The Best Time to Visit Costa Rica
Every month works if you match the coast to the season. The Pacific is driest from December to March or April, and the Caribbean has its own drier spells. Here is the year, month by month.
Last reviewed by our team in Costa Rica: . By The My Costa Rica team in San José.
Quick answer
- Dry season on the Pacific side and in the Central Valley: December to March, says the national weather service (IMN), with April a transition month. The tourism board’s own pages say December to April, or mid-December to late April.
- Green season: roughly May to November. Mornings are usually sunny, with rain in the afternoon or evening.
- September and October are the wettest months on the Pacific and among the drier ones on the Caribbean.
- Busy weeks: the dry season, the first half of July, and Semana Santa (21 to 28 March 2027, 9 to 16 April 2028). Book early for those.
- Wildlife keeps its own calendar: turtles nest in Tortuguero from June, and humpback whales visit in two seasons.
When is the dry season in Costa Rica?
On the Pacific side and in the Central Valley, from December to March or April, depending on which official source you read. The green season runs from about May to November.
Costa Rica has two seasons, and Costa Ricans call the dry one summer. Every official source agrees on the pattern. They disagree on where the edges fall, so here are all four:
| Source | Dry season | Green (rainy) season |
|---|---|---|
| IMN, the national weather service | December to March, with April a transition month | May to October, with November a transition month |
| ICT, climate planner and FAQ | December to April | May to November |
| ICT, When to Visit page | Mid-December to late April | May to mid-December |
| SINAC, Marino Ballena National Park (South Pacific) | Mid-December to mid-April | Mid-April to mid-December |
On the Pacific side, the IMN says March is the driest and hottest month and September and October the wettest. Rain falls mostly in the afternoon and early evening, and the tourism board says showers usually last no more than two hours.
Temperature depends more on height than on month. The tourism board gives averages of 22 to 30 °C (72 to 86 °F) on the coasts and 17 to 25 °C (63 to 77 °F) in the Central Valley. In the cloud forests and mountains, temperatures can drop to around 5 to 14 °C (41 to 57 °F). Daily detail is on our weather page.
When is the best time to visit the Caribbean coast?
The IMN says the Caribbean has no defined dry season. It has two drier spells instead, February to March and September to October, and its rainiest month is December. SINAC’s page for Tortuguero, on the same coast, gives slightly different months: least rain in March, April and October, most in July and December.
That is why October flips the map. When the Pacific has its wettest weeks, the tourism board itself sends beach lovers to Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and Tortuguero. Read our guides to the Caribbean and Guanacaste, where the Pacific dry season is longest.
Costa Rica month by month: weather and what is on
| Month | Weather | Wildlife and what is on |
|---|---|---|
| January | Dry season on the Pacific and in the Central Valley | Humpback whales from the north, December to April (SINAC) |
| February | Dry on the Pacific; the Caribbean’s first drier spell begins | Start of the quetzal nesting season (ICT) |
| March | The driest, hottest month on the Pacific (IMN); Caribbean still drier | Semana Santa, 21 to 28 March 2027: busy, book early |
| April | A transition month on the Pacific (IMN), dry season by the ICT | Semana Santa, 9 to 16 April 2028: busy, book early |
| May | Green season begins, with rain mostly in the afternoon (IMN) | Mornings usually sunny (ICT) |
| June | Green season; a short dry break may come at the end of the month (ICT) | Tortuguero turtle nesting season begins (SINAC) |
| July | Rain eases in July and August, the veranillo (IMN) | First half of July busy with school holidays (ICT); southern humpback whales arrive (SINAC) |
| August | Veranillo continues on the Pacific (IMN) | Green, leatherback, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles at Tortuguero, olive ridleys at Ostional (ICT) |
| September | Wettest months on the Pacific begin; Caribbean’s second drier spell | Humpbacks give birth in the Osa and South Pacific (ICT) |
| October | Wettest on the Pacific (IMN); sun on the Caribbean | Birds of prey migrate along the Caribbean (ICT); Tortuguero nesting ends (SINAC) |
| November | A transition month on the Pacific (IMN) | Green turtles still nest at Tortuguero, says the Sea Turtle Conservancy |
| December | Dry season starts on the Pacific; the rainiest month on the Caribbean | High season from mid-December (ICT); humpbacks from the north arrive late in the month |
When can you see turtles, whales and quetzals?
Sea turtles at Tortuguero. SINAC says the nesting season runs from June to October. The Sea Turtle Conservancy says green turtles nest from June through November. In our experience July to September is the strongest stretch. See Tortuguero National Park.
Olive ridleys at Ostional. SINAC says the mass nestings, the arribadas, happen all year, once or twice a month, and that the exact dates are never known in advance. The tourism board picks August as a good month.
Humpback whales. SINAC says whales visit Marino Ballena National Park in two seasons: from the north, December to April, and from the south, July to November. The tourism board highlights September, when they give birth around the Osa Peninsula.
Quetzals. February marks the start of their nesting season, the tourism board says, and makes it one of the best months to see one. Our birding page has more, and October brings migrating birds of prey to the Caribbean.
When is Costa Rica busiest?
The tourism board says the dry season months can get busy, so plan ahead. Three periods fill first:
- Semana Santa (Holy Week). The tourism board says local travel rises because of the mandatory holidays. Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday is 21 to 28 March 2027 and 9 to 16 April 2028.
- The first half of July, when Costa Rican school holidays meet the northern summer. The tourism board says it eases after the 15th.
- High season from mid-December.
If your dates fall in one of these, you are right to be planning now. Hotels fill early and good rooms go first. Public holidays are on our holidays page.
Is the green season worth it?
For many trips, yes. The tourism board says mornings are typically sunny, with intermittent rain in the afternoon or evening. Plan the volcano hike or the boat tour for the morning and the hot springs for when the rain comes.
There is also a short break in the rains. The IMN puts the veranillo in July and August. The tourism board calls it the Veranillo de San Juan and puts it at the end of June and the first weeks of July. Arenal has its own pattern, set out in the best time to visit Arenal.
When to go: common questions
What is the best month to visit Costa Rica?
It depends on where you are going. For the Pacific beaches and Guanacaste, the dry season, December to March by the national weather service or to April by the tourism board, is the classic choice. For the Caribbean, February to March and September to October are drier. For turtles at Tortuguero, the nesting season starts in June.
When is the rainy season in Costa Rica?
The national weather service says May to October on the Pacific side, with November a transition month. The tourism board says May to November. Rain usually comes in the afternoon or evening, and mornings are often sunny.
What is Costa Rica like in December?
The dry season starts on the Pacific side, and high season begins around mid-December, so book early. December is the rainiest month on the Caribbean coast. Humpback whales from the north start to arrive late in the month.
When can you see sea turtles in Costa Rica?
At Tortuguero, SINAC says the nesting season runs June to October, and the Sea Turtle Conservancy says green turtles nest through November. At Ostional, olive ridley mass nestings happen all year, once or twice a month, on dates nobody can predict exactly.
When can you see whales in Costa Rica?
SINAC says humpback whales visit in two seasons: whales from the north December to April, and whales from the south July to November. The tourism board highlights September, when they give birth around the Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific.
Is Costa Rica busy at Easter?
Yes. Semana Santa is a national holiday week and local travel rises. It runs 21 to 28 March 2027 and 9 to 16 April 2028. If your trip falls then, you are wise to plan early, since hotels fill first.
What is the weather like in July?
Green season, with a break in the rain the national weather service calls the veranillo in July and August. The first half of July is busy, because Costa Rican school holidays meet the northern summer. Southern humpback whales arrive and Tortuguero’s turtles are nesting.
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