Best time to visit Costa Rica
Happily, the best weather coincides with Christmas, new Year, spring half term and the worst of the northern winters.![]()
Despite its skimpy scale, Costa Rica's mountains, rainforests, cloud forests and Pacific and Caribbean coasts mean that temperatures and rainfall vary wildly. Late December to April is driest and sunniest and the northern Pacific experiences less rain, but this is still rainforest: bring waterproofs and quick drying clothes regardless of the season. San José and the Central Valley are springlike year-round, while high peaks experience frost. The cool cloud forests provide respite from the lowland heat – plus the relentless bugs.
Costa Rica, 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 highlights vacation & beach
Short highlight itinerary covering city, forests and beach.
From
£1995
13 days
ex flights
Costa Rica vacation, coast to coast
Costa Rica from the Caribbean to the Pacific
From
£2140 to £4885
16 days
ex flights
Costa Rica wildlife vacation, Coastal Secrets
Wildlife rich waterways of Tortuguero to the dense jungle
From
US $5180 to US $5740
15 days
ex flights
Costa Rica tour
Explore the Caribbean coast to the Pacific
From
US $2365 to US $2800
15 days
ex flights
Costa Rica small group adventure vacation
Volcanoes, wildlife, rainforests, beaches & adventure!
From
£1279 to £1599
16 days
ex flights
Costa Rica Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
23
32
3
FEB
23
33
2
MAR
23
33
6
APR
24
33
33
MAY
24
32
233
JUN
23
31
286
JUL
23
31
185
AUG
23
31
255
SEP
23
30
356
OCT
23
31
362
NOV
23
31
119
DEC
22
31
13
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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David Orrock, from our Latin America specialists Pura Aventura, shares his advice on the best time to visit Costa Rica: “It’s hard to advise when to go because one of the things that makes Costa Rica so amazing is the insane amount of microclimates and ecosystems. I wouldn’t advise someone not to go in the rainy season – because that covers seven months of the year! It’s known as the “green season” so you’ll see some rain but being a tropical country there’s always that chance in Costa Rica anyway. We take families in July and August but we don’t hear that they’ve had any issues.”
Tenille Moore, from our small group vacation experts Geodyssey, shares her advice on the best time to visit Costa Rica: “The best place for beach is the north Pacific side, as that’s the driest part of the country. So if you’re there in July or August, that’s the place to go. There are microclimates around the southern Caribbean. It can be quite wet at that time of year, but not in October, for example. For a small country it’s quite variable!”
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