Kayak Jaco
Kayak Jaco
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About
Since 1998 Kayak Jaco has been introducing travelers to the joy of getting out on the water of the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The coastline is spectacular and the beaches are pristine. Our sea kayaks, outrigger canoes, stand up paddle boards and sailboat are the best way to enjoy these coastal waters. We don't pollute or disrupt the balance of nature; we just paddle through our small slice of it, not leaving a trace. If you seek "Fun on the Water" Kayak Jaco has the tour for you:• Independent folks love our kayaks• Groups and clubs are fascinated by our unique outrigger canoes• Those who are serious about kicking back adore our sailboat• People looking for exercise can try SUP. Snorkeling is included on these tours (when conditions permit) and it enables you to get even closer to the best that Costa Rica has to offer - it's nature. Since 1998, Kayak Jaco has been running safe, sustainable, enjoyable tours and we strive everyday to ensure that your trip will be a wonderful Costa Rica memory for years to come.
Jaco, Costa Rica
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
213 reviews
Excellent
191
Very good
17
Average
5
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Simone W
1 contribution
Feb 2023 • Couples
Sailing with Captain Neil on the Ashuma for my husband's birthday was the highlight of our trip to Costa Rica! Swimming in the ocean, sailing alongside dolphins, and watching the sunset while eating a beautiful fruit platter Neil prepared for us, was the nothing short of perfection. Not to mention that Neil is charming and personable with a wealth of interesting stories, and a real joy to chat with. He went above and beyond in preparations for our voyage - he had a birthday cupcake and candles for my husband, in addition to fully stocked array of fruit, snacks, and cold drinks. He even went way out of his way helping me and my husband get a special dinner at our hotel after the day of sailing was over. We will never forget that day!!
I would recommend Kayak Jaco and sailing on the Ashuma for any event you want to make truly memorable!
I would recommend Kayak Jaco and sailing on the Ashuma for any event you want to make truly memorable!
Written February 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not much I can add here other than thanks for the great review. I remember that dinner delivery. There are ocasionally some people's requests that you just have to make happen. I hope you are both well and doing great.
Written August 25, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Doug
Spring Green, WI6 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
We were visiting Jaco on our honeymoon and wanted to get out on the ocean without taking one of the big boats with lots of tourists to a nice beach somewhere. We enjoy canoeing so we thought a group kayak on the ocean would be fun.
By good fortune we ended up being the only two on our tour. Johan was a great guide and clearly lives the Pura Vida lifestyle. He was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and the local history and was good about taking breaks to let us catch up.
We aren’t regular kayakers but we know our way around a paddle. This wasn’t exactly easy, and was a little physically demanding. The ocean was definitely a little choppy sometimes but the boats are sturdy and safe. Johan catered the tour to our ability and what we hoped to do, so after about a mile of paddling we beached our kayaks and walked across playa Blanca to go snorkeling. You don’t need to be a great swimmer to do this but this was a moment of surprise for us that we were just able to be given gear and told to follow our guide.
There was some surprising traffic getting out of Jaco that added at least fifteen minutes to the drive, but their facility was easy to find. A short walk to the beech from there. Open air changing rooms and a place to rinse the sand from your feet.
Pura Vida!
By good fortune we ended up being the only two on our tour. Johan was a great guide and clearly lives the Pura Vida lifestyle. He was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and the local history and was good about taking breaks to let us catch up.
We aren’t regular kayakers but we know our way around a paddle. This wasn’t exactly easy, and was a little physically demanding. The ocean was definitely a little choppy sometimes but the boats are sturdy and safe. Johan catered the tour to our ability and what we hoped to do, so after about a mile of paddling we beached our kayaks and walked across playa Blanca to go snorkeling. You don’t need to be a great swimmer to do this but this was a moment of surprise for us that we were just able to be given gear and told to follow our guide.
There was some surprising traffic getting out of Jaco that added at least fifteen minutes to the drive, but their facility was easy to find. A short walk to the beech from there. Open air changing rooms and a place to rinse the sand from your feet.
Pura Vida!
