I’m Michael Hernandez, 35. I picked Jaco for warm water and easy logistics, and it delivered both. I stayed in a Beach-Side Airbnb Apartment in Jaco and started each day with coffee and a walk.

My four: Ziplining through Rainforest, Catamaran Day Tour, Peppers Grill and Seafood, and Tarcoles Crocodile Bridge because where else do you see that from above? Everywhere I went, people were patient and helpful; no one seemed stressed, and it rubbed off on me.

Jaco Walk, Herradura, Playa Hermosa—easy hops. Ubers and taxis were fast; the bus worked fine and felt safe. The map around Jaco is generous: rainforest to one side, Pacific to the other.

A surfer told me to try a bakery I hadn’t noticed; I went twice in two days.

At night I drifted along the strip—bars, a dance floor, a little time at a casino—then walked home in warm air that smelled faintly of salt and sugar.

Jaco gave me a predictable gift: a predictable smile. I’ll be back sooner than later.