After the rain comes the sun, so after the rainiest month of October, November marks the tail end of Costa Rica’s tropical rainy season.
If you are thinking about visiting Costa Rica in November, here is what you have to know about weather, crowds, prices and much more.
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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.
If you’re looking to save some $$ on your trip, check out our Mytanfeet deals page! We partnered with a rental car company, hotels and tour operators to give discounts exclusively for our readers. Click here to enter our deals page.
Is November a Good Time to Visit Costa Rica?
November is actually one of our favorite months in Costa Rica. Even though it’s the last month of the rainy season, some areas begin their dry season by the end of the month.
Furthermore, November is not a busy time to visit Costa Rica and it’s not as expensive as the high season months like January through April.
Another thing we love about November is all the lush mountains, everything is so green from all the rain. It’s also the best time to see turtles in Costa Rica as November is at the height of the mass turtle nestings.
The weather in November is generally not bad in Costa Rica, even though it’s the last month of the rainy season, it’s not a complete washout.
You will still get lots of nice days with high temperatures and sunny mornings.
*This does depend on the year as November 2024 was a complete washout for much of the Pacific coast in the Guanacaste and Puntarenas province. But places like the Caribbean and La Fortuna were not that rainy!
November is a great time to visit Costa Rica, especially if you’re on a budget or if you prefer to visit in the off season.
Costa Rica in November Weather
With over 25 micro-climates, November in Costa Rica weather varies quite a bit.
The dry tropical forests start drying up around at the end of the month, but the tropical rainforests and mountains still get a good amount of rainfall in November.
Wherever you go, plan for typical rainy season weather with dependable cloudy but dry mornings and on and off rainy afternoons.
Costa Rica is still subject to tropical storms, depressions and waves in November and in rare occurrences, a hurricane.
Hurricane Otto in November 2016 was the first hurricane to actually pass directly over Costa Rica since 1851. Even if Costa Rica is not hit directly, the outskirts of it can still cause heavy rainfall in the country.
Below are short descriptions of the weather in November for popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.
Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula
The Guanacaste coast and Nicoya Peninsula tend to start the dry season earlier than the rest of the country so by the end of November, it can go several days without a drop of rain.
The air even feels a bit different, with the humidity going down ever so slightly.
But don’t worry, it’s still hot hot hot in November! The beginning of November still gets some good hard rains, so don’t come unprepared.
The landscapes are SO lush and green in November and the sunsets are breathtaking.
November is probably my favorite month in Guanacaste when it comes to temperatures, things to do, weather and views.
By the end of the month, there may be very little rain and if it does, it’ll be in the late evenings or overnight.
Average temperatures in Guanacaste do not vary much between October and December. Day time average temperatures are around high 80s° and low 90s° F (~32° C). Night temperatures go down to around mid to high 70s° F (24-25° C).
Central Valley
The Central Valley cities: San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago still gets hard rains in November.
Depending on where in the Central Valley you are, sometimes the high mountainsides can see more rain during the day.
As long as there aren’t any tropical storms or hurricanes, it is generally a typical rainy season day with cloudy but dry mornings and then rainy evenings and nights throughout the month.
Average temperatures are around mid 70s° F (23° C) during the day and low to mid 60s° F (16° C) at night.
La Fortuna
La Fortuna in the Northern Lowlands near Arenal Volcano gets a lot of rain in November but it’s still a great time to visit.
It can rain on and off the entire day, the next day can be completely sunny with a short midday downpour, another day can be super cloudy with thunder in the distance but only rain at night.
It can rain more near Arenal Volcano National Park and Mistico Hanging Bridges by Lake Arenal, with possibilities of afternoon lightning and thunderstorms. If you plan to go to those parks, go in the morning.
Average daytime temperatures are in the mid 80s° F (29° C). Average night time temperatures are mid 70s° F (24° C).
Jaco and Manuel Antonio (Central Pacific)
Jaco and Manuel Antonio are in the coastal rainforest areas so these areas are subject to heavy rainfall still in November.
