Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
end shuttle buses would pick up beach-seekers in the city center and whisk them away to
the then-undeveloped Pacific paradise.
The secret got out in the early 1990s, when Canadians on package tours started flooding
in, though for the most part tourism remained pretty low-key. Things picked up a bit in the
late 1990s, when surfers and anglers the world over started visiting Costa Rica en masse,
though Jacó remained the dominion of Central Valley Ticos looking for a little fun and
sun. However, things changed dramatically as soon as retiring baby boomers in search of
cheap property began to relocate here.
In only a few years' time, Jacó became the most rapidly developing town in all of Costa
Rica. Plots of land were subdivided, beachfronts cleared and hillsides leveled, and almost
overnight Jacó became the exclusive enclave of moneyed expats. Ticos were happy that
development brought coveted Western institutions such as paved roads and fast-food res-
taurants, but as the initial flash of cash and glitz started to fade, some began to wonder if
they had inadvertently sold out the ground beneath them. The global economic crisis of
2008 was in some ways a blessing in disguise for little Jacó, halting construction of high-
rise condo developments, whose empty shells now languish amid razed open space.
Jacó's future is anything but certain. Optimists point out that the town is simply experi-
encing growing pains, and argue that drugs and prostitution have subsided with the in-
creasingly stable infrastructure. Pessimists are quick to retort that wealth attracts oppor-
tunism, especially of the illicit kind, and that the problems in Jacó are just getting started.
Regardless of which camp you fall into, what is certain is that the country is casting a
watchful eye on Jacó, and will ultimately point to the city as either an example of develop-
ment gone awry or a success story of wealth creation.
Activities
Swimming
Jacó is generally safe for swimming, though you should avoid the areas near the estuaries,
which are polluted. Be advised that the waves can get crowded with beginner surfers who
don't always know how to control their boards, so keep your wits about you and stay out
of their way. Riptides occasionally occur, especially when the surf gets big, so inquire
about local conditions and keep an eye out for red flags marking the paths of rips.
Surfing
