The School of the World is located in Jaco, Costa Rica.  Jaco is about 90 minutes from San Jose and is on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Jaco is a cool beach town with something for everyone.  Our campus is in a quiet neighborhood less than a 10 minute walk to the beach.

You will want to fly into Juan Santa Maria airport (SJO) in San Jose. We can arrange for an airport pickup for $90 US. When possible we help arrange car pool for guests arriving at the same time so they can share the costs. If you would like us to organize this for you we will need your flight number, airline name and arrival date and time.

The recommended airport to fly to is SJO airport (Juan Santa Maria airport in San Jose, Costa Rica). There are several options for transportation to the school from the airport in San Jose.

The first is a private taxi which would meet you at the airport and bring you directly to the school. The cost is $90 (US) and can be shared by up to five people. We try and pair students together when possible but there are no guarantees due to delayed/missed flights, etc.  We are located approximately 1.5 hours from the airport by this method. This option is the easiest and fastest, but also can be the most expensive. Just let us know if you like this option and we will arrange everything for you.

The second option is a bus service called Grayline (http://www.graylinecostarica.com/transportation/airport_shuttles.php ) or Interbus (https://www.interbusonline.com/home/home.asp# ). These are 8-10 passenger vans that offer service to and from San Jose. Their schedules are limited to one to three trips per day and your airplane would have to arrive at a time that lines up with their schedule in order to use their service. The cost is around $40 (US). This service is comfortable and cheaper than the private taxi. You would have to call them to make a reservation, you can find the numbers on the websites.

The last option is the public bus (https://www.transportesjacoruta655.com/venta/venta.php). This option currently cost around $5 (US), but you would have to catch a bus or cab to the bus station in downtown San Jose (30-40 minutes from the airport. The bus station is called “Terminal 7-10” in San Jose), then wait for the next available bus to Jaco. They run about every 2 hours, and the bus ride is approximately three hours long. The last bus currently leaves at 7:00pm. This option is the cheapest by far but you would need to speak a little Spanish and feel comfortable navigating your way into San Jose.

The Playa Jacó / Hermosa area is widely regarded as the most consistent surf in the country. The water temperature stays warm year round and the variety of breaks in the area ensures uncrowded waves for everyone. The green season in Costa Rica (from May to November) is also considered “peak” time for surfing because that is when we receive southerly swells.  The waves average 3-4 feet and up, and can be sizeable at times. If you’re an advanced surfer looking for the best surf conditions, this is the best time of year for waves. 

The Dry season in Costa Rica (from December through April) averages a little smaller waves than Green season waves, but are still very consistent and great for beginner to intermediate surfers. There are very few days of the year when we are unable to surf.  In the event we are unable to surf, we plan other activities like workshops, balance training, etc.

The Green season in Costa Rica, which goes from May to November, normally brings sunny mornings with showers in the afternoons and during the night. The showers, which can be hard rain, are usually short. During the dry season, from December to April, the sun shines all day long, and there is little to no rain.  The temperature is pleasant most of the time; it ranges between 68 and 92° Fahrenheit (20-33 Celsius) throughout the year. Humidity ranges from 60-80% throughout the year. Both the Pacific (where we are located) and Atlantic coasts, as well as the lower regions of the country are warm, while the central higher areas can be cooler.

The Green season in Costa Rica, which goes from May to November, normally brings sunny mornings with showers in the afternoons and during the night. The showers, which can be hard rain, are usually short. During the dry season, from December to April, the sun shines all day long, and there is little to no rain.  The temperature is pleasant most of the time; it ranges between 68 and 92° Fahrenheit (20-33 Celsius) throughout the year. Humidity ranges from 60-80% throughout the year. Both the Pacific (where we are located) and Atlantic coasts, as well as the lower regions of the country are warm, while the central higher areas can be cooler.

As far as the weather goes, we can sometimes have a bit more rain in late September into October. The amount of rain during that time depends on the hurricanes that pass in the southern part of the United States. The number of hurricanes from year to year is hard to predict, but there are typically more hurricanes in late September-October, so that increases the chance of rain. Sometimes the hurricanes do not affect us at all and Costa Rica has never been hit directly with a hurricane. The outer bands are what bring us the rain. The last few years we have seen below average rainfall during these months.

It is not necessary to change your dollars ahead of time, as they are accepted in most tourist towns and areas of Costa Rica. You can also withdraw money in the local currency through an ATM or exchange money at one of the local banks if you wish.

For the most up to date medical information for travelers check with the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga. U.S.A. www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm Malaria medication and other tropical disease preventatives are usually only recommended if you plan to travel to the remote regions of the rainforest.

Yes!  This is subject to room availability, so let us know as soon as possible if you want to stay longer.