Jaco is the closest beach town from San Jose since the new Highway 27 opened in 2009 cutting the driving time in half to about 1.5 hours. Only 10,000 permanent residents live in Jaco but the town is fueled by tourism. The surf is best for beginners in the South end of the beach where it is also safe to swim during low tide and even high tide with caution. The waves in the central part of the beach to…