I’m Hannah Ward, 30, and I decided to ring in the New Year somewhere warm, loud, and fun instead of on my couch watching TV. Jaco Beach ended up being exactly that. I stayed in a Beach-Side Airbnb Apartment in Jaco just a short walk from the sand and an easy stroll to all the nightlife I could possibly handle.

My four main highlights were Surfing on Jaco Beach, an amazing Waterfall Tour in Bijagual, dinner at Green Room Restaurant, and a wild, joyful New Year’s Eve bouncing between beach bars and a local casino. Surf lessons gave me that satisfying mix of bruises and bragging rights, the waterfall tour showed off how lush and green this part of Costa Rica really is, and Green Room became my go-to for good food and live music.

Daytime was a mix of beach time and exploring nearby spots. I grabbed a taxi to Playa Hermosa to watch pro-level surfers, hopped to Herradura and the Los Sueños area to watch boats slide in and out of the marina, and rode a bus down toward Quepos and Manuel Antonio just to get a taste of how beautiful the coast is beyond Jaco. Taxis, Ubers, and buses were all safe and easy to figure out, even for someone who normally gets nervous about public transportation in a new country.

The people in Jaco and the surrounding areas were a huge part of why the trip felt so good. A café owner in town took the time to explain some Costa Rican New Year’s traditions, and a woman on the bus pointed out different beaches and little towns as we drove past, talking about how much she loves living on the Pacific side.

New Year’s Eve itself was kind of perfect: music spilling into the streets, fireworks over the beach, people dancing on the sand, casinos glowing along the main road, and this sense that everybody—locals and visitors—was just happy to be there. I stayed out late, moved between bars and a casino, met people from all over, and still felt safe walking back to my apartment at the end of it all.

Instead of starting the year in the cold, I started it with salt in my hair, sand on my feet, and a list of new friends in my messages. Jaco set the tone for the year I want to have: warmer, braver, and a lot more fun.