Best time to visit Costa Rica

The best time to visit Costa Rica is between mid-December and April, but it all depends on what you want to get out of your trip. If you want beach days and outdoor adventures, then the dry season December to April is the obvious answer. That said, this is the most popular time to visit, which means busy coastal resorts and higher prices.

Best time to visit Costa Rica

The best time to visit Costa Rica is from mid-December to April. The dry season boasts plenty of sunshine, making it an ideal time for wildlife-spotting, lounging on Costa Rica's best beaches and outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking and white water rafting.

If you can, try to avoid peak season (the North American winter months). This is the most popular (and expensive) time to travel to Costa Rica. If you travel, then, you should weigh up the weather against the cost and the crowds. Bear in mind that you’ll have to book accommodation around three months in advance to secure a room

If you don't mind getting a little wet, visit Costa Rica between May and November when accommodation prices are low. Rain showers pause during June and July, offering a brief window for wildlife-spotting. Travellers keen to head off the beaten track should avoid September and October. This is when the rain is at its heaviest and the remote areas are inaccessible by road.

Best months to visit Costa Rica

The best months to visit Costa Rica are November, April (after Easter) and May, when the rains have either just started or just died off, and the country is refreshed, green and relatively untouristy. But that does not mean you can't visit Costa Rica in other months.

Weather in Costa Rica in January

The weather in Costa Rica in January is typically warm and humid, with average temperatures ranging from the low 80s to the mid 80s Fahrenheit (27-29°C) during the day and the low 70s to mid 70s at night (22-24°C). Coastal areas like Nicoya tend to be more humid, while the central valley has a more mild climate. January is considered the dry season in many parts of the country, although rain is still possible in some regions.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in January.

Weather in Costa Rica in February

February weather in Costa Rica is generally similar to January, with warm and humid conditions prevailing throughout the country. The dry season continues in most parts of the country, although some areas may experience occasional rain showers. Overall, February is the best time to visit Costa Rica for those who enjoy warm and tropical weather.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in February.

Weather in Costa Rica in March

The weather in Costa Rica in March is warm and humid, with average temperatures ranging from the low 80s to the high 80s Fahrenheit (27-30°C) during the day and the low 70s to mid 70s at night (22-24°C). This is the transition period between the dry season and the rainy season, so some parts of the country may experience occasional rain showers, while other areas remain relatively dry. Coastal regions tend to be more humid, while the central valley has a milder climate.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in March.

Weather in Costa Rica in April

In April, the weather in Costa Rica begins to shift as the rainy season starts in many parts of the country. Average temperatures range from the low 80s to the high 80s Fahrenheit (27-30°C) during the day and the low 70s to mid 70s at night (22-24°C). Coastal regions tend to be more humid. Rain is more frequent in April, especially in the afternoons, so you should be prepared for some wet weather. However, it is still possible to have sunny and warm days as well.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in April.

Weather in Costa Rica in May

The weather in Costa Rica in May is warm and humid, with average temperatures similar to April. This is the heart of the rainy season in many parts of the country, so you should expect frequent rain, especially in the afternoons. Despite the rain, May is the best time to visit Costa Rica if you enjoy lush and green landscapes like in Monteverde.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in May.

Weather in Costa Rica in June

This is the height of the rainy season in many parts of the country, so be prepared for some heavy rains, just like May. Coastal regions tend to be more humid, while the central valley has a milder climate. It’s a great time for adventure seekers, with activities such as rafting and kayaking or hiking the Arenal volcano.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in June.

Weather in Costa Rica in July

July is still part of the rainy season in Costa Rica, so you can expect warm and humid conditions with frequent rains. Average temperatures range from the low 80s to the high 80s Fahrenheit (27-30°C) during the day and the low 70s to mid 70s at night (22-24°C). Coastal regions tend to be more humid, while the central valley has a milder climate. If you are looking for lush and green landscapes and activities such as rafting and kayaking, this is your month.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in July.

