Beaches

As one of the best beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Jaco has a lot to offer. Family-friendly activities, beautiful coastline, surfing and other watersports, and incredible sunsets. While you could spend your entire vacation in Jaco and never miss a thing, there are other beautiful beaches nearby that are totally worth checking out! From bigger waves to tide pools and mangroves, each of these beaches in the surrounding area has unique offerings for visitors.

Jaco beach runs parallel to the town, 4km (2.485m), bringing the Pacific to the Costa Rican coastline. The black sand beach is a popular destination for surfers of all levels as the swell can be powerful, but most of the year, it is a pleasant break. Starting in the South of Jaco, the wave break is longer and a perfect place for swimming with the young or practicing surfing for the first time. As you travel north along the coastline, the wave size picks up with more significant breaks and stronger currents. It is recommended for more advanced swimmers & surfers alike. During our summer months (December – May), the swells stay small until the storms of the Pacific bring larger swells to Jaco in our winter (May – November).

Jaco’s coastline is wrapped with beachfront hotels, condominiums, & businesses, allowing different locations to settle down for the day, and plenty of places to rent chairs & umbrellas to get out of the hot sun. Keep an eye out for the beachside restaurants & bars as they are local hangouts, especially during the afternoon with the epic sunsets witnessed daily in Jaco. Jaco beach is also one of the safest beaches in Costa Rica, if not the safest, fitted with numerous coast guard shacks from North to South & cameras watched by the local police, ensuring safety in the water and on the beach.

A renowned world-class wave, Playa Hermosa beach in Jaco is famous for its monstrous waves. While Jaco’s unique shape gives it some protection from incoming swells, Playa Hermosa’s coastline juts out into the ocean and receives the full power of the ocean. Waves roll in strong and crash heavily upon shore—this is a surfing-only beach, and strictly for advanced surfers. Even if you don’t surf, Playa Hermosa is worth checking out. With black volcanic sand and lush greenery, the landscape is awe-inspiring. You may even be lucky enough to see some baby sea turtles, as Playa Hermosa is a well-known nesting ground.

A few minutes north of Playa Jaco, Playa Herradura is a small fishing town. With a magnificent mountain backdrop and spectacular ocean views, Herradura is worth a visit for the scenery alone. A horseshoe bay with the waters of the Pacific lapping against the shore makes up the coastline of Playa Herradura. Attracting fewer tourists than neighboring Jaco, Playa Herradura is a more relaxing and peaceful destination for a day in the sun. This is a great beach for families as the water is much calmer than in Playa Jaco. Los Suenos Resort & Marina is located in Playa Herradura.

A 25-minute ride south of Jaco will bring you to Playa Esterillos. There are three beaches in the Esterillos area—Oeste, Centro, and Este. Each has its unique charms. In Oeste, you will find La Sirena, a statue of a mermaid in the middle of the ocean that you can walk up to during low tide. You can also cool off in the many tide pools that appear during low tide. Surfers will enjoy the breaks in both Oeste and Centro. Este is more secluded, a long beautiful stretch of beach great for horseback riding tours.

Just north of Herradura, you will find Punta Leona, a gated community that surrounds the beautiful beach of Playa Blanca. As its name suggests, Playa Blanca is a white sand beach. Soft underfoot, this bright white sand is a nice change from the hot, dark volcanic sand of Playa Jaco! The crystal clear waves roll in gently, making this relaxing beach a great place for family outings and snorkeling. 

Quepos is a fishing town about 45 minutes from Jaco. While it is most well-known as a stop-through before heading to Manuel Antonio National park, Quepos has its own charms. This Costa Rican town is a must for sport fishers! The Marina Pez Vela was opened in 2014 and is a world-class spot for fishing and boating. The marina holds up to 200 yachts and is a hub for activities such as fishing, stand up paddle boarding, catamaran tours, shopping, dining, and more.

Famous for its “crocodile bridge,” Tarcoles is a town about 45 minutes north of Jaco. Tourists typically stop here on their way to Jaco to use the bathroom, grab a bite to eat, purchase some souvenirs, and check out the hundreds of crocodiles that are found sunbathing in the Tarcoles River below the infamous bridge. Make sure you bring your camera and don’t fall in!

Costa Rica’s national parks protect some of the nation’s most beautiful areas, and there are many very close to Jaco. While you are in town, check out Playa Hermosa World Surf Reserve, Manuel Antonio National Park, Carrara National Park, and Punta Mala National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll get to enjoy the beautiful tropical landscapes, amazing beaches, and plenty of wildlife friends!