ISLAND GUIDE
The tours and day trips worth booking.
The 15 top-rated things to do in Jaco — the boat trips, beach days, volcano hikes and old-town wanders worth building a day around, with real prices and who to book each one with.
Jaco’s 10-waterfall hike with ropes, monkeys, and swimming pools plus a Costa Rican lunch at Finca Los Solís.
Most Popular“The staff were very kind and hospitable. Our guides helped us along the trail. The hike was a bit extreme at times but they made sure we felt safe and secure. The water falls were beautiful and we had fun jumping off the cliff into the cold refreshing water. After we made it back, they…”
Jaco’s Monkey, Crocodile, Sloths & Beach tour blends capuchins, Tarcoles crocodiles, local lunch, and sloth-spotting by the sea.
“Every thing was exactly as advertised. Great experience and something you should do when visiting this area Great guide and great driver. Friendly and very knowledgeable”
Full-day Tortuga Island cruise from Jaco with snorkeling gear, meals and unlimited rum punch, plus views, music, and island beach time.
“I had an amazing time, the staff is very friendly and helpful with making sure you are having a good time. The food was pretty good but wish they had a different breakfast option than what was provided. We did get to see many wildlife as we traveled like, whales, dolphins and a sea turtle…”
Sun-soaked Isla Tortuga day trip from Jaco with transportation, snorkeling, and lunch, plus beach time, dolphins, and optional extras.
“We loved the boat rides and the island!! Lots of food/drinks included in the price. Marcela was so sweet along with the rest of the crew!! However, there was a little lack of communication beforehand. The port is actually 1.5 hours from Jacó which we were not aware of before booking. Also, while the boat…”
Guided Manuel Antonio hike from Jaco with rainforest wildlife spotting, included meals, and a swim stop inside the park at day’s end.
“Being able to see sloths monkeys and the beach with Ely our guide with our tour group was truly amazing.”
Private air-conditioned SJO–Jaco/Los Sueños transfer with WiFi, cold drinks, and a Tárcoles Bridge crocodile stop.
“Very easy pickup and transportation to our destination. Randall was friendly, knowledgeable and stayed with us until we were settled with our rental car. Highly recommend this transportation serivce!”
Jaco Beach group surf lesson plus beach day. 2 hours of coaching, gear included, surfboard to keep, chairs and umbrellas.
“We had such a great experience with the instructors. My daughter is 6 and has a fear of swimming. She was very nervous about surfing, but Giovanni was so great with her! He got her up on a board and she ended the lesson with a smile. The professional photographer on site was really nice…”
5 hours of ATV jungle trails, waterfall rappelling, and 2000 m zip lines near Jaco, Costa Rica, with gear, guides, and light snacks.
“The scenery was excellent, the staff was fun, energetic, friendly, well prepared and knowledgeable. ATVing through horses, tractor haul through acres of land, definitely do the waterfall repel! And the best ziplining in Jaco/Hermosa area. Top it off with some of the best grilled chicken we've had in CR and homemade juice to go with…”
Jaco cacao-to-chocolate class with rainforest walk, hands-on making, all-you-can-eat tastings, and hot chocolate at Vista Los Sueños.
“My wife and I chose to do this during our visit since it’s unlike activities we’ve seen/done before. This was different for us because we usually go for the more adventurous stuff, but we had a good time. Our tour guide Mary was fun, friendly, knowledgeable, and spoke English very well. I’d recommend this to…”
Horseback along Esterillos beach near Jaco with CR Beach Barn. Small group, calm guides Micha and Sylwia, wildlife, and sunsets.
“One of the best experiences of my life. The experience was well-organized and done along an endless, beautiful stretch of beach next to the jungle. Silvia took her time, took incredible photos and videos, and guided me through how to maneuver on her horses, which were also absolutely beautiful. The pictures from this are magazine-cover…”
Private speedboat day to Tortuga Island with early snorkel, Subwings, spider monkeys, and a shaded beach setup with lunch and drinks included.
“This is a great day for everyone in your party! Snorkeling, lounging, sub wing, a delicious lunch-and spider monkeys. Captain Robert is a solid dude, and when you see the boats crammed to the brim with people you will be so grateful to have your own boat, to spend the day as you wish. We…”
ATV, zipline, Catarata Bijagual waterfall, and a tilapia-farm lunch near Jaco. A full 6-hour jungle combo for $179.
“The whole family had a blast on the ATVs. Made frequent stops to admire scenery and to be checked with tour guides that we were all doing good. Stopped by a waterfall and was able to enjoy water taking photos and cooling off in the water. Our tour guides assisted in taking photos of our…”
Savegre River class II–III rafting from Jaco with early pickup, rainforest wildlife, a waterfall stop, and breakfast, lunch, snacks, and safety gear.
“Great trip with great guides. Highly recommend! They will take good care of you on the river and feed you a good breakfast and lunch at an authentic Costa Rica restaurant.”
Guided Jaco street art and graffiti walk with Josué. See murals from park to beach to downtown, learn the town’s story for $39.
“Beautiful artwork on the sides of buildings in Jaco. We had a very friendly guide that had good background information on the murals that we saw.”
Private 3-hour birdwatching and photography with Sergio in Jaco and Carara National Park, plus scope-assisted phone shots and 20–40 species.
“Sergio is an amazing guide. He's extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife in Costa Rica as well as photography as a whole. We were very lucky to see many species of birds, snakes, monkeys, crocodiles, insects, trees, plants etc. I highly recommend this tour if you are staying close to Jacó. Sergio es un guía maravilloso.…”
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