Written February 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You paddled to our furthest destiantion. Johan must have felt you were up to the task, and it appears you were. Our guides have quite a bit of flexibilty when they decide the destination. Which might be dictated by peoples" abilities, wind, tide, group size and snorkeling conditions.
Within the time frame of our tour there are about 4 options a guide may choose in order to offer the best experience for the conditions of the day.
Thanks so much for the review. It is really appreaciated. And CONGRATS on your marriage. We hope to see you again on your 5th anniversary.
Written April 8, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
KellieFoster04
Temecula, CA30 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
My daughter wanted to go fishing for her birthday but with the high costs of gas a fishing boat was out of the budget. We decided to try kayak fishing and am happy we did. The first part of the trip was very relaxing. The waves and current were not too bad and you kayak past this amazing landscape that looks like a cross between Jurassic Park and Avatar with all the massive pelicans flying around. We paddled far to the location that was best for fishing. You definitely need to multi task with keeping your kayak away from rocks and the lines not crossed. We were lucky enough to catch a huge sea bass. Reeling it in was not easy but I got it!!! After the fish was put away we went to a private shore for some water, fruit and a small walk to a beautiful waterfall. Then the tough part. Kayaking back was not easy. The waves and current was tough so it was exhausting. We did have a major storm the night before so that could have contributed to it. But no matter what…. I feel you need to be in decent shape to do this trip.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DCKaty
Katy, TX20 contributions
Jan 2022
Was at Los Suenos for a week or so. Was solo so paying $2000 minimum for a boat at the marina was nonsense. I've never kayak fished so really wanted to try it. Was great. Very friendly guide. Caught Black Tuna from the kayak which was just a blast. Would highly recommend. They definitely need to raise their prices for the kayak fishing - currently $104 including tax for 4 hours). Oh, also stopped on a beautiful playa blanca where we had some fruit and the guide and I hand fed pineapple to Capuchins.
Protip: In the Spanish language directions they have a direct map link to their building. That was super helpful for the driver as I don't speak much Spanish and I think it's not the most common destination in the area.
If you fish you need to do this.
Protip: In the Spanish language directions they have a direct map link to their building. That was super helpful for the driver as I don't speak much Spanish and I think it's not the most common destination in the area.
If you fish you need to do this.
Written January 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Johnkat88
Chicago, IL25 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
Loved our sunset tour in an outrigger. A little tiring but just when you’re feeling spent you’re at the beach. The beach time was a highlight, swimming at sunset with my family was one of my favorite memories of our trip. The s’mores and crackers and cheese were also a nice touch. We went for bioluminescence but it was a bright half moon so you couldn’t see much. Our guide Leonardo had a tarp we put above us which did allow us to see the lights a bit. I’ve seen much better bioluminescent water in Puerto Rico but it was my kids first time and they were wowed even though it was less than optimal.
Written March 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your review and tour description. We can never guarantee great bioluminesence viewing, The amount of ambient light from the moon plays a big role in that. Sometimes it is amazing , sometimes it isn't. But the overall tour is a beautiful experience. This is a seasonal tour from December through April as that is our most consistent dry weather in the evenings. We can only guarantee that our crew will do their best to make sure you enjoy the conditions of the day.
Written August 25, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jem
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Couples
We had the worst time booking. All of the companies and websites funnel back to the same place. We chose to not go with a specific company due to you having a hard time booking, I chose another company, then the same lady emailed us back about what she “already told us” very rudely. Her name was Rox. Not sure if it was a language barrier or not but she was rude and inflexible. I booked and paid online for the afternoon tour and then thats when she told me they only have the morning available.
Even though I had the confirmation including the time I had selected. Don’t deal with that lady and make sure you book more than two days in advance is my rec.
As far as the actual kayaking, it was amazing, worth every penny and dealing with Rox for two days.
We did the ocean kayak tour and just took a taxi to their beach near bar restaurant agujas for about $20. We kayaked about 45 minutes to the jetty, did snorkeling for about an hour, ate fresh cut fruit and made our way back to the beach. We brought towels with us and just sat on that beach for hours, it was not as touristy as jaco and we had a great day! Bring tough water shoes, wear lots of sunscreen or a long sleeve shirt, and don’t bring anything you don’t want to get wet. i brought a disposable water camera, cant wait to get it developed
Even though I had the confirmation including the time I had selected. Don’t deal with that lady and make sure you book more than two days in advance is my rec.
