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 Holidays
Costa Rica wildlife holiday
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
£4399 to £5499
16 days
inc UK flights
Costa Rica highlights holiday & beach
Short highlight itinerary covering city, forests and beach.
From
£1995
13 days
ex flights
Activity and nature holiday in Costa Rica
A Costa Rica itinerary packed full of adventure excursions
From
£2795 to £5295
14 days
ex flights
Costa Rica family holiday
Discover Costa Rica's famous national parks
From
£4299 to £5049
16 days
inc UK flights
Costa Rica nature adventure tour
Immerse yourself in the scenary of Costa Rica.
From
£2395
10 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
PLAY
Our top Costa Rica Holiday
Costa Rica wildlife holiday
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
£4399 to £5499
16 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2023: 22 Apr, 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, 25 Nov, 16 Dec, 21 Dec
2024: 2 Jan, 4 Jan, 6 Jan, 11 Jan, 13 Jan, 18 Jan, 20 Jan, 25 Jan, 30 Jan, 1 Feb, 6 Feb, 27 Feb, 29 Feb, 5 Mar, 12 Mar, 14 Mar, 16 Mar, 19 Mar, 21 Mar, 23 Mar, 27 Mar, 30 Mar, 6 Apr, 13 Apr, 20 Apr, 27 Apr, 4 May, 18 May ...
2023: 22 Apr, 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, 25 Nov, 16 Dec, 21 Dec
2024: 2 Jan, 4 Jan, 6 Jan, 11 Jan, 13 Jan, 18 Jan, 20 Jan, 25 Jan, 30 Jan, 1 Feb, 6 Feb, 27 Feb, 29 Feb, 5 Mar, 12 Mar, 14 Mar, 16 Mar, 19 Mar, 21 Mar, 23 Mar, 27 Mar, 30 Mar, 6 Apr, 13 Apr, 20 Apr, 27 Apr, 4 May, 18 May ...
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 holiday 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
This tiny Central American country is big on biodiversity – and adventure. Tourism is well developed here too, and you'll find lodges, guides, zip-lining, cycling and smooth roads. Find out more in our Costa Rica travel guide.
Choosing between the many national parks and wildlife reserves, the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, and finding the best places for rafting, zip-lining, driving and hiking is all made easier with our map and highlights of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica family holidays are easy; it's the best place in Central America for kids. There are activities for adrenaline junkies, beach babies or aspiring zoologists, self driving is simple and safe, and lodges are well equipped.
With volcanoes, rainforests, wildlife reserves, lodges and sandy beaches, you won't run out of things to do in Costa Rica. The biodiverse wildlife is a must, of course, and don't miss out on cultural experiences along the way, too.
With Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, Costa Rica is not short of beaches. There are dolphins and turtles to spot, reefs to snorkel over, kayaks to paddle and surf to ride. Keep reading to discover the best beaches in Costa Rica.
Check out the animals to watch out for on a Costa Rica wildlife holiday, from sloths to sea turtles. They'll whet your whistle for a really wild adventure among the rainforests, volcanoes and Caribbean beaches of Central America.
Costa Rica is the multi activity holiday 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 travellers 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. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a helping hand – it’s a sanctuary for some of the planet’s most vulnerable wildlife.
Read the best Costa Rica travel advice, as given by our expert holiday companies. Find out where to see wildlife, what to pack, what the lodges are like, and health and safety tips for travelling in this Central American country.
A largely liberal mindset and growing gay community mean that LGBT holidays in Costa Rica are one of the fastest growing sectors of the country’s travel industry. Read on to find out more about LGBT attitudes in Costa Rica.
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.
