Best Time To Visit Costa Rica

The best time to visit Costa Rica – By season

Dry season – The dry season (called verano locally), from December to April, is the best time to visit Costa Rica to bask in the sunshine and participate in outdoor activities and adventures. This is the busiest time in the national parks and beaches. Average daytime temperatures in the Central Valley hover around 24°C. Along the coastlines, temperatures can hit 35°C. Though the weather is primarily dry there can be a few showers, especially along the Caribbean Coast

Green season – May to November is the green season (called invierno by locals) with frequent rain showers in the afternoon. These tend to come in quick bursts and stop as suddenly as they start. Mornings are typically sunny, and green season travellers can finish activity in the mornings and relax during the afternoon rainy hours. In the green season, there are fewer crowds on both beaches and rainforests. Rain makes everything lush, and it is mesmerising to witness a strong rain shower in the middle of the jungle. This is also the time when whales migrate along the coast, and sea turtles arrive at the beaches to nest.

Best time to visit Costa Rica – By activity 

Beaches – December to April is the driest and best time to visit Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. The Caribbean Coast, on the other hand, is driest between March and October. In September and October, when the rest of the county gets its heaviest rainfall, the Caribbean Coast is dry and sunny. 

National Parks – Costa Rica’s national parks, like Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve, Manuel Antonio National Park, and Corcovado National Park, hold an incredible variety of bird and animal life. Different species of sloths, monkeys, toucans, and macaws can be spotted year-round. However, it’s easier to spot larger animals in the dry season as they come to water sources, and the area’s trees shed a lot of their leaves, making the canopy thinner. 

Whale Watching – Costa Rica boasts the world’s longest humpback whale viewing season. Both Antarctica and Alaska humpback whales frequent its coastline during migration season. You can see whales in the South Pacific area from July to October and on the North Pacific coastline from December to April. The best places to spot whales include Drake Bay, Golfo Dulce and Ballena Marine National Park.              

Turtle Nesting and Hatching – August and September is the best time to visit Costa Rica for a chance to see the nesting and hatching sites of green sea turtles. Nightly turtle tours (Jul-Sep) are operated in Tortuguero National Park. For leatherback turtles, the peak season is April and May. For turtle nesting tours on the Caribbean Coast, the season stretches from March to October. On the Pacific Coast, the season is between May and November. 

Hiking – Blessed with picturesque landscapes, Costa Rica offers some of the best hiking trails in Central America. You may ramble deep into the rainforest, pass bubbling mud pools, or walk on surf-lashed beaches between December and April (dry season). 

Kayaking – Costa Rica abounds with habitats that can only be explored by boat, depending on the place and season. Paddle along mangrove estuaries, waterways, canals and flooded wetlands of Tortuguero National Park and Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. 

White-Water Rafting – May to October (the green season) is the best time to visit Costa Rica to raft its rivers. Raft down the Pacuare and Savegre rivers that rage with Class III and IV rapids.

Cocoa, Coffee and Sugarcane Plantations – Explore Costa Rica’s coffee culture, cocoa cultivation, and chocolate-making traditions of the northern highlands. Tours are available all year round, but if you want to harvest coffee, visit during October and May. Those interested in rum can also visit a sugarcane farm with a rum-tasting tour. 

What to pack for Costa Rica ?

With temperatures not varying too much, it’s easy to pack for a holiday in Costa Rica. Men and women can dress casually in comfortable T-shirts/tops, shorts, sandals, or flip-flops.   

• Beachwear: If you’re planning to visit the beach, bring your swimsuits and sarong. Bikinis and single-piece swimsuits are fine for women, and swimming trunks or shorts work for men.  
• Cool clothes: For the beaches and towns, light casual tops and shorts of cotton, linen or bamboo fabric are best. 
• Sun protection: The sun shines bright in Costa Rica. Carry a pair of sunglasses and a hat. Make sure your sunscreen is at least 30 SPF and pack it in a ziplock bag.  
• Warm clothing: It’s cooler in the mountains, so when visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve and other places at higher altitudes, bring full-length trousers, long sleeve shirts, and at least one sweater and fleece jacket.   
• Rainwear: Carry a lightweight rain jacket or poncho and an umbrella when travelling in the green or rainy season.  
• Footwear: For the beach, flip-flops and sandals are all you need. Pack a pair of sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots for Costa Rica’s cooler mountainous areas. Waterproof, breathable and lightweight shoes are suitable for hikes on most terrains.  
• Insect repellent: When outdoors, in mosquito-prone areas, wear a strong insect repellent. 

Let our travel experts create a bespoke itinerary that includes national parks and varied landscapes and takes into consideration the best times to visit Costa Rica. Call or write to us today.