Costa Rica Weather in January

January is the heart of the dry season on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, and one of the most popular months of the year to visit. The first week still belongs to the holidays, so hotels and flights fill early. If your dates fall then, well done for planning ahead.

The country is small, but the weather changes a lot from one region to the next. Here is how January usually looks where most of our travelers go.

Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula

Guanacaste is the driest part of the country, and January is right in its dry season: sunny days, golden hills and long beach afternoons. The Papagayo upwelling cools the water this time of year, and devil rays can be seen jumping offshore from December to February. Leatherback and Pacific green turtles nest on the beaches of Guanacaste and Nicoya in January and February.

Central Pacific: Manuel Antonio and Jacó

Dry season here too, a good month for the national park, beach days and boat trips. Humpback whales migrating from the north are along the Pacific coast, from Guanacaste down to the Central Pacific, from December into March or April.

The South Pacific: Uvita and the Osa Peninsula

January is when the dry season settles in down south. Around Marino Ballena it runs from mid-December to mid-April.

Arenal and the Northern Plains

Arenal sits on the Caribbean side of the mountains, so it sees rain in every month of the year, and that rain is why it is so green. 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

The Caribbean keeps its own calendar, and January is still part of its wettest stretch, which runs from November to January. Its calmer spells are February to March and September to October, so if the Caribbean is your priority, those months suit it better.

January fills early, especially the first week, so the sooner we start, the more choice you have. 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.

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Holidays and Busy Weeks

1 January is a public holiday, and the first week of the month is busy with holiday travelers. Costa Rican schools are also on their long break from December into February, so beach towns are lively with local families too. After the first week, January is one of the best times of the year to come.

What to Pack for January

Light clothes, strong sunscreen and a hat for the coast, a light rain jacket for Arenal and the Caribbean, and a warmer layer for the mountains.