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When looking for the perfect place to surf with friends and family, we do not just look at the size of the waves; we are looking for an intersection between many great things. Great food, great activities, great nightlife, great recreational activities, great weather, and of course great surfing.
Jaco is the ultimate intersection. With world class surfing on an expansive beach, warm water, perfect temperature, fresh fish and exotic fruits, followed by every type of restaurant and nightlife you would want; all in a safe, walkable, seaside town.
Jaco has a few beaches nearby, the closest of course being Jaco beach and then Herradura & Hermosa Beach being a quick drive way. Located in the Central Pacific, there are many exposed breaks and reliable offshore wind from the northeast. On a good day, the swell is from south and the southwest, which brings in breaking waves from both directions. The bigger waves are on the North side of the beach for more advanced surfers. Playa Hermosa near Jaco offers some of the best surfing in all of Costa Rica; with waves up to double head high.
Local surf shops can be found along both Jaco Beach and Hermosa Beach (Playa Hermosa), most of which have bilingual instructors. All levels come to surf in Jaco, from beginner too advanced, depending on the tide. So you will often see families or business travelers learning to surf at low tide with advanced riders pulling tricks on the waves at high tide when the break is cleaner. The surf is good, in fact so good that it is home to many of Costa Rica’s best surfers and the Quicksilver Surf Championships were held there in 2019.
To make things even better; it is only a scenic short two hour drive from San Jose, where the main airport hub is located. In a 30 minute radius from Jaco you can find ATV jungle excursions past cascading rivers too beautiful vistas, zip-lining between sloths and macaws, horseback riding to hidden waterfalls, bird and butterfly paradise for photographers. Come surf, come party, come eat, and come explore all that Jaco Costa Rica has to offer.
