In Defense of Costa Rica's Pacific Coast

Although locals laughingly call it "Jacopulco," you can still see scenes like this…

International Living Postcards--your daily escape

Friday, April 20, 2007
Jacó, Costa Rica

I think yesterday's Postcard might have given you the wrong idea about Costa Rica's coasts, particularly the Pacific Coast.

Exhibit A: Where are more and more tourists--and those in search of tourism-related real estate--going when they head for the beach in Costa Rica? To Jacó, on the country's Pacific Coast.

Jacó isn't a particularly new place on the Costa Rican tourism and development scene. Surfers have been coming here for years. (An international surf contest that attracts surfers from all over the world is held every year at nearby Playa Hermosa.) The long, wide beach with its white-gray sand is one of the prettiest I've seen in such close proximity to a town. And even though the building of hotels and condos is--like the surf--a steady wave, the overall ambience of the town is laid back.

Don't get me wrong--this is no sleepy beach town. You'll find good restaurants here based around every type of dining experience, from Thai to sushi to American, Continental, and more. And with a bar on ever corner (and most places in between), if it is nightlife you're looking for, this is your place (but beware the Beatle Bar--this is the heart of the town's "red light" district).

According to almost everyone I spoke with, Jacó's recent boom is thanks in part to Los Sueños Resort on Playa Herradura, about a 20-minute drive north. Anchored by the Marriott Hotel with its 18-hole La Iguana Championship Golf Course and world-class 200-slip marina, Los Sueños is a 1,100-acre mixed-use resort and residential community. No one argues the impact it has had on this entire stretch of Costa Rica coast.

To the south of Jacó--between here and Quepos (and the famous Manuel Antonio National Park)--you'll find long stretches of beautiful countryside and pristine beaches. At Esterillos, another mixed-use project is planned. Plans there include a hotel, an 18-hole Billy Casper-designed golf course, and a couple of beach clubs…one of a more rustic variety to accommodate horse riders. Believe it or not, the beach here…at a town called Esterillos…is even prettier than the one found at Jacó.

My recommendation: If you're looking for fun in the sun, but plenty to do after the sun goes down, head for Jacó. You'll find plenty of hotels to choose from. You can get here via a two-hour drive from the airport at San José. A new toll road is being built that will reportedly reduce drive time from the capital city by about an hour. When the road is completed, watch out…this area will become even more appealing to investors and tourists.

Brandon Clogston
For International Living

Editor's note: We can't wait to tell you more about what we learned during our Return to Costa Rica, much more than we could possibly fit into but one week of Postcards. That's why we've launched a new free service: The Costa Rica First Alert. Sign up here. Guaranteed to be valuable, fascinating, entertaining…and free.