Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BATTLING THE BLOOD SUCKERS
Whether you call them skeeters, mozzies or midges, everyone can agree that fending off
mosquitoes is one of the most annoying parts of traveling in the tropics. Although the sci-
entific evidence surrounding effective mosquito-bite prevention is circumstantial at best,
the following is a list of road-tested combat strategies for battling the blood-suckers.
Wear socks, long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, especially at dusk, when mosqui-
toes feed.
Eat lots of garlic (not recommended if you're traveling with your significant other).
Fill your room with the smoke of the ever-present burnable Costa Rican mosquito coils.
Invest in a good-quality mosquito net, preferably one that has been chemically treated.
Never underestimate the power of spraying yourself with DEET.
Information
There's no independent tourist-information office, though several tour offices will give in-
formation. Look for the free monthly
Jaco's Guide
or the quarterly
Info Jaco
. For cash,
there are ATMs everywhere, though the best rates will be found at the big branches like
Banco Popular.
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Aside from occasional petty crime such as pickpocketing and breaking into locked cars,
Jacó is not a dangerous place by any stretch. However, the high concentration of wealthy
foreigners and comparatively poor Ticos has resulted in a thriving sex and drugs industry.
To be fair, the local council has done an admirable job cleaning things up in recent years,
and these vices are not as public as they once were. But this is not to say that Jacó is now
squeaky clean.
Jacó is the epicenter of Costa Rica's prostitution scene. Assuming that the working girl
or guy is over 18 (not always a given), prostitution is legal in Costa Rica, but travelers
who wish to explore this dark corner of Costa Rican nightlife should carefully consider the
health and safety risks and negative social impacts.
Getting There & Away