As far as the actual kayaking, it was amazing, worth every penny and dealing with Rox for two days.
We did the ocean kayak tour and just took a taxi to their beach near bar restaurant agujas for about $20. We kayaked about 45 minutes to the jetty, did snorkeling for about an hour, ate fresh cut fruit and made our way back to the beach. We brought towels with us and just sat on that beach for hours, it was not as touristy as jaco and we had a great day! Bring tough water shoes, wear lots of sunscreen or a long sleeve shirt, and don’t bring anything you don’t want to get wet. i brought a disposable water camera, cant wait to get it developed
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm Neil Kahn of Kayak Jaco, and while we are sorry you had a such a rough time getting to our tour I'd like to let you know that you were not booking with us, but with an intermediary. Our reservation system is only through our site and your reservation came to us from another company. Our office manager and owner Yasmin read this and and was extremely concerned. In the future, try to find the actual website of the tour operator. In this case you would have had no headaches and saved $5 pp. https://kayakjaco.rezdy.com/
As far as our tour is concerned, we are thrilled you enjoyed, and our guides always strive to make the most out the beautiful beaches and ocean that we are so lucky to get work with.
Your comments on what to bring are perfect, and shared dry bags are always available at no charge.
Written February 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rob M
12 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
My wife and I had a great time - we kayaked about 45 minutes to a nearly beach. Along the way, our guide Jason pointed out interesting wildlife, especially trees and birds, including Pelicans. Jason always made certain we were doing well, felt safe, etc. Once at the beach, we had a leisurely snorkel, during which Jason pointed out fascinating underwater life. The water was calm, warm and very clean, but it’s not crystal clear. Still, we saw many varieties of fish. Once back on the beach, Jason prepared delicious sliced pineapple and watermelon. Plus, a surprise: Jason had found an oyster and we shared it, straight out of the water! The paddle back was fairly easy. Kudos to Neil Kahn for running a great operation - we hope to be back soon!
Written January 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glad you had a great time. We worked hard to find a location that the paddle times and general conditons and destination beaches were just right. Those factors along with great guides like Jason, make for a great tour.
Thanks for the Kudos.
Written April 9, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mtl Gal
3 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
Highly recommend the sailboat tour. Neil catered to our small group, some with reduced mobility, and executed a perfect afternoon on his lovely trimaran. Sailing, snorkeling and sunset watching along with delicious snacks and drinks and plenty of salty stories! Thorough safety drills and an immaculate boat and equipment made for a relaxing tour. We knew we were in good hands. We saw lots of fish including rays, a porcupine puffer, spiny starfish and a king angel. Our best day yet!
Written January 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adam G
9 contributions
Oct 2020
Our family of 4 did the morning kayak trip with Kayak Jaco on October 16, 2020. Both the owner (Neil) and our guide (Kenny) were amazing. We were the only ones on the tour and had a fabulous time for 3 hours kayaking along the coast, exploring the tide pools, snorkeling and finding the “secret” waterfall on what felt like a private beach. All along the way Kenny was so personable and professional and worked hard to find a place good enough to snorkel even though it was rainy season. He even took our oldest snorkeling by himself to find fish and starfish. If you are in the Jaco area this kayaking trip is a must do!
Written October 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so glad you enjoyed your tour. Currently and for the foreseeable future all tours at Kayak Jaco will be run privately at no extra charge. You are an adventurous family and we appreciate you making the effort to come to Costa Rica and enjoy all that makes us so beautiful. We hope you made it home safely and Kenny sends his regards. All the crew of Kayak Jaco are looking forward to getting back to work again on a regular basis.
Stay safe and thanks again for paddling with us.
