Article Information
Jaco offers several exciting activities that are perfect for families.
The first one is Carara National Park which is located just 20 minutes away from Jaco and is usually completed as a 6 hour tour. Here you can appreciate the diversity of flora and fauna in which you can see typical species of dry and humid forests. This national park contains bird species that are in danger of extinction. Birds are friendly but it is recommended to walk quietly and slowly. You can visit the park in only one day and you can reach it by renting a car or by public transport. It is the first national park that has an universal access trail, where you can experience being in the forest appreciating large trees and the relationship between some of the species. You can decide to make the tour with a competent guide or by yourself. Also, there are two hiking trails in Carara National Park: the first one is a 4.5 km called Laguna Meandrica trail that parallels the Rio Grande de Tarcoles. This last trail is closed during the rainy season because it’s often covered by a lot of water. The second one is short, 1 km, called Araceas Nature trail that starts and ends at the main Quebrada Bonita ranger station.
Another family activity is exploring the Damas Island Mangroves on a boat tour which brings you to the largest mangrove ecosystem in all Central America. Mangroves are one of the most important types of forests in the world and being a tropical country, Costa Rica has many mangrove forests.Here you can appreciate indigenous wildlife, birds, reptiles and fish from a boat. This tour is perfect for families who want to appreciate some beautiful scenery and wildlife. It is common to spot caimans, boa constrictors, herons, and over 100 species of local migrating birds. If you are lucky you may get the chance to see multiple families of white face monkeys.
The third activity you can do with your family is to do the Crocodile Safari. The adventure takes place on the Tarcoles River, one of the four rivers that flow into the Nicoya Peninsula, home of the world’s largest crocodile populations in the wild with crocodiles up to fifteen feet long. Iguanas and Jesus Christ lizards are very common too. Jesus Christ is their nickname because of their ability to function on top of the water by running away from predators. Usually the tour takes up to two hours.
The fourth one is to hike and explore Jaco’s rainforest. Visiting it from treetop level is something very special. An aerial tram offers a more relaxing and slow alternative. The tram is only ten minutes into the mountains from Jaco. It is owned and operated by a company called Rainforest Adventures. Along the way, you will also see amazing waterfalls from above in a gondola and then be able to go hike up close to them once off of the tram.
