Top Things to do in Jaco District
Top Hotels in Jaco District
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The 10 Best Nature & Parks in Jaco District, Province of Puntarenas
Discover the best top things to do in Jaco District, Costa Rica including Royal Butterflies, Pura Vida Gardens and Waterfalls, Playa Hermosa Wildlife Refuge, Neo Fauna CR, Catarata Bijagual, Vista Los Suenos Horseback Riding, Playa Blanca, Jaco Beach, Hacienda las Agujas, Playa Mantas.
Restaurants in Jaco District
1. Royal Butterflies
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 110 reviews
Enjoy a relaxing experience whilst being surrounded by exotic butterflies with a lush backdrop of tropical plants. Learn about the amazing life cycle of the butterflies and walk along the river path whilst exploring the over 70 types of fruit trees being grown on the property. Cold drinks and souvenirs are available for purchase in the gift shop. Tour is $10 p/person. Free for kids under 6 years old.'
Reviewed By U3962DNjoell - Quebrada Amarilla, Costa Rica
I recently moved to Quebrada Amarilla. I am delighted to live close to the Royal Butterflies attraction. I just visited today for the first of what I expect to be many times and a place where I bring all visitors.. Dan and Donna showed me around. The setting is beyond beautiful. The attraction is on the same property as the most spectacular tree house I have ever seen. I have been recommending the tree house to all my friends. The tree house has beautiful views and is amazing from an architecture prospective even including a hidden room as well as all the amenities you would expect from a hotel room. The Royal Butterflies attraction is also surrounded by many other tall trees and close to a gentle river but well off the road and quietly away from the modest traffic. But back to the butterflies. The exhibit features extremely colorful and beautiful assortments of butterflies in a quiet and beautiful location. The setting was tranquil and I simply wanted to rest and absorb the fluttering creatures. I came out of the exhibit as if I had been in a deep relaxing meditation.
2. Pura Vida Gardens and Waterfalls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 400 reviews
Pura Vida Gardens and Waterfalls is unique in Costa Rica. It is truly a "Visual Masterpiece". The gardens begin with the natural beauty of Costa Rica and four waterfalls in the property with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. To this millions of plants, flowers and orchids from all over the world have been added. Manicured walkways meander long a river and at the crest of the mountain which make the entire 50 acre gardens accessible to all. Have lunch in our restaurant and browse the gift shop that offers authentic Costa Rica gifts.
Reviewed By Lnc12345
Took a bus tour to this out-of-the-way garden on a hilltop. Beautiful gardens with a view of the ocean & a waterfall. Owner is open & friendly. Driving in a bus is difficult due to winding Mt road. Worth it, however!
3. Playa Hermosa Wildlife Refuge
4. Neo Fauna CR
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Neofauna is a conservationist project focused on the reproduction, rescue and release of wild animals; this a private project financed by the sale of tours.
Reviewed By 928ilanah - Toronto, Canada
The place is a pretty little refuge in Jaco down a cute little street past a local school. The surroundings are lush and in March the shade was a blessing and there was a breeze! When we arrived there was someone there to greet us and to tell us what animals they had, how much it cost (25 USD per person) and where the money went to. As it was a conservation effort to save species we were fine with the amount! We set off with our guide who was kind and very knowledgeable. Our 3 year old daughter is normally quite shy but his demeanor quickly won her over. When we visited the different animals he told us why they were there and the treatments they were receiving. The butterfly area was gorgeous and beautiful- so many butterflies! Our guide went above and beyond to show us the animals and make us all so happy. I can't wait to go again! It was my daughter's favourite excursion in Costa Rica- including Manual Antonio!
5. Catarata Bijagual
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 70 reviews
Reviewed By EPHARDEE
20$ per person but worth it! Pretty decent hike! Definitely need good shoes and take the walking sticks they offer. I wouldn’t take my young kids but my teens could do it! It’s totally worth the view and up close view of the waterfall. Bring water and a snack to take a break before you head back up. It was pretty shaded and not to hot but we we started around 8 am and finished up around 11.
6. Vista Los Suenos Horseback Riding
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 155 reviews
Horseback riding is perhaps one of the best ways to discover the wonders of the rainforest; we have some of the nicest horses and the best views in the area, come and discover nature at its best in our private exclusive 80-acre property. We have 2 great options to choose from:Option #1 This is our signature 3 hour tour. The tour starts at our beautiful Herradura base just 10 minutes from Jaco Beach and Los Suenos area, once you arrive we will get prepared to depart on your journey, to the waterfalls and swimming pools, if you are lucky along the way you will have the opportunity to spot some great wild life such as: Tucans, Scarlet Macaws, White Face Monkeys. Upon arrival to the swimming area we will set up some fresh tropical fruits and water, and you will have some time to hang out and enjoy the waterfalls and natural slide. Duration: 3 hours. Departure Times: 9:00am, 10am, 1:00pm and 2:00pm. What to bring: Water shoes and swimwear , mosquito repellent, long pants, towel, sunscreen, sunglasses and camera. Includes: Bilingual guides, entrance to the Waterfalls, insurance, helmets, fruits and water.Option #2 This is our shorter version of our Horseback Tour, The tour starts at our beautiful Herradura base just 10 minutes from Jaco Beach and Los Suenos area, once you arrive we will get prepared to depart on your journey, this tour will take you to some great mountain trails, if you are lucky along the way you will have the opportunity to spot some great wild life such as: Tucans, Scarlet Macaws, White Face Monkeys. Duration: 1.5 hours. Departure Times: 9:00am, 11am and 1:00pm. What to bring: Long pants, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, sunglasses and camera. Includes: Bilingual guides, insurance, helmets, and water.
