I’m Ethan Powell, 31, and I booked a long weekend in Jaco Beach thinking it would be a quick reset before diving back into work. Somehow, four days here felt like two full weeks off. I stayed in a Beach-Side Jaco Airbnb Apartment that put me steps from the sand and a short walk from the main strip.

My trip was defined by four big experiences: Surfing on Jaco Beach, an adrenaline-filled ATV Jungle Ride, ice-cold beers and tacos at Tacobar Restaurant, and a night that bounced between a busy casino and a couple of packed dance clubs downtown. Surfing in the warm Pacific first thing in the morning felt like hitting a reset button on my brain, and the ATV tour gave me muddy boots, views over the rainforest, and a whole new appreciation for how wild the hills behind Jaco really are.

Every day started on the beach. I’d grab coffee from a nearby café and walk along Jaco’s long crescent of sand while the sun came up over the hills. After that, I decided whether it was a “stay in town” day or an “explore farther” day. I used taxis and Ubers to get to Playa Hermosa for bigger waves and to Herradura and the Los Sueños marina for calmer water and boats. Everything felt easy and safe, and even when my Spanish ran out, people were patient and kind.

The friendliness stood out. My surf instructor treated me like an old friend by the second lesson, high-fiving me every time I managed to stand up for more than a couple of seconds. A woman at a small soda near my Airbnb gave me a crash course in Costa Rican food and checked on me every time I came back. Everywhere I went—shops, restaurants, casinos—locals seemed genuinely happy visitors were there, not just putting up with us.

At night, Jaco flipped from relaxing beach town to energetic nightlife hub. I wandered along the main strip, stopping at beach bars with live music, ducking into a casino for a couple of hours, and hitting a dance club that was packed with both locals and tourists. Even when I walked back to my apartment late, I felt safe. The streets were lit, busy, and full of people just like me, stretching every last minute out of their vacation.

By the time I boarded my flight home, I felt more rested, sun-soaked, and alive than I had after longer trips to other places. Jaco’s mix of beach life, mountains and rainforest, casinos and dance clubs, and genuinely welcoming people makes it feel like time stretches in your favor here. I’m already planning the next “short” trip I know will feel much longer in the best way.