I’m Kevin Ramirez, 36, and I came to Jaco Beach to test out the whole “working vacation” thing. I needed decent Wi-Fi, a comfortable place to stay, and enough fun around me that I wouldn’t feel stuck in a hotel room. I found all of that in a Downtown Jaco Beach Airbnb Apartment that was quiet for work but close to the beach and main road.

Four experiences kept my week from turning into just another week at my laptop: Surfing on Jaco Beach, a powerful Waterfall Tour in Bijagual, dinner at El Novillo Alegre Jaco Restaurant, and a relaxed but lively night at a casino in downtown Jaco. Morning surf sessions set me up perfectly for a few hours of productive work, and the waterfall tour, with jungle all around and cool water at my feet, cleared my head better than any office break ever has.

My days took on a nice rhythm: early surf or beach walk, a few hours of work back at the apartment, and then exploring in the afternoons. I used taxis and Ubers to visit Playa Hermosa, Herradura, and the Los Sueños marina, and I took buses farther along the coast toward Esterillos and Bejuco. Every ride felt safe and easy to arrange, even with my intermediate Spanish at best.

The people in Jaco made it feel like a place I could come back to regularly. A café owner noticed I had my laptop and pointed me to the quietest tables—and the strongest coffee. A tour guide on the waterfall trip talked with me about what it’s like living in Puntarenas and how important tourism is for the local communities around Jaco, Tarcoles, and beyond.

At night, I didn’t have to go far to find something fun. Some evenings I kept it simple with dinner and a drink, listening to live music at a beach bar. Other nights I wandered a bit more, stopping at a casino for a couple of hours and then strolling back along the main road, passing groups of friends and couples all enjoying the warm evening. I never felt unsafe walking home, even late.

By the end of the week, I’d managed to get my work done and still feel like I’d been on an actual vacation. Jaco’s combination of reliable infrastructure, friendly people, easy transportation, and endless things to do makes it a perfect base for someone like me who wants both productivity and pura vida in the same week.