Arrival, Information and Getting Around
Jaco straggles along a three-kilometre main road, little more than a strip of shops, restaurants and hotels. Turning off from this main drag are a few streets that head for the sea but never quite make it, petering out in attractive palm groves or the beach. This is the centre of town, although many accommodation options are found to the north or the south of this little nucleus. From San Jose buses leave for Jaco daily at 7.30am, 10.30am and 3.30pm (2hr 30min-3hr). From Puntarenas, buses leave for Jaco at 5am, 11pm and 2.30pm (1hr). From Quepos, buses leave at 4.30am, 11.30pm and 3pm (1hr 15min). There may be extra services on holidays and holiday weekends, but if you intend to travel between Friday and Sunday, especially in the high season (Dec-April) or on public holidays, buy your ticket three days in advance. The bus stops at the extreme north end of the village at the Plaza Jaco mini shopping centre, where the ticket office is also found, behind the Banco de Costa Rica. The Best Western Irazu , just outside San Jose on the way to Alajuela, has shuttle buses that go to its sister hotel, the Best Western Jaco Beach , daily. The Banco de Costa Rica, in the Plaza Jaco at the north end of town, has an ATM that theoretically takes Visa, though as with all state banks, foreign-issued cards may not work. The bank itself will change travellers' cheques , as will the Banco Nacional in the centre of town and the larger hotels, like the Best Western . The Banco Popular at the south end of town on the main road also changes travellers' cheques but, more importantly, has an ATM that will accept foreign-issued Visa cards. The ICE office in the centre of town (Mon-Sat 8am-noon & 1-5pm) offers an international phone and fax service. Many places rent mountain bikes and boogie boards (about US$2/hr or US$10/day - though note that bikes aren't allowed on the beach) and surfboards (US$5/hr or US$20/day). You can also rent scooters, for which you'll need your licence and passport - try Senor Bill's (daily 7am-10pm) on the main road near the south end of town. Locals advise against walking on the beach at night: hold-ups by knife-wielding characters have been reported. Otherwise, walking around town, even at night, should be safe, especially since a special contingent of bike-riding police have taken to patrolling the streets
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