Mal Pais

When should I visit?

December through April is Costa Rica’s "summer," which means lots of sunshine and not much rain. It’s also the tourist high season. Costa Rica’s "winter" (May — November) feels like a wetter version of its summer (temperatures remain fairly constant year-round; rainfall is seasonal). Promoters have dubbed winter the "green season," and sometimes there are deals on airfare, car rentals, and hotels during that time.

November and May can be good times to come–they are relatively untouristed months in which the rains are either just beginning or are just tapering off.

Temperature variation in Costa Rica is more a function of altitude than season. In the Central Valley, for instance, temperatures usually stay in the seventies (Fahrenheit) throughout the year, while beachside temperatures are most often in the eighties.

There are regional variations, of course. In Guanacaste and on the Nicoya Peninsula, the dry season is bone-dry–hardly a drop falls between December and April. On the Caribbean coast (a different world, both culturally and climatically), you may find rain at any time of the year, with somewhat drier times to be had in February, March, September, and October.