After only one night in El Tanque Rojo, Nicaragua it was time to go to Jaco, Costa Rica on a riding day of only 230+ miles (377 kilometers) a trip which took me all up around eight hours.
Even though I was early approaching the border at Peñas Blancas I encountered quite a lot of traffic and the usual hordes of “helpers”. However, I was getting a lot more comfortable now, but still for $10 was worth hiring a guide to get me through.
I met a few other adventure riders here. One great little family from the USA (Father, Mother, and Daughter) and heard all about their little adventure south. Great family, inspiring!
I had a really good day riding today, although my front tire was still leaking at about 1 PSI an hour, which needed extra air about every 6 hours or so.
The bike was running well though and had not seemed to have suffered from its little”off road” adventure the day before.
By the time I reached the border, I still had a good 6 hours riding to get me to Jaco, Costa Rica.
This border crossing was filled with tourists and had a little bit of a carnival feel to it.
The border crossing occurred in mid-November 2016 on a KTM 1290 Super Adventure Motorbike. I headed for the Peñas Blancas crossing and got there around 10 am.
Jaco, Costa Rica
Jaco is a town on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, southwest of the capital city, San José. It’s known for its surf beaches and nightlife, and as a gateway to national parks. Rocky, gray-sand Jacó Beach is west of town. Southeast, Hermosa Beach has big waves. To the north, Carara National Park has crocodiles at Tárcoles River and scarlet macaws. Nearby, a path through rainforest leads to Bijagual Waterfall. From Wikipedia
Oceano Boutique Hotel & Gallery, Jaco
I stayed at the Oceano Boutique Hotel & Gallery in Jaco. This hotel was about 500 meters from the main strip and quite a new hotel. Service was really good, rooms were lovely and I even had a little spa bath on the balcony (good for washing my riding gear) Again, Wifi was just average. I only had one meal here, and it was only average.
They had security 24/7 and I was able to park my bike right out the front. The bedding was nice and aside from the street noise, it was a cool place.
It has a nice little swimming pool and dining area as well. I stayed 2 nights in Jaco. Which is a very touristy town.