Destination Guides
Jacó Travel Guides
Jacó and the Central Pacific coast, reviewed and ranked by our team. Tours compared on live prices, time on the trail and what guests actually say.
Jacó ATV Tours: 10 Rainforest & Waterfall Rides Compared (2026)
Ten ATV tours in Jacó compared, from a two-hour ride above town to full days with lunch in a mountain village, with what each costs, who can drive and how big the credit-card hold is.
Read the full guide →All Jacó Guides
Tárcoles River Crocodile Tours: 6 Boat Tours Near Jacó Compared (2026)
Six Tárcoles River crocodile tours compared, from $40 boat trips you can drive to from Jacó to a Jacó pickup package and a biologist-led day from San José, with which operators still feed the crocodiles.
Jacó Zipline Tours: 7 Best Canopy Tours Compared (2026)
Seven Jacó zipline and canopy tours compared, from a $75 ocean-view course at Los Sueños to an aerial tram park and waterfall combos, with age and weight limits and the one course that is nearly two hours away.
Horseback Riding in Jacó: 6 Best Beach & Jungle Rides Compared (2026)
Six horseback riding tours in Jacó compared, from two-hour beach and jungle rides on sale from $40.96 to a waterfall ride with a natural pool and a quiet beach south of town, with ages, weight limits and who lets you trot.
Jacó Boat Tours: 6 Best Snorkel, Sunset & Island Trips Compared (2026)
Six Jacó boat tours compared, from Playa Fantasia snorkel and sunset catamarans to Tortuga Island day trips and private boats, with what each includes, how many people share the boat and which ones you cannot cancel.
Jacó Waterfall Hikes: 6 Best Waterfall Tours Near Jacó Compared (2026)
Six ways to reach the waterfalls near Jacó, from guided hikes past 10 waterfalls and natural pools to canyoning down them, a 4x4 safari with lunch and a self-guided trail, with an honest look at how hard each one is.
Tortuga Island Tour from Jacó: 6 Island Day Trips Compared (2026)
Six ways to reach Tortuga Island from Jacó, from all-inclusive catamarans out of Los Sueños to a private speedboat and cheaper trips that drive you to Puntarenas first, with how long each day really takes.
Jacó Food Tours: 4 Best Food, Farm & Chocolate Tours Compared (2026)
Four ways to eat your way through Jacó, from a sunset street food walk through town to a private tasting tour, a farm lunch in the countryside and a hands-on chocolate workshop, with what you eat and who each one suits.
Jacó in January (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & Dry-Season Beach Days
January is the heart of the dry season in Jacó: sunny days, warm sea, small morning surf for beginners and calm crossings to Tortuga Island, set against New Year hotel prices and Costa Rica's school holidays. Here is what the month is really like and how to plan it.
Jacó in February (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & the Driest Weeks of the Year
February is the driest stretch of the year around Jacó: clear views from the hills, dusty ATV trails, waterfall swims and warm, calm sea, with hotel rates that barely move all month. Here is what to expect week by week and how to plan around the weekend crowds.
Jacó in March (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & Semana Santa on the Beach
March is the hottest stretch of Jacó's dry season and the month of Semana Santa, when much of Costa Rica heads for the beach. The first half of the month is calm and steady; Holy Week, 21 to 28 March 2027, is the busiest and dearest week. Here is how to choose your dates and what to book.
Jacó in April (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & the End of the Dry Season
With Easter falling in March in 2027, April in Jacó is the quiet tail of the dry season: hot mornings, warm sea, gentle surf for learners and the first afternoon showers late in the month, at steady prices. Here is what changes through the month and how to plan around it.
Carara National Park Tours: 6 Guided Trips Compared (2026)
Six ways to see Carara National Park from Jacó, from a $35 guided walk to a dedicated birdwatching tour, a private tour with hotel pickup and a full day from San José, with how tickets work and when the wildlife is most active.