Weather in Costa Rica in August

In August, the weather in Costa Rica is still warm and humid. This is still the rainy season in many parts of the country, so you should expect frequent rain, especially in the afternoons. Also, keep in mind that July and August are typical holiday months for European travellers, so expect higher prices and a bit more crowds. Despite the rain, August can still be a good time to visit Costa Rica.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in August.

Weather in Costa Rica in September

September marks the transition between the rainy season and the dry season in Costa Rica. This means that you can expect a mix of sunny and warm days, as well as occasional rain showers. Average temperatures range from the low 80s to the high 80s Fahrenheit (27-30°C) during the day and the low 70s to mid 70s at night (22-24°C). September is the best time to visit Costa Rica if you enjoy warm and tropical weather and are not bothered by the occasional rain shower.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in September.

Weather in Costa Rica in October

October is the beginning of the dry season, which is the best time to visit Costa Rica, in many parts of the country, so you can expect sunny and warm weather, with occasional rain showers. Next to that, you visit Costa Rica just before the high season which usually starts in December.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in October.

Weather in Costa Rica in November

November is the heart of the dry season in many parts of the country, so expect mostly sunny and warm weather, with occasional rain showers. Just like October, this is a perfect month to avoid the crowds that are coming in in December.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in November.

Weather in Costa Rica in December

Expect mostly sunny and warm weather, with occasional rain showers. December can be a great time to visit Costa Rica if you enjoy warm and tropical weather, as well as for outdoor activities such as hiking, surfing, and wildlife viewing. Additionally, this is a peak travel season for many tourists, so visitors should plan accordingly and book accommodations in advance. December is also a great time to see whales in Uvita.

Read more about the weather in Costa Rica in December.

Costa Rica peak season

Costa Rica is generally booked solid during the peak season, between December and April, when bargains are few and far between. The crowds peter out after Easter, but return again to an extent in July and August. Travellers who prefer to play it by ear are much better off coming during the low or rainy season (euphemistically called the “green season”) when many hotels offer discounts. The months of November, April (after Easter) and May are the best times to visit, when the rains have either just started or just died off, and the country is re-freshed, green and relatively untouristy.

Costa Rica rainy season

The rainy season in Costa Rica runs roughly from May to mid-Novomber. The weather in Costa Rica usually gives way to afternoon rains and sunny mornings. The rains are heaviest in September and October and, although they can be fierce, will impede you from travelling only in the more remote areas of the country – the Nicoya Peninsula especially – where dirt roads become impassable to all but the sturdiest 4WDs.

Costa Rica dry season

In the dry season (roughly mid-Nov to April), the weather in Costa Rica is mostly just that: dry all day, with occasional blustery northern winds blowing in during January or February and cooling

Best time of year for turtle-spotting

Five species of marine turtle visit Costa Rica’s shores: greens, hawksbills, leatherbacks and olive ridleys, and the strange blunt-nosed loggerhead. The loggerhead seems not to nest in Costa Rica, but can sometimes be seen in Caribbean coastal waters.

Turtle nesting takes place mostly at night, when hundreds of turtles come ashore at a certain time of year. The turtles tend to visit the same beach each time and lay hundreds of thousands of eggs.

The best time of year to visit Costa Rica for turtle-spotting varies, depending on the species. Loggerhead turtles come ashore at Marino Las Baulas National Park on the western Nicoya Peninsula from October to February. Alternatively, you can see them at Tortuguero National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve from March to May.

A little later in the year, from July to October, green turtles return to their favoured nesting grounds in Tortuguero, with some turtles travelling 2000km to reach their breeding beaches. Hawksbills also come ashore at beaches in Tortuguero, Santa Rosa and Marino Ballena.

Just a few beaches along the Pacific coast, principally Playa Nancite in Santa Rosa and Ostional Wildlife Reserve, olive ridleys storm the sands in their thousands – unusually, often during the day. This event is known as an arribada, and it lasts from July up until November.

