If you’re wondering if Costa Rica in August is a good time to visit, you should know that one of our favorite times to be in Costa Rica is in August. Although it’s right in the middle of rainy season, it’s a fantastic time to see certain animals such as turtles and humpback whales, making it an excellent month for wildlife lovers. Yes you will get rained on in August but come prepared and it won’t dampen your spirit.
Here is what Costa Rica in August is like.
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Costa Rica Quick Facts
- Sunrise and sunset is roughly the same all year round, with a difference of around 15 minutes. Sunrise is generally 6 AM with first light around 530 AM and sunset is 530 PM, dark by 6 PM.
- Costa Rica uses 110 V and drives on the right hand side of the road.
- Local currency is called the colón. Exchange rate ~520 CRC to 1 USD.
- Spanish is the main language.
- Costa Rica is 8-12 degrees from the equator.
Costa Rica in August Weather
August is smack dab in the middle of the Costa Rican rainy season but visitors can still enjoy plenty of dry sunny days. If the veranillo, or little summer starts at the end of July, it can extend to the beginning of August, bringing sunnier than usual days.
However, after the first half of August or so, expect more normal rainy season weather patterns. The end of August for the country except on the Caribbean coast means entering the rainiest times of the year (September and October). For the Caribbean coast, it means coming into the sunnier and drier days of the year.
Although the weather varies throughout the country thanks to over 20 microclimates, the general consensus is that mornings are partly cloudy and dry and by late afternoon, there are isolated and intermittent rains. It might be a 10 minute torrential downpour, a 2 hour light drizzle or an evening thunderstorm. Don’t get discouraged if you wake up to a rainy morning, there is a very good possibility of it clearing up in a matter of minutes or a couple hours. Also note that it can be raining very hard in one place and then 5 kilometers away, it’s completely dry!
When it rains, it’s warm rain, particularly on the coasts. It doesn’t bring the temperatures down drastically, just a tiny bit. This makes August one of our favorite months as locals living on the coast of the Guanacaste province. When it’s normally 35° C (95° F) and above everyday in February and March, it’s around 30°C (87° F) in August. Everything is lush and green in August and there are some excellent wildlife watching opportunities during this month.
Below are short descriptions of the weather in August for popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.
Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula
We love Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula areas in August. Temperatures go down a bit so it’s not as hot as February or March and the humidity has settled a bit. It’s so lush and green everywhere, the fruit trees and flowers flourish and it feels much more “jungle-y.”
Mornings are normally cloudy but dry and there may be a short late afternoon or evening rain or an overnight rain. Some days stay extremely cloudy all day but it won’t rain, some days will have just hard overnight rains, some days may just have one short burst of a torrential downpour in the afternoon. Then some days, you’ll hear thunder all evening long but no rain arrives. You’ll enjoy plenty of dry days in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula still in August.
Average day time temperatures are around mid to high 80s° F (29°- 30° C) and night temperatures are around mid 70s° F (24° C). Humidity levels are around 70-75% so it can make it feel a tiny bit warmer.
Central Valley
The Central Valley cities: San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago experience typical August rainy season weather. Usually mornings are beautiful, but it’ll start getting dark and cloud by noon and early afternoon. Evening thunderstorms are not uncommon.
The weather can cool down a bit in August, even if mornings still feel hot and humid. Average day time temperatures are around mid 70s° – 80s° F (25-29° C). It cools down at night to around 60-65° F (15-18° C).
La Fortuna
This area doesn’t change too much in weather in August, it’s still hot and extremely humid. You can never really predict exactly when it’ll rain, because it will rain in La Fortuna sometime during the day. You may wake up to a downpour, you may go to sleep on a dry night, you may be starting your hike in a rainstorm and then be completely dry by the time you get back to your car.
Temperatures are a bit similar to July. Average day time temperatures are around mid 80s° F (29° C). Average night time temperatures are mid 70s° F (24° C).
Jaco and Manuel Antonio (Central Pacific)
The Central Pacific coast (Jaco and Manuel Antonio) will have beautiful mornings and more consistent rainy afternoons in August. It may be a short burst of rain, it may be a long overnight rain, the rain can be very intermittent in this area. Even if you wake up to the sunniest, bluest morning, expect it to rain in the afternoons and evenings and be pleasantly surprised if it stays dry. Evening and overnight rains are more common.
Average day time temperatures do not change much from the previous months. Normally they are in the low 90s° F (32° C) and night time temperatures are around mid 70s° F (24° C).
Costa Ballena and Osa Peninsula
The South Pacific (Costa Ballena towns of Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal) and the Osa Peninsula can experience a considerable amount of more rain in August, particularly in the late afternoons, evenings and nights. Mornings are usually cloudy but dry and you may hear thunder starting in the afternoons, but the rain may not come until night time.
It’ll still be hot and humid, more rain doesn’t mean drastically lower temperatures. Average day time temperatures are high 80s° F (31° C) and average night time temperatures are around mid 70s° F (24° C).
