Probably one of the best bathroom signs I have seen at Los Amigos. They sell t-shirts with this logo on it.
I had not been to Jaco in a while – with said, a while back I wrote about how wild Jaco is and how I predicted that the desire for tourist bucks will change it. Needless to say, I spend some time checking out the ‘new’ Jaco a few weeks ago.
Those that experienced Jaco years ago had warnings about the lawless of the town. Druggies, prostitution, pickpockets etc, pretty much ran it. I’m impress how Jaco has changed. The last time I was there, old men with their bellies protruding from Hawaiian shirts with hookers on their arms was a common occurrence. And high-rise cranes littered the sky in development. Not anymore.
However, Jaco still has it problems, last August the mayor was arrested for embezzlement, illicit enrichment, misrepresentation and fraud and there are still those undesirables that cruise the streets and beaches, harassing gringos to buy drugs and other illegal items. Jaco has also become sorta the “no-mans-zone” for drug traffickers. This has increased the on-foot police force – which is a good thing as it gives the tourist a sense of security.
It is now common to walk the streets and see pairs of police hanging around on street corners and even walking down the side streets.
One of the things I do admire is that Jaco has a height limit on new construction and completion of the new central park gives the town a cultural setting.
Jaco's "New" Beatle Bar is now enclosed and is no longer open 27/7. They have also bumped up the cover charge to everyone, including to the sweet ladies.
The adult hot spots like the Beatle Bar and Monkey Bar have changed their style and are no longer open 24/7.
The well-known, hooker bar Poncho Villas is now closed, they do have good sidewalk smorgasbord where one can get a plate full of local food for around $5.00USD – a good deal if you are hungry and on a budget.
In fact, many tourist maps now ‘do not’ put the locations of the “once was” hot male establishments – another sign that Jaco wants to cater more to the family and elite lifestyle of the rich and famous, and of course all those tourist dollars and euros for sport fishermen, surfers, eco-gurus, birders, wildlife enthusiasts and nightlife action.
However, the NEW Jaco is a lot pricier. Don’t expect to get any great deals in Jaco. Hotels are still ‘somewhat’ reasonable, but food, nightlife, recreation, and souvenirs are about twice or three times as expensive. An exotic carved wooden sculpture of a dolphin about 6 inches high now sells for $38USD (ouch!) where the same will sell in San Jose Mercado Central between 15-$20USD. Drinks can be anywhere between 6 to 12 US dollars and a meal at a high-class international restaurant can set you back $100USD if not more.
Jaco’s ongoing prosperity has made way to a new variety of celebrated restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, US fast food franchises, health spas and entertainment venues.
Los Suenos Marina and Resort marketing group is targeting and attracting the rich and famous. And Playa Hermosa, sponsored the World Championship Surfing last year.
A few of Jaco Bars, Nightclubs, and Restaurants:
Ganeisha Bar and Restaurant – Located on Jaco Beach, next to the Balcon del Mar hotel and the Police Station. Great Music, great food and atmosphere. You’ll find a mix of tourists and locals there of all age groups.
Tabaco – A great bar, restaurant, and nightclub where you’ll find great live music Thurs, Fri and Sat. nights, pool tables, good drinks, and a great menu. Very good Seafood Soup and Shrimp Quesadillas.
Bohio On The Beach – Beach front Bar/restaurant and the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a tropical environment during the day, watch the surfers, and listen to great music. Famous for their “You Choose the Ingredients” Stir-Fry, and their Burgers, their menu is plentiful. Also a WiFi hotspot.
Jungle Bar – Located on the 2nd floor above the Subway Restaurant on Main St. The Jungle Bar gets hopping at around 10:30-11:00 Thursday-Saturday. High energy dance music, a large dance floor, full bar, pool tables, and a lot of fun!
Claritas is the hot spot for surfers and locals.
Vibraciones – Located on the first floor of the El Galeon Plaza in the center of Jaco, this late night “younger crowd” club gets hopping around 12 midnight and goes until about 4am.
Los Amigos, Sports Bar and Restaurant – Great spot to people watch and watch sports. Located right in the center of downtown it has good food and have a wide range of kick-ass smoothies for the non-alcohol customer. Its owners are three boys from Florida.
Claritas On The Beach – No doubt the best beach front bar/restaurant. Food is average but you can’t beat the beach views that packs a overflowing and diverse crowd at sunset and late night. Crowd age ranges from 21 to 70. Located on the North end of Jaco beach it also has a WiFi hotspot and hotel where check in is at the bar.
Lemon Zest Restaurant – Located toward the south end of town, and in the El Jardin Plaza, it is one of the best restaurants in Jaco with its international menu. Service and food is excellent.
I do have to agree, Jaco has a better display of jewelry, local painting, sculptures and hand crafted goodies then I have ever seen before. It has become a shopper’s paradise.
More more visit the Jaco Directory and the Jaco Blog.
I have been to Jaco several times with my family. We stayed at the Pariso Del Sol (inexpensive) and ate several times at Wahoos. The people were very nice and the food and accommodations were more than adequate. The zip line tour was awesome as well as the surf lesson we received from the guys at Jazz Surf Shop.
My family and I spent four days in downtown Jaco at the Monaco Condos a year ago this past August. We walked the entire town (not to casinos or nightclubs) and felt very comfortable, whether early in the morning or at dinner time or in between. No advances from drug dealers or any other undesirables, just friendly faces and greetings. Lemon Zest was as noted in your article — an excellent restaurant. We also found a nice bakery outlet just up the main street to the north that provided us an inexpensive breakfast of baked goods.