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
Our Costa Rica Vacations
Costa Rica wildlife vacation
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
US $5279 to US $6079
15 days
ex flights
Costa Rica highlights vacation & beach
Short highlight itinerary covering city, forests and beach.
From
£1995
13 days
ex flights
Self drive vacation in Costa Rica
Self-drive Costa Rica's hidden gems, away from the crowds.
From
£5400
20 days
ex flights
Costa Rica wildlife tour
Experience Costa Rica's incredible wildlife and wilderness
From
US $3385
14 days
ex flights
Costa Rica highlights vacation
Two weeks exploring the highlights of Costa Rica.
From
£2075
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 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 Costa Rica Vacation
Costa Rica wildlife vacation
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
US $5279 to US $6079
15 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2023: 11 Feb, 6 May, 20 May, 8 Jul, 22 Jul, 29 Jul, 5 Aug, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, 26 Aug, 2 Sep, 16 Sep, 30 Sep, 7 Oct, 14 Oct, 28 Oct, 2 Nov, 4 Nov, 7 Nov, 9 Nov, 11 Nov, 16 Nov, 18 Nov, 23 Nov, 25 Nov, 16 Dec, 21 Dec
2024: 2 Jan, 4 Jan, 6 Jan, 9 Jan, 11 Jan, 13 Jan, 16 Jan, 18 Jan, 20 Jan, 23 Jan, 25 Jan, 27 Jan, 30 Jan, 1 Feb, 3 Feb, 6 Feb, 8 Feb, 10 Feb, 13 Feb, 15 Feb, 17 Feb, 20 Feb, 22 Feb, 24 Feb, 27 Feb, 29 Feb, 2 Mar ...
2023: 11 Feb, 6 May, 20 May, 8 Jul, 22 Jul, 29 Jul, 5 Aug, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, 26 Aug, 2 Sep, 16 Sep, 30 Sep, 7 Oct, 14 Oct, 28 Oct, 2 Nov, 4 Nov, 7 Nov, 9 Nov, 11 Nov, 16 Nov, 18 Nov, 23 Nov, 25 Nov, 16 Dec, 21 Dec
2024: 2 Jan, 4 Jan, 6 Jan, 9 Jan, 11 Jan, 13 Jan, 16 Jan, 18 Jan, 20 Jan, 23 Jan, 25 Jan, 27 Jan, 30 Jan, 1 Feb, 3 Feb, 6 Feb, 8 Feb, 10 Feb, 13 Feb, 15 Feb, 17 Feb, 20 Feb, 22 Feb, 24 Feb, 27 Feb, 29 Feb, 2 Mar ...
Travel Team
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Responsible Travel recommends
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!”
More about Costa Rica
Choosing between the many national parks and wildlife reserves, the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, and finding the best places for rafting, ziplining and hiking are all made easier with our interactive map.
With volcanoes, rainforests, wildlife reserves and unspoilt coastline, you won't run out of things to do in Costa Rica - whether you're here for two weeks, or two months.
With Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, Costa Rica is not short of beaches.
Costa Rica is teeming with wildlife with everything from coatis to turtles offering travelers a glimpse at life amongst the dense rainforest canopies and verdant volcanic valleys crammed between the country's Caribbean and Pacific coastlines.
Costa Rica is the multi activity vacation capital of Central America, with rainforest zip lines, wildlife rafting, Caribbean snorkelling and volcano hikes leaving you no choice but to dive happily (and sometimes literally) in.
Most travelers on tailor made trips to Costa Rica end up driving. That’s because it’s near irresistible: you’ll find a compact country with smooth roads, minimal language barriers, ever-changing scenery and roadside coconut stalls
Costa Rica is an environmental hero, cracking out policies that have reversed its deforestation rate and championed renewable energy.
We've shared with you the best Costa Rica travel advice, as given by our expert vacation companies.
Mexico and Brazil have historically been the top destinations for gay travelers south of the border, but Costa Rica’s liberal mindset, growing gay community and superb natural attractions mean that LGBT vacations in Costa Rica are one of the fastest growing sectors of the country’s travel industry.
Responsible tourism in Costa Rica is a genuine success story, with tourism supporting the creation of vast protected areas, helping local communities and assisting with the protection of wildlife such as sea turtles.