Generally the mornings are still dry, but prepare for rain any time of the day.
Many tour operators do not run tours in the afternoon and nights, so plan for early morning activities and lots of afternoon naps.
It’s still hot and humid in these places with average day time temperatures at mid 80s° F (29° C) and mid 70s° F (24° C) average night time temperatures.
Costa Ballena and Osa Peninsula
Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal and the Osa Peninsula enjoy a rainy November, similar to the Central Pacific. However, this area can rain really hard at night and you may not be able to see a full sunset.
Plan for all activities in the morning which are generally dry. If you want to go snorkeling, take note that if it’s raining a lot, conditions will not be suitable for snorkeling.
Temperatures are similar to the Central Pacific with very high humidity.
Day time temperatures average around mid 80s° F (29° C) and mid 70s° F (24° C) for average night time temperatures.
Caribbean Coast (Tortuguero, Limon and Puerto Viejo)
Puerto Viejo, Limon and Tortuguero start leaving their summer sunshine behind by mid November or so and goes back to the more rainy type of Caribbean weather.
Temperatures drop ever so slightly, so it’s around 29° C during the day (84° F) and night time temperatures average around 22° C (71.6° F).
You will still have sunshine in November, it just may be accompanied by some sprinkles or intermittent showers by mid-end of the month.
Monteverde
Monteverde, the mountain town up in the cloud forest still gets rain throughout November. It may pour rain all day, it can be on and off sun and rain.
It can be very cloudy up in the cloud forest (sounds obvious but many people get disappointed by it for some reason) and it can be chilly up there.
Average day time temperatures are around 70° F (21° C) and around low to mid 60s° F (15-18° C) at night. It can be a tad bit colder if you’re up higher in elevation and it’s raining and windy.
Prices in Costa Rica in November
November is a great time to visit Costa Rica if you are on a budget. Prices do go up a tad bit once October, the cheapest month of the year is over, but it’s still not as expensive as December.
Prices will go up again towards the end of the month, but you can still find good promos during the first week of November.
Some places still throw last minute deals or discounts if you pay in cash.
Car rental rates go for on average, around $450 USD a week for a 5 pax 4wd automatic SUV for the first couple weeks of November. Rates start getting more expensive as the month turns to December.
If you’re flying from the US, Thanksgiving week is expensive for flights. The first couple weeks of November still has very good prices for flights.
Hotels will start increasing prices by mid November or so and then hit their peak prices the week of Christmas and New Years.
Crowds in Costa Rica in November
We love Costa Rica in November because the crowds are still low. November is like the locals’ last breath of fresh air before the crazy winter holiday tourist season starts.
November is a little bit busier than October because many snowbirds will start coming back down but it’s NOT crazy or anything at all.
It’s a really nice, peaceful time of year to visit Costa Rica, even in the most touristic places like Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Puerto Viejo, Tamarindo and La Fortuna.
Trip Planning for Costa Rica in November
You don’t need to book everything super far in advance for November. We only recommend that if you have any “must sees” or “must dos” whether it’s a tour or hotel, then to book those asap to guarantee your space.
You can perfectly wait until you’re in the country to book tours if you want to see how the weather will be. Check out our post “50 things to do in Costa Rica” for ideas.
One downside to the slower crowds in November is for solo travelers. It’s not as bad as October, but many tours and services will not operate for just 1 person.
Most operators have a 2-4 person minimum, so if you’re solo traveling, you may find availability for tours and shared shuttle routes limited.
Important Things to Know About Visiting Costa Rica in November
As the last month of the rainy season more or less, roads are not in great shape, particularly unpaved roads. After undergoing months of rain, pot holes get bigger and the dirt gets muddier.
If you are renting a car in Costa Rica for your trip, rent a 4×4 and do not take any detour off the main road.
Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!
Do NOT cross rivers. As mentioned, after months of rain, rivers are at their fullest and flash floods are NOT uncommon. As fun as it sounds to drive through rivers and on cow rivers, please do not drive through rivers.
