The best time to visit Costa Rica is all year round with the right amount of planning due to the microclimates. With two very different coastlines along the Pacific coast and the Caribbean coast, and everything from dense tropical rainforest to mist-shrouded cloud forest and mountains in between, Costa Rica has a wide climate and diverse rainfall which means the best time may slightly differ depending on which parts of the country you wish to travel. The average temperatures in Costa Rica range from 30ºC along the coasts to a milder climate in the cloud forest areas of Santa Elena and Monteverde, where it can dip to 10ºC at night.
You are likely to experience a vast range of weather on any trip at any time of year, even in the dry season, particularly if you are planning to incorporate a lot of the natural highlights into your itinerary. As wildlife is a prime reason for visiting Costa Rica, this is something to factor into your planning. Many will be hoping to visit Tortuguero National Park where night walks take you out to witness green and hawksbill turtles, but this is only possible between July and September. Humpback whales arrive to mate in Costa Rica from colder waters between November and December and stay to give birth around the southern Pacific coast until March. The resplendent quetzal is most regularly spotted between January and July in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
January is part of Costa Rica’s high season so expect bright green forests, little rain and sunny beaches. It is an excellent month for wildlife activities, so do expect it to be one of the busier times to travel. No area of the country should be avoided, so it is the perfect time for all over travel. January is a good month for watching humpback whales and this can be done on the Caribbean and Pacific Coast.
February is one of the driest months in Costa Rica, along with March and April. With warm temperatures countrywide, and reduced rainfall, it is an excellent time to travel for wildlife, to explore the cities and beaches along either coast, and in the centre too.
March is a great time to travel to Costa Rica; with great weather, and lots of activities available. March is part of the dry season, and the weather can be excellent at this time of year for wildlife sightings, and for embarking on a huge range of activities. The only activity that you shouldn’t expect to take part in is rafting, as this is best in the rainy season.
As the last month of the dry season, April can be a wonderful time to travel in search of wildlife and a range of activities. The weather is at its driest and brightest, especially in Corcovado National Park, one of the tallest rainforests in the world.
May is the start of Costa Rica’s rainy, or ‘green’, season, and rainfall picks up country-wide. It is still possible to travel the country in May, however, and you will find that the rain is interspersed with sunshine. This is especially so in the Central Valley, Caribbean Coast and Northern Pacific. May can be a great time to travel if you want to avoid the crowds, and are happy with a little more precipitation.
June has a bit more rainfall than May, but despite the rain, this can still be an excellent time to travel to Costa Rica in search of wildlife and beautiful landscapes. Now in the green season, the country really is alive and vibrant, and rainfall is usually interspersed with glorious sunshine.The North Pacific coast is a good place to visit at this time of year as it is a popular surfing spot.
Tortuguero National Park is home to the green sea turtles from July to September when they hatch and make their way to the sea for the first time.Temperatures are still warm, regardless of the rain, averaging at 30 degrees Celsius for the month. July can be a good time to travel if you don’t mind the rains.
August is in the green season, and there can be high rainfall around the country. However, if you are happy to work with the rains, it can be a great time to travel, especially for those interested in humpback whales in Dominical and Marino Ballna National Park and the turtles in Tortuguero National Park. Temperatures around the country are still fairly warm at this time, and most showers are quite concentrated, falling in heavy showers that usually occur towards the afternoon.
The cloud forests, such as Monteverde and Saint Elena, and the rest of Costa Rica’s national parks, including Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and Tortuguero, have a very high rainfall in September making the terrain muddy and often tough to navigate. Wildlife also often hide in the heavy rains, so September isn’t the best month for this. However, humpbacks are still gathered in Marino Ballena National Park though and this is the final month of the nesting season for green sea turtles.
October, like September, is the peak of the rainy season throughout most of Costa Rica. Therefore, travel is not generally advised unless you have something specific you would like to see. Some families with adventure-seeking children like to travel at this time as white water rafting is often available.
November can be a great time to travel however, it is a bit of a shoulder month, making the timing and amount of rain hard to predict. Towards the end of November, the worst of the rain should be over in most of Costa Rica, and the country will be a lovely vibrant green.
December can be a wonderful time to travel Costa Rica in search of wildlife, especially towards the end of the month. But it does require early planning and booking over Christmas and New Year. Most safaris will start in San Jose, leading on to exploration of the beautiful Central Valley. This area receives little rainfall throughout December. The Central Valley will be beautiful at this time; green, vibrant, and wonderfully photogenic.
These are the driest months in Costa Rica, but there are some regional exceptions as each area has its own microclimate. The Caribbean coast generally sees more rainfall than other areas and you may experience downpours, even in the dry season. One consideration when planning your visit is that spring break can mean some areas are filled with American students, and you may wish to avoid this when it occurs sometime between February and April. Surfers should head to the Caribbean coast if visiting in this period, as the swells are better here than the Pacific side.
This is Costa Rica’s rainy season, with September and October in particular being the wettest months. The rain pattern is usually that of sunnier mornings and a build-up of cloud and rain following in the afternoon. Towards the end of these months you tend to see the landscapes become much more verdant. Those who are into surfing will find the best swells on the Pacific Coast in September and October.
Wildlife watching in one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet. Explore tropical Tortuguero; home to tapirs, jaguars, monkeys, sloths and more. Witness and hike around the majestic, nearly perfectly conical, Arenal Volcano. Venture through the cloud forest and coffee plantations of Monteverde. Explore the wonders of the Osa Peninsula and relax overlooking the Golfo Dulce.
From 13000 per person
A thrilling eco-adventure through the jungles & beaches of Costa Rica spotting an abundance of wildlife and doing exhilarating activities such as ziplining and white water rafting.
From 11000 per person
Taking in the wildlife highlights of Tortuguero and Manuel Antonio National Parks and the Osa Peninsula. Costa Rica is synonymous with rainforests and tropical beauty, and on this trip we take you to the renowned ‘land of the turtles’ Tortuguero National Park, whose canals, rivers, beaches and lakes are a working laboratory of rain forest, freshwater, and marine biology. Experience the contrasting Pacific region in Manuel Antonio and Corcovado National Parks, with marine reserves, pristine beaches, snorkeling amongst rays and turtles in an ancient Indian burial ground and excellent primate-spotting, before completing your adventure with a day of beautiful waterfalls and coffee estates.
From 8500 per person
Explore tangled primary rainforest in the Osa Peninsula and encounter Capuchins, tree frogs and sloths in Corcovado. Unwind away from the crowds and explore the best of the natural world.
From 15500 per personYou can observe nesting sea turtles, including green turtles and leatherbacks, on guided night tours at Tortuguero National Park. Explore Manuel Antonio National Park, known for its beautiful beaches and abundant wildlife, including capuchin monkeys, sloths, and iguanas. Hike through the remote and biodiverse Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula to spot jaguars, tapirs, and scarlet macaws.
Visit Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve to see unique flora and fauna, including the resplendent quetzal and other bird species. Walk on the Skywalk bridges that take you through the canopy of the cloud forest and experience the exhilaration of ziplining through the canopy.
Costa Rica is home to over 900 bird species. The most popular time for birdwatching in Costa Rica is in the dry season from December to April as many bird species are actively nesting and mating during this time, increasing the chances of observing interesting behaviours. Clearer skies makes it easy to spot and photograph birds and migratory birds from North America are present. The wet season from May to November is also a good time for bird watching, lush vegetation and blooming flowers attract a wide variety of bird species and many resident birds are actively feeding and displaying their vibrant plumage.
From December to April, you can go on humpback whale-watching tours in Marino Ballena National Park and the Osa Peninsula.
