April starts much like March. Easter or spring breaks can fall in the first weeks, as school calendars vary, and in 2028 Easter week is 9 to 16 April. By the end of the month the dry season winds down on the Pacific side and it gets quieter.
The country is small, but the weather changes a lot from one region to the next. Here is how April usually looks where most of our travelers go.
Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula
April is the month the Pacific side turns from dry season to green season, so the early weeks are usually still dry and the end of the month brings the change.
Central Pacific: Manuel Antonio and Jacó
The same turn from dry to green. The last of the northern humpback whales can still be here, as the park service counts them into April.
The South Pacific: Uvita and the Osa Peninsula
Down south the change comes a little earlier. Around Marino Ballena the rainy season starts in mid April, and inland in the Valle del General the rains begin in late April.
Arenal and the Northern Plains
April is the last month of Arenal’s relatively drier stretch, which started in February. The hot springs are perfect whatever the sky does.
Monteverde
The mountains are cooler and can be misty at any time of year. Bring a light jacket for the cloud forest.
The Caribbean Coast
Tortuguero is still in its least rainy months, and leatherback turtles are nesting on the Caribbean beaches.
Early April can be busy with Easter and spring breaks and the end of the month is quieter, so tell us your dates and we will plan around them. Our team has lived here and built trips by hand since 2004, so we know which regions pair well, how long the drives really take and which hotels are worth it. Tell us what you love and we will design your Costa Rica around it.
Holidays and Busy Weeks
11 April, Juan Santamaría Day, is a public holiday (in 2027 it falls on a Sunday). When Semana Santa falls in April, as it does from 9 to 16 April in 2028, Holy Thursday and Good Friday are public holidays and it is the busiest week of the year.
What to Pack for April
Light clothes, sunscreen and a hat, a light rain jacket now that the south is turning green, and a warmer layer for the mountains.
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