Average Temperature and Rainfall

We've put together an average temperature and rainfall chart to help give you a rough idea of what to expect of the weather in Costa Rica in any given month. We've looked at three of the country's most popular areas - each very different - to help you get an overall picture: San José, the capital, in the mid-west of the Central Valley; Tortuguero on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast; and Manuel Antonio on the central Pacific coast.

Festivals and holidays in Costa Rica

Though you shouldn’t expect the kind of colour and verve that you’ll find in fiestas in Mexico or Guatemala, Costa Rica has its fair share of lively holidays and festivals, or feriados, when all banks, post offices, museums and government offices close. In particular, don’t try to travel anywhere during Semana Santa, Holy (Easter) Week: the whole country shuts down from Holy Thursday until after Easter Monday, and buses don’t run. Likewise, the week from Christmas to New Year is invariably a time of traffic nightmares, overcrowded beach towns and suspended transport services.

Provincial holidays, such as Independence Day in Guanacaste (July 25) and the Limón carnival (the week preceding Oct 12) affect local services only, but nonetheless the shutdown is drastic: don’t bet on cashing travellers’ cheques or mailing letters if you’re in these areas at party time.

• January 1 New Year’s Day. Celebrated with a big dance in San José’s Parque Central.
• January Fiesta de Palmares. Two weeks of dancing, music and horse parades in the small town of Palmares.
• February Puntarenas Carnival. A week of parades, music and fireworks at the end of the month.
• February/March Monteverde Music Fest. National and international musicians gather in the cloud forest town for a month of song and dance.
• March 19 El Día de San José (St Joseph’s Day). The patron saint of the San José Province is celebrated with fairs, parades and church services.
• Ash Wednesday Countrywide processions; in Guanacaste, they’re marked by horse, cow and bull parades, with bullfights (in which the bull is not harmed) in Liberia.
• Holy Week (Semana Santa) Dates vary annually, but businesses will often close for the entire week preceding Easter weekend.
• April International Arts festival. San José plays host to two weeks of theatre shows, concerts, dance performances and art exhibitions.
• April 11 El Día de Juan Santamaría. Public holiday to commemorate the national hero who fought at the Battle of Rivas against the American adventurer William Walker in 1856.
• May 1 El Día del Trabajo (Labour Day). The president delivers her annual “state of the nation” address while everyone else heads to the beach.
• May 29 Corpus Christi Day.
• June 29 St Peter’s and St Paul’s Day.
• July Virgen del Mar (Virgin of the Sea). Elaborately decorated boats fill the Gulf of Nicoya on the Saturday nearest to the 16th, celebrating the patron saint of Puntarenas.
• July 25 El Día de Guanacaste (Guanacaste Province only). Celebrations mark the annexation of Guanacaste from Nicaragua in 1824.
• August 2 El Día de La Negrita (Virgin of Los Angeles Day). Worshippers make a pilgrimage to the basilica in Cartago to venerate the miraculous Black Virgin of Los Angeles (La Negrita), the patron saint of Costa Rica.
• August 15 Assumption Day and Mother’s Day.
• September 15 Independence Day, with big patriotic parades celebrating Costa Rica’s independence from Spain in 1821. The highlight is a student relay race across the entire Central American isthmus, carrying a “freedom torch” from Guatemala to Cartago (the original capital of Costa Rica).
• October 12 El Día de la Raza (Columbus Day; Limón Province only). Centred on the carnival, which takes place in the week prior to October 12.
• November 2 All Souls’ Day. Families visit cemeteries to pay their respects to their ancestors.
• Christmas Week The week before Christmas is celebrated in San José with fireworks, bullfights and funfairs.
• December 25 Christmas Day. Family-oriented celebrations with trips to the beach and much consumption of apples and grapes.
• December 27 San José Carnival. Huge parade with colourful floats and plenty of music.