Best time to visit Central America
Watching turtles come up Nicaragua’s La Flor Beach with the children at Christmas made us realise, on so many levels, that ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ ![]()
This tropical terrain has heat, humidity, heavy rain and high elevation ‘hit or miss’ weather. The dry season is generally the best time to visit Central America which, in most countries, is January-March (or November-April in Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras). In Nicaragua the rainy season means an hour of rain in the afternoon, and it's gorgeous at this time of year. Costa Rica is driest and sunniest late December-April, but clouds lift a little later from Belize and Panama, around February. And with any rainforests, come rain. When you least expect usually.
Central America, month by month
Costa Rica wildlife vacation
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
US $4760 to US $5460
15 days
ex flights
Costa Rica tailor made vacation, highlights
Discover Costa Rica's natural and cultural wonders
From
US $2970
13 days
ex flights
Central America tours
Travel through 6 Central American countries
From
£3807 to £3981
22 days
ex flights
Costa Rica highlights vacation & beach
Short highlight itinerary covering city, forests and beach.
From
£1995
13 days
ex flights
Central America highlights tour
Experience five Central American countries in just two weeks
From
US $3450 to US $3970
16 days
ex flights
Central America vacation
Explore some of the very best Aztec & Mayan sites
From
US $3150 to US $4220
15 days
ex flights
Costa Rica Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
15
23
6
FEB
15
24
7
MAR
16
25
9
APR
16
25
56
MAY
17
25
261
JUN
17
25
296
JUL
17
24
205
AUG
17
24
282
SEP
17
24
372
OCT
17
24
343
NOV
16
24
155
DEC
16
23
36
Our top trip
Costa Rica wildlife vacation
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
US $4760 to US $5460
15 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2023: 28 Nov
2024: 13 Jan, 23 Jan, 27 Jan, 30 Jan, 10 Feb, 20 Feb, 22 Feb, 2 Mar, 7 Mar, 9 Mar, 19 Mar, 27 Mar, 13 Apr, 4 May, 11 May, 1 Jun, 8 Jun, 15 Jun, 22 Jun, 29 Jun, 13 Jul, 20 Jul, 27 Jul, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 7 Sep, 28 Sep, 12 Oct, 19 Oct, 5 Nov, 12 Nov, 14 Nov, 16 Nov, 19 Nov, 21 Nov, 23 Nov, 26 Nov, 28 Nov, 30 Nov, 19 Dec, 21 Dec, 28 Dec
2023: 28 Nov
2024: 13 Jan, 23 Jan, 27 Jan, 30 Jan, 10 Feb, 20 Feb, 22 Feb, 2 Mar, 7 Mar, 9 Mar, 19 Mar, 27 Mar, 13 Apr, 4 May, 11 May, 1 Jun, 8 Jun, 15 Jun, 22 Jun, 29 Jun, 13 Jul, 20 Jul, 27 Jul, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 7 Sep, 28 Sep, 12 Oct, 19 Oct, 5 Nov, 12 Nov, 14 Nov, 16 Nov, 19 Nov, 21 Nov, 23 Nov, 26 Nov, 28 Nov, 30 Nov, 19 Dec, 21 Dec, 28 Dec
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Jessica Schugel from our Nicaraguan specialist, Buen Viaje Tours:
“I think Nicaragua is great to visit all year because there is a festival or celebration almost every day. However, during the dry season, particularly March through May, it is very dry and isn’t as pretty. The rainy season doesn’t prevent you from doing anything, because the rains come in the afternoon, it pours for an hour to an hour and a half, and then it’s over. Easter week gets very busy. However Nicaraguans all go to the water, so the towns empty out. Which, for some tourists, is perfect. Purisima, the celebration of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, at the beginning of December, is non-stop fireworks throughout the month. “
“I think Nicaragua is great to visit all year because there is a festival or celebration almost every day. However, during the dry season, particularly March through May, it is very dry and isn’t as pretty. The rainy season doesn’t prevent you from doing anything, because the rains come in the afternoon, it pours for an hour to an hour and a half, and then it’s over. Easter week gets very busy. However Nicaraguans all go to the water, so the towns empty out. Which, for some tourists, is perfect. Purisima, the celebration of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, at the beginning of December, is non-stop fireworks throughout the month. “
Scott Marquardt, tour leader with our supplier Tucan Travel tells us the best time to visit Central America:
“Panama and Costa Rica in particular can get quite rainy from May to November, in fact “ticos” (Costa Ricans) call this their winter. Even so it’s still a lovely time to visit with fewer crowds. In general November is a perfect time to visit Central America, with the rain tailing off and still not too many tourists, although there is the odd chance of a hurricane or two coming up the Caribbean Coast.”
Festivals & events
In Masaya, Nicaragua, every Sunday in October and November, dancers perform El Baile de Negras to celebrate the city’s patron saint, San Jerónimo. Accompanied by traditional marimba musicians, they dance in the streets, in people’s homes. They dance everywhere. Beautifully and skillfully. And masked. Which conceals the fact that they are all, in fact, men.
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