Caribbean Coast (Tortuguero, Limon and Puerto Viejo)
August tends to be one of the drier months on the Caribbean coast (Tortuguero, Limon, Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca) as this area follows its own weather pattern. Total rainfall is much less than July and towards the end of August, the days should be getting drier as it trickles into September, one of the sunnier months on the Caribbean. It can still rain here and there in August though, but it could just be a short interval of rain rather than tropical rainstorms.
Average day time temperatures in the mid to high 80s° F (29-30° C) and average night time temperatures are around the low 70s° F (21° – 23° C).
Monteverde
The mountains up in Monteverde always have fresh and cool weather and this area can get much cooler when it is raining, storming and windy. In August, expect on and off rains, it could rain in the morning, it could rain at any time of the day. Expect it to rain in the afternoon, even if you wake up to sunny skies. It usually doesn’t rain all day everyday, so you will still get patches of dry weather.
The average day time temperatures are low to mid 70s° F (21° C). Night time temperatures are around low 60s° F (15° C).
Prices in Costa Rica in August
August is a decent month to travel in Costa Rica on a budget. It’s not as cheap as September or October but it’s not as expensive as January, February or March for sure. Hotels normally offer their low season rates in August with some last minute promos. Tours don’t really change in price unless you’re coming in a large group but sometimes you can find last minute deals. Operators and vendors are normally happy to give a generous group discount for groups of 6+. Towards the end of August, you can find more promos and slightly cheaper prices as it trickles into the slowest tourism time of the year.
If you book at least 3-4 months out, flights are decent prices. I booked a flight in June for the beginning of August and paid $534 USD roundtrip for Seattle – Liberia with Alaska Air (saver fare). Not bad considering high season and Christmas time prices are usually closer to $800-900 USD! I also have the Alaska Air credit card since my family is based in Washington state and earn lots of points on there.
Plan early and get a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire to collect points to use for reward travel.
Save more money by booking a car with our Costa Rica car rental discount and freebies and checking out our Costa Rica deals page for discounts on tours and hotels.
Crowds in Costa Rica in August
August is a wonderful month to escape the majority of the July summer vacationers as many Canadian and American schools start back up around mid August. Compared to July, August is not quite as crowded. The first week of August may still be busy as summer vacation is not quite over yet, but by the latter half of the month, it’s gone down quite a bit.
August can be a bit busier on the Caribbean coast and South Pacific. Many Europeans like to vacation in August and they tend to prefer the Caribbean coast or South Pacific.
Keep in mind that there are three holidays in Costa Rica in the month of August and when it’s a long weekend, the city Costa Ricans go out to the coasts for vacation. Long weekends will normally be busier and more crowded. More on Costa Rican holidays in August below.
Trip Planning for Costa Rica in August
You don’t need to rush and book everything 6 months+ out if you’re visiting Costa Rica in August. As it’s winding down to the lowest part of the tourism season (September and October), you can perfectly wait to book your tours. We just say that if you have any MUST DOS or MUST SEES, to book those to guarantee your space is saved.
On exception is if you plan to visit Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast. Tour packages for August and September book out early as it’s the high season in that area (peak of turtle nesting season). Furthermore, there are not many hotels in Tortuguero so book your hotel or Tortuguero tour package asap!
It’s still a good idea to book your flight at least 3-6 months out. Don’t wait until the very last minute like a month before because then it will be more expensive.
For any boutique hotels, all inclusive resorts or premiere vacation rentals, we highly recommend to book them earlier than later. Since the first half of August still sees a lot of families, these options tend to book out earlier.
Best Things to Do in Costa Rica in August
You can enjoy everything Costa Rica has to in August with the added bonus of less people so you don’t have to book asap. You can even wait until you’re in Costa Rica to see how the weather is.
Whale Watching (Humpback)
Southern Hemisphere humpback whales travel from Antarctica to Costa Rica during the months of July through October. August and September are peak humpback whale watching months where daily sightings are nearly guaranteed. So much so, the town with the best whale watching, Uvita, holds a multi day festival at the end of August/beginning of September to celebrate these cherished marine mammals.
You can see humpback whales up and down the coast. The North Pacific is not quite as consistent as the South Pacific but you can still see whales on snorkeling, fishing and sailing tours. The South Pacific, specifically Uvita and Drake Bay, have daily whale watching tours during this time. If you will be staying in the Costa Ballena (Dominical, Uvita or Ojochal) and want to see whales, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to assist you with a tour.
Turtle Nesting Tours
If you love turtles, August is a fantastic time to see them in Costa Rica. Turtles nest on several beaches in Costa Rica in August. You can also see them out in the open ocean, many of them will be mating during this time of year.
The best place to see turtles in Costa Rica in August is at Tortuguero National Park on the North Caribbean coast and at the Ostional Wildlife Refuge. It is possible to see baby turtles hatching and mothers nesting at night. Tortuguero has Green sea turtles, Ostional has Olive RIdley sea turtles. If you visit Ostional, you may come right at the time to see an arribada, or mass nesting of turtles if luck is on your side.