Written October 19, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Juleigh D
2 contributions
Mar 2021 • Couples
Neil brought us out on a romantic sunset sailboat ride and bioluminescence swim. The highlight was definitely the bioluminescence swim. His boat is perfect for capturing the bioluminescence. He created a dark tunnel between the patrons of his boat that dramatically enhanced the bioluminescence experience. This experience was a highlight of our ten day trip. Neil was an accommodating host. We would recommend this experience to all our friends.
Written March 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karolina Ł
Warsaw, Poland
Hi, I’ll be in Costa Rica in March/April, is the night kayaking tour still in season? What is the cost? Thank you!
Written February 9, 2019
Kayakjaco
Jaco, Costa Rica
Yes it will be still in season. The cost is $70 pp if you have your own transport and $95pp if you need us to provide transport. We have a 3 person minimum to operate the tour.
Written February 10, 2019
My girlfriend and I are looking forward to kayaking and snorkeling. We like to indulge in adult beverages. What are our options for doing this on the trip? Would we bring our own?
Written January 20, 2018
Kayakjaco
Jaco, Costa Rica
The other answers were from out sailing tour where beer is included. INDULGING adult beverages on ony of our tours is not part of the itinerary. Hopefully you can handle a few hours without during our kayak tour.
Written December 28, 2023
I'm interested in the kayak/snorkeling tour. We're going to Costa Rica in June. Is this still enjoyable during the rainy season?
Written April 17, 2017
Kayakjaco
Jaco, Costa Rica
Hello Stacy S
The tour is enjoyable year round. It rains mostly at night in the Jaco area. And June is actually quite dry. Our water clarity( good snorkeling) is dictated by surf size more than rain. We will recommend our morning tour.
Neil Kahn
Written April 17, 2017
We are three women who have kayaked before. We will be staying in Jaco for one week in February.
We are interested in an evening kayak so that we can see the bioluminescent waters.
Can you quote me a price, times and details?
Loretta
Written November 20, 2016
Kayakjaco
Jaco, Costa Rica
We do offer a sunset ngiht tour where bioluminencense can be seen. For current pricing, availability and details please visit our website.
Written December 28, 2023
How much is the kayak/fishing tour? How is the fishing typically in mid-November using a kayak?
Written May 30, 2016
Kayakjaco
Jaco, Costa Rica
Our Kayak/ Fishing tour is $100 for 3 hours of guided fishing with all the equipment necessary using artificial lures. There is an additional cost if transportation from the surrounding area is needed.
As far as how good the fishing will be in November I have no idea. Some days its good and some days it isn't. Many tours return with no fish caught. If you enjoy casting the time away along beautiful coastline your, sure to enjoy the tour. Catching is a bonus.
Written May 30, 2016
Richmond Franklin
Helena, Montana
What is the cost per person for the kayak/snorkeling tour. The two of us would like to paddle our own kayak. We have experience with them.
Also, what is the cost of the sailing tour. We will be in Jaco during the last week of Nov. and the first week of Dec.
Thanks,
Jan
Written September 27, 2015
Kayakjaco
Jaco, Costa Rica
Hello Jan
I answered this yesterday but trip advisor sent it to me again, so maybe I messed up.
Cost per person is $65 w/o transport and $85 per person with transport from the Jaco area. We will have 2 single kayaks ready for you.
Sailing aboard Ashuma is private charter only. and the cost is
$250 for 2 hours-$350 for 3 hours-$400 for 4 hours-$480 for 5 hours.
We will look forward to hearing from you and if you have more questions don't hesitate.
Neil Kahn
Written September 29, 2015
I have tried contacting the hotel several times regarding a wedding and accommodations for 50 people. Email doesn't seem to work, I've gotten no response from Facebook and I tried calling and the email they gave me rendered zero response also. I need somewhere that is attentive if I'm going to be hosting an event here and planning from the US. Can anyone attest to their customer service for this type of thing. Also, can someone from the hotel please contact me? Thank you.
Written January 2, 2015
Kayakjaco
Jaco, Costa Rica
Hello Kelly D.
Glad you had a good time with us. I am not sure how I missed your misplaced note but if there is anything or anyone we can help you contact please let us know.
Sincerely
Neil Kahn
Kayak Jaco
Written January 19, 2015
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