Jacó in May (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & the Start of the Green Season
May is the start of the green season in Jacó: mornings are usually bright, afternoons bring storms, the hills turn green and the beaches empty out. Hotel rates in our sample had not yet dropped, but tour groups are small and the town is calm. Here is how to plan a May trip around the rain.
Jacó in June (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & Green-Season Wildlife
June is the heart of Jacó's early green season: bright mornings, afternoon rain, lush forest and the quietest beaches of the year before July's school holidays. Hotel rates held steady in our sample until the last days of the month. Here is how to plan a June trip and what to book.
Jacó in July (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & the Mid-Year Holidays
July is the busiest month of Jacó's green season: Costa Rican school holidays and northern summer trips push up early-July hotel rates, while the midsummer dry spell, calm crossings to Tortuga Island and the first humpback whales and nesting turtles make it one of the better wet-season months. Here is how to plan it.
Jacó Wildlife Tours: 7 Ways to See Macaws, Crocodiles, Monkeys and Sloths (2026)
Seven wildlife tours from Jacó compared, from Carara National Park and the Tárcoles crocodile boats to a night walk, a private birding morning and a day in Manuel Antonio, with which tours let guests feed the animals and which don't.
Jacó in August (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & the Whale Season
August in Jacó is green season after the school holidays: steady hotel prices, quiet weekdays, the midsummer dry spell fading early in the month, humpback whales becoming a real possibility on the Tortuga Island crossing and turtles nesting just south of town. Here is what to expect and what to book.
Jacó in September (2027): Weather, Crowds, Prices & Peak Whale Season
September is the wettest stretch of Jacó's year and the quietest, but it is also the peak of the humpback whale season on the crossing to Tortuga Island. Here is what the month is really like, when to go and how to plan around the rain.
Jacó in October (2026): Weather, Crowds, Prices & Low-Season Value
October is the tail of Jacó's green season: rain on most days, the quietest beaches of the year and, in our check, the lowest hotel prices we found anywhere on the calendar. Here is what late October 2026 looks like, what to book and how to plan around the rain.
Jacó Private Tours: 7 Private Boats and Guides Compared, Plus 2 to Confirm (2026)
Seven private tours from Jacó compared, from your own speedboat to Tortuga Island and a private guide in Carara to birding, food and a full-day ATV ride, plus two more listed as private to confirm, with what private really means and how the price changes with group size.
Jacó in November (2026): Weather, Crowds, Prices & the Turn to Dry Season
November is Jacó's turning point: the rain eases from week to week toward the December dry season, hotels in our sample stayed near low-season rates, and the waterfalls in the hills run full after months of rain. Here is what November 2026 looks like and how to plan it.
Jacó in December (2026): Weather, Crowds, Prices & the Start of the Dry Season
December is when Jacó's dry season begins: the rain drops away, the sunsets return and the town fills up for Christmas and New Year. The first three weeks are good value; the holiday week is the busiest and dearest of the year. Here is how to plan December 2026.
Best Things to Do in Jacó, Costa Rica (2026): 9 Top Tours and Experiences
The best things to do in Jacó, from ATV rides to jungle waterfalls and a walk in Carara National Park to crocodile boats, Tortuga Island, surf lessons and a food walk, with what each costs and which to book first.
Best Things to Do in Jacó for Families (2026): 9 Kid-Friendly Tours Priced for Four
Nine of the best things to do in Jacó with kids, from a Carara wildlife walk and a crocodile boat to ATV rides, ziplines, surf lessons and island days, with minimum ages and prices for two adults and children aged 6 and 9.
Best Hotels in Jacó, Costa Rica (2026): 12 Ranked by Guest Score, With Prices
The best hotels in Jacó, Costa Rica, ranked by a weighted guest score across Jacó town, Playa Hermosa and Playa Herradura, with sampled nightly rates from $66 for two and a live map. Half of the top 12 returned no regular rates through us, and we rank them anyway.