon and snook. Lots of them. In the sea just offshore, in the many lagoons and rivers. Very little fishing pressure. But when they are here, lots of fish!

Mr. Vic Krumm lives in tropical Costa Rica and and has a popular website Costa Rica Vacations. Look here to learn more about Costa Rica Beaches