If you are driving yourself to Ostional Wildlife Refuge, you must make a reservation with a guide (check the Ostional Wildlife Refuge Association Guide Facebook page to contact a guide). Visitors are not allowed in the refuge without a guide.
For Tortuguero, you can book a turtle nesting tour with your hotel. You can get our Tortuguero tour packages discount in the link here. We have also stayed at Mawamba Lodge, which is beachfront so a tour is not necessary to see turtles as you can simply walk from your room to the beach in a matter of minutes and look for turtles on your own.
White Water Rafting
Since August is the middle of rainy season, rivers are full, ready for a fun day white water rafting through epic rapids. Class 3 and 4 and sometimes 4+ are not uncommon on the Pacuare river. If you love adventure, we highly recommend the Pacuare 1 day white water rafting or Pacuare overnight white water rafting!
Canyoning (Waterfall Rappel)
Full waterfalls means more wet fun during a canyoning tour! Waterfalls will be gushing and full in August, so you can enjoy an exciting day in the jungle jumping down waterfalls. One of our favorites is the La Fortuna canyoning tour.
Massage
Can you imagine anything more relaxing than a soothing massage while listening to the drops of the rain in the jungle? Some hotels have their own spa or you can get a massage on the beach from one of the local ladies.
Sunset
You can’t miss a sunset at any time of the year in Costa Rica but rainy season tends to have even more intense, glorious sunset skies thanks to more clouds.
Even if it’s raining, you can see a spectacular sunset with the golden skies and a rainbow on the other side!
Hot Springs
Soaking in sultry hot springs and warm natural pools while it’s raining is one of the best things to do when it comes to wellness in Costa Rica. Popular areas for hot springs are La Fortuna, Rincon de la Vieja (Curubande), Miravalles and Orosi.
ATV Tours
We prefer ATV tours in the rainy season as it’s not quite as hot, it’s not dusty in places like the Guanacaste coast or Nicoya Peninsula and it’s fun to drive through mud and the rain! Explore the landscapes on this off-road journey to beautiful view points and natural attractions.
The best places for ATV tours is La Fortuna, Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula and the South Pacific (Uvita, Dominical and Ojochal).
Fishing
August is a fantastic month for fishing. Depending on where you are, you can catch Mahi Mahi, Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, Red Snapper and Roosterfish. The Caribbean side offers Snook and Tarpon. Best places for fishing is Puerto Jimenez, Quepos, Golfito, Paquera, Samara, Drake Bay, Caribbean, Playa Flamingo, Herradura, Tamarindo and the Papagayo Gulf.
Holidays
There are three holidays in August.
August 2 Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles: This day is one of the most important of the year for Costa Rican Catholics. They embark on a pilgrimage to Cartago to pay homage to La Negrita, a small statue of the Black Virgin that resides in the Basilica.
August 15 Mother’s Day: In Costa Rica, Mother’s Day is a national paid holiday.
August 31 Day of the Black Person and Afro-Costa Rican Culture (Día de la persona Negra y la Cultura Afrocostarricense): This day celebrates the history of the Afro-Costa Ricans. Many of them reside in Limon, the Caribbean province and there will be festivities to commemorate their rich history and vibrant culture.
What to Pack for Your August Trip to Costa Rica
Essentials: Valid original passport, valid original drivers license if you plan to rent a car, credit card with no foreign transaction fee, travel insurance, medicines.
Lightweight clothes that dry fast and wick away sweat are absolutely necessary and will be your best friends. Forgo jeans, thick sweatpants or cotton shirts as you’ll just get super hot, sticky and sweaty. Bring warm clothes only if you plan to visit very high elevation areas like Chirripo, Dota, or Poas as temperatures are lower up there.
MUST BRING FOR THE RAINY SEASON: Waterproof rain jacket/shell, insulated water bottle, dry bag, waterproof backpack/backpack rain cover, mosquito repellent, hat, sunscreen, poncho, closed toed hiking sandals or water shoes for light water activities, board shorts, swimsuits and flip flops.
If you aren’t able to do laundry while you’re here, we recommend to bring a dedicated dirty clothes plastic bag with a secure closure. Also pack some fresh dryer sheets in your luggage to help with the sweaty smell. We also recommend a microfiber towel, hand size. They’re very useful for wiping sweat off when hiking. A body size one is not a bad idea either, in case you get caught in the rain, you can use it.
Get our full Costa Rica packing list and packing list for rainy season.
Itineraries
2 week coast to coast itinerary
13 days in Costa Rica itinerary (no car)
10 day coast to coast Costa Rica itinerary
One week Costa Rica Central and South Pacific itinerary
Costa Rica By Months
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
September
October
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica. Get 10% off your Airalo eSIM package with our promo code “mytanfeet”
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