NO car rental insurance will cover damage to your rental car, even if you purchase full insurance. Not to mention, flash floods can kill people.
Tour cancellations can occur due to hard rains and storms. Make sure to check the cancellation policy and be in contact with your booking agent to check how the status is.
This is more common for activities such as white water rafting, white water tubing, canyoning, volcano hikes and swimming in waterfalls.
Safety is the number one priority so although it is sad, if your tour operator cancels due to unsafe conditions, please understand that it’s for the best.
It is not a bad idea to purchase travel insurance, just in case.
Best Things to Do in Costa Rica in November
Surfing
November doesn’t see huge swells compared to June, July and August but it still brings sizable waves for lots of fun.
If you’ve never surfed before, November in Costa Rica is a fantastic time to take a lesson or surf camp.
The best places for surf lessons or surf camps in Costa Rica for November are Nosara, Tamarindo, Jaco, Dominical and Santa Teresa.
Sea Turtles
November is probably the best month in Costa Rica to see sea turtles. This is because Costa Rica is home to two places that experience the arribada, which is a mass nesting of sea turtles.
The two places are Playa Nancite in Santa Rosa National Park and Ostional Wildlife Refuge, of which the latter is open to the public. The former is not.
All visitors must go with a guide and if you go during the arribada, you can see hundreds, if not, thousands of adult female turtles coming to shore to dig a hole, create their nest and lay their eggs!
Furthermore, you will also have a chance to see baby turtles coming out of the nest and crawling their way to the ocean.
Another great place to see turtles is at Tortuguero National Park. In November, the Green Turtle nesting season has winded down but you can see baby turtles.
Hot Springs and Mud Baths
Hot springs in the tropical rainforest, what sounds more nice than that? If you visit Costa Rica in November, then hot springs HAS to be on your list of things to do!
The best places for hot springs are in La Fortuna but there are some hotels in Guanacaste that also offer hot springs AND mud baths.
Check out Hacienda Guachipelin, Rincon Thermals & Adventures, Buena Vista, Rio Perdido, Las Hornillas or Borinquen for hot springs and mud baths.
Many of these parks offer other activities such as ziplining, horseback riding and waterfalls to combine it into one fun day.
Cooking Classes
As most cooking classes are outdoor but under roof, rain won’t stop you from learning how to whip up some yummy Costa Rican food.
We love this farm to table cooking class in La Fortuna where we got to tour a small local farm, pick our ingredients and then cook them in their traditional kitchen.
Morning Snorkel Tour
If you really want to snorkel, book a tour in the morning since afternoons can get rainy and windy. Morning conditions are normally still good in November with dry skies and clear water.
We absolutely going out on the boat in November because the mornings are beautiful, the coastal views are gorgeous with lush mountains and the clarity is still good. Plus, you can normally see a lot of turtles.
Check out our favorite boating tour in Playas del Coco for snorkeling, beach hopping, fishing and surfing!
Visit a National Park for a Hike
A visit to a national park is a must. For well maintained trails, visit Arenal Volcano National Park, Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Carara National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, Cahuita National Park and Los Quetzales National Park.
Does Costa Rica celebrate Thanksgiving? (American)
No, Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Costa Rica. However, where there are lots of American expats and immigrants, you will find some Thanksgiving celebrations going on.
Some restaurants will put out a full blown American Thanksgiving.
These are in more touristy beach towns such as Tamarindo, Samara, Nosara, Puerto Viejo, Santa Teresa, Jaco, Uvita, Manuel Antonio and Playas del Coco.
What to Pack for Your November 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 and medicines.
You MUST pack for rain as it’s the tail end of rainy season in November. Do not forget your waterproof backpack or rain cover, light weight poncho or light weight waterproof rain shell, dry bags, micro fiber towel, mosquito repellent, reef friendly sunscreen and after bite cream.
Light weight clothes that dry fast will be your best friend. Air purifier packs will help with the sweaty smell and humidity. If you’re visiting higher elevation places, bring a warm jacket and long pants.
Check out our full Costa Rica packing list and packing list for rainy season.
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