Jaco vs. Puerto Viejo: A Tale of Two Coasts
Costa Rica is a country that seems to have the “yin/yang balance” thing down, and nowhere is that more clear than when you compare the west coast and the east coast. No matter what kind of traveler you are, you’re sure to find something on one side or the other of this tiny country to fit you like a glove.
So… what do you feel like doing when you travel? We want you to get what you want! It’s why we all travel, no? Here we’ll compare some of the ways that the west coast towns like Jaco and Herradura and the east coast towns like Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo differ. All told, they are as different as night and day. Like Toupac and Biggy. Like Laverne and Shirley. Pinky and The Brain. Bachelor parties and Bachelorette parties. If you will. (And… we know you will.)
West Coast – Jaco – “Party Pants required. Or no pants. Whatever.”
Ah, Jaco. So sexy. Where the scenery is epic and so is the night life. If you’re looking for a good time, look no further than this fun beach town where almost anything goes! Located on the central west coast, Jaco beach is as beautiful and luxurious as it is raw and gritty. If you’re bad to the bone, you can wave that flag right here along with all the folks who contribute to the party atmosphere for which Jaco has become famous.
Prostitution is legal. Drugs of all kinds can easily be found, and may or may not be legal depending on who you ask. This means that from time to time things can get a little wild, and you should definitely keep an eye on your stuff, but it also means that letting your hair down is expected. Neigh, it is required. You don’t have to wear pants, but if you do, they should be of the party variety and appropriate for the booty shaking dance fest that you will no doubt be attending. Days are filled with ATV and canopy tours, and night time is the right time for a beach bonfire or testing your liver’s mettle.
West Coast – Herradura – “I only drink Patron, my golf handicap is 2, and I always, always catch the Big Fish”
If the name of your vacation game is decadence, this resort town located just northeast of Jaco is for you. Love a fancy all-inclusive resort? Look no further. Working like a dog for those two blessed weeks of no 7am conference calls with China? Try the Herradura, it goes down easy and vacation photos will have all your corporate frenemies swooning.
Home to a world-class marina, the jumping off point for your once in a lifetime deep sea fishing adventure. Land of the hot pool boy and the cold pink cocktail. Where perfectly manicured overachieving golf courses go to feel bad about themselves. Over the top luxury and a true departure from your workaday routine are to be found here and in many of the surrounding coastal towns, which are turning this side of Costa Rica into the South Beach of, well, the south.
So in a nutshell, if the west coast could talk, it would say “Bring me your tired self. Spend your entire savings here. Drink the drink. Dance with the cutie over there at the bar. I won’t tell anyone. Promise.”
East Coast – Puerto Viejo – “I like my people like I like my hotels: low profile and without the attitude.”
Things you won’t find in Puerto Viejo: pretentious resorts, high maintenance people, fast food, glitz, or Hollywood-flavored anything. But if extreme hammocking is the one sport you truly excel at, give Puerto Viejo a long look. Folks here are mellow and sweet, there’s not a Pizza Hut anywhere in the vicinity, and watching an early sunrise over coffee in your tiny beach shack is most people’s idea of an exciting morning. Handmade pasta. A melting pot of nationalities. World class surfing, and the sexy surfer bodies that are drawn here like bees to honey. Yoga. Theater. Art. Workshops. Yoga workshops. Yoga teacher trainings. Yoga for newbies. Yoga for the spiritual gangster. Yo! We have yoga here! … if you’re into that. But if you’re not, it’s cool. Try belly dancing. Or a nice quiet day on the beach. We mentioned about the hot surfers right? Yeah, the scenery is to die for. Believe that.
East Coast – Manzanillo – “I dunno, I thought maybe we could just chill today. Like yesterday. And probably tomorrow.”
Located just north of the Panamanian border is the sleepy town of Manzanillo, home to more of those sexy surfers you’ve come to expect from the south Caribbean coast, and, well… a LOT of Bob Marley souvenirs. A great place to hike, paddle, snorkel, and generally laze about, Manzanillo is a cradle of Afro-Caribbean culture and the lovely laid-back vibe that seems to go hand in hand with its people. Buy yourself a shot glass with Bob Marley’s face on it, and a beach blanket with Bob Marley’s face on it, and a bottle of rum (probably you can find one with you-know-who on it you should at least try), and stake your claim on some unspoiled sand. Drink the drink. Kiss the girl. Live the dream. Satisfy your soul, you know you want to.
And because it’s so close to Panama, Manzanillo is a great place to post up if you’re thinking your Costa Rican vacation could use a little Panamanian flavah. Two countries, one vacation. Who says you’re lazy? Some might say you’re a multi-tasking travel genius. In flip flops. Because you’re chill like that.
If what you need is peace and quiet, the South Caribbean coast is for you. Where the West coast might be compared to South Beach Florida with its Spring Break “WOOHOOO!!!!” kind of feel, this coast is more like Monterrey or Carmel California: its artsy, accepting, sweet, and real. No artificial colors or flavors. Because ewww.
If the east coast could talk, it would most definitely say (while wearing a Rasta beanie and with a Bob Marley accent, of course): “Relax, mon. Sit back with me and squish the sand between your toes. A friendly game of Dominoes is tonight at the bar, and morning yoga starts at 7.”