Reviewed By swtpike2020 - Great Cacapon, United States
Wonderful guides/staff, beautiful ride and well cared for horses. The staff is amazing! When you go on vacation as much as my wife and I do, you always prepare for something to not go as planned. We couldn’t wait for this ride. The horses are well kept and gentle. The ride was beautiful but my dismount from the horse was less than graceful. Ya’ll, I’m from Texas and grew up on a ranch riding horses and have had my fair share of accidents. I only say this to show that no matter what your experience level is, around horses, accidents can and will happen. I was wearing tennis shoes instead of boots and I have an abnormally wide foot. My right foot got stuck in the stirrup and when I reached down to pull the stirrup off of my shoe, I fell off the horse and dislocated my shoulder. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. One of the guides, Rodrigo, immediately moved the horses away from me, and would not let anyone move me until I was checked out. They contacted a private clinic and set up an emergency appointment and then one of the staff members, Jorge, drove my wife and I to the clinic and the doctor was waiting for me upon arrival. Jorge waited with my wife while I received expert care from the attending doctor. Once I was released, Jorge, a staff member from Vista Los Suenos horseback riding took us back to our house. The whole time, from the time we arrived, during my trip to the doctor, and the trip home they took great care of us! They treated us like family! Rodrigo, Jorge, THANK YOU! if you ever come to the states we only hope you will allow us to return the favor to you both.
7. Playa Blanca
8. Jaco Beach
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,608 reviews
Reviewed By 442kristiana - Naples, United States
Pretty beach, black sand so it looks a bit like dirt but still very nice. Plenty of different Surf Schools, most charge around $10 per day to rent a surfboard, or $35 for a surf lesson. Two loungers and an umbrella are about $10 but you can negotiate depending on what else you are renting from them. If you get a surf lesson, most of the time they will give you the beach chairs and umbrella for free. Tico's Surf School was great, it's owned by their 4 times national surf champion and all the guys working there are very friendly. We negotiated the use of 2 surf boards every day for $20, and most of the time they let us use 2 boogie boards for free as long as we rent the surf boards. Boogie Boards were nice and a lot of fun too, but seemed like a ripoff if you had to pay $10 for each. (You can buy MOREY at Costco in the USA for $25-$30 almost the same quality). If you can, bring couple boogie boards with your from the USA, it can save you quite a bit of money for a week or two. You can always leave them behind when you go back, or sell them to another tourist there for $20 on the beach... :) Keep in mind High Tide is when you want to surf on this beach, which varies throughout the week and it comes different time of the day. In the beginning of our trip it seemed to be around 3pm or 5-6pm, but then it changed to 9-10am towards the end of our trip. During low tide you can still boogie board but surfing is tough if not impossible. Kids can still learn to surf on the whitewash so it's still fun. Parking is free around there, but try to park closer to the beach and don't leave valuables in your car - we saw someone lurking around our vehicle signaling another person, so ended up having to move it directly on the beach from where it was, a little walk on an adjacent street. When you get to the beach with your car, some of the surf school attendants may try to signal you to park and tell you that you can park for only $10 for the day, but don't fall for it, parking is free. Just say no I'll just park for free instead... ;) Be careful on the beach during low tide, even though it's very shallow and safe, it starts pulling in pretty hard and we saw someone almost drown, had it not been for the lifeguards that swam way past the surf to get him. Low Tide - the water recedes from the beach towards the ocean, so it pulls towards the deep ocean. High Tide - water invades the beach, so generally speaking it pushes you towards the shore. Waves were consistent everyday, with Magic SeaWeed app showing around 3-4 feet surf, but when you got in it was closer to 6'-7' every day, with some monster sets coming out of nowhere that were probably even higher. Again, between the smaller waves and the larger sets, there are plenty of waves for everyone to catch. Very easy conditions for surfing if you are a beginner. More experienced surfers go to Hermosa Beach, which is the next beach to the south. It's more desolate, and untouched, and it hosts all the surfing competitions. If you have a chance, drive down that way for lunch and try Las Olas Ahi Poke Hawaiian Style - best spent 700 colones in Costa Rica! Sit on the beach in the shade, drink and eat, and watch the surfers. If you aren't an experienced surfer, don't try surfing there, go back to Jaco :)
9. Hacienda las Agujas
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 2 reviews
At just 10 minutes from Jaco is Located Hacienda Las Agujas, the only tour operation with is own private 300 acres of primary forest in which the tourist can delight in a exuberant vegetation and animal life, The diferente trails are perfect designed, the tours takes 2 or 3 hours arriving to the beach.Because we believe "Safety first" our client are covered by National Insurance Institute INS. Our horses are totally trained, we take care daily and the rotated the work are the trails using in rides. We are specialized in groups with or not experience small or bigger and all ages. Don´t think too much and ride as a cowboy with ours cowboys.
10. Playa Mantas
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 73 reviews
Reviewed By TravelwithAndre - Los Angeles, United States
Why nobody talks about Playa Manta and Playa Blanco? Well, because you can't get to it unless you stay at Punta Leona Resort; hands down the best two beaches in CR: one great for the family and almost empty every-time I go there, no waves, surrounded with Rain Forest, the other nice small waves for bogie boarding and absolutely the best in Costa Rica, respectively.
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