March is the peak of high tourism season in Costa Rica, as it is the time of many US and Canadian spring break vacations. It is also sometimes Holy Week depending on the year. Additionally, March sometimes has some of the hottest days of the year for many places in Costa Rica. Put all that together and March means higher prices, bigger crowds, longer lines, more traffic, clear, sunny skies and high temperatures in Costa Rica.
In this post, you’ll learn more about March in Costa Rica.
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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 ~500 CRC to 1 USD.
- Spanish is the main language.
- Costa Rica is 8-12 degrees from the equator.
March in Costa Rica Weather
Costa Rica experiences the typical tropical seasons: dry and rainy. Dry season is generally December through April, rainy is generally May through November. Although average year round temperatures do not vary much, March is hot hot hot in Costa Rica.
While February in the driest, March may have some of the hottest days. Even though January and February temperatures are already high, March temperatures still creep up a bit during the last week or so of the month. When it’s normally 95°F (35° C) on the Guanacaste coast in February, it goes up slightly to around 104° F (40° C) in March. Air is dry, rivers have shrunk, dust is blowing.
Rainfall is at its lowest in March, even in the rainiest places in Costa Rica.
The exception is the Caribbean coast, which does not strictly follow the tropical seasons and has their own climate. More information below.
Below are short descriptions of the weather in March for popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.
Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula
Dry, dusty, hot and arid. March is peak dry season time and throughout the tropical dry forests of the Guanacaste coast and Nicoya Peninsula, mountains are bare, waterfalls and rivers have dried up to their maximum and the sand is burning hot midday. If you go inland in the Guanacate province like to Tilaran or Miravalles, mountains are also yellow but temperatures are not as high.
Temperatures are generally at their highest around the end of March when there can be heat waves. Expect temperatures to go up to 100-107° F (40-42°C) for days in a row so be very careful if going out during the peak hours, 10 AM to 2 PM. Stay hydrated, wear lots of sunscreen, put on a floppy hat, protect your eyes with sunglasses and get a portable fan if you need to.
Night time temperatures go down to around 80° F (27° C). It can get very windy in March as well.
Central Valley
The Central Valley has great weather in March, however if there is a heat wave, it may crawl up to high 80s° F (32° C) when it’s generally mid 70s° F. But it will cool down at night to a comfortable mid 60s° F (18° C). It can get windy but the breeze is always welcome. There may be a random downpour in the GAM (San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela, Cartago) but it’s usually a one or two time thing in the evening if it does rain.
La Fortuna
Whenever we have visited La Fortuna in March, we get the best weather there. It’s hot, humid, dry but in the evenings, it cools down quite a bit. Being in the Northern lowlands tropical rainforest, it may sprinkle lightly at night in March still. Average day time temperatures are low 80s° F (27 C) and night time temperatures are low 70s° F (21° C).
We also see Arenal Volcano clear almost all day long in March. The clouds roll in and out very quickly so if the top is covered, just wait a bit and the clouds may roll out, even for a few minutes for a clear volcano.
Jaco and Manuel Antonio
Jaco and Manuel Antonio in March has great weather. Hot, sunny, humid and dry. Average day time temperatures are upper 80s to low 90s° F (31 – 33° C) and average night time temperatures are around mid 70s° F (25° C). If there’s a heat wave, temperatures may increase a couple degrees. Humidity is fairly high around 60-70% in these areas.
Costa Ballena and Osa Peninsula
Even in the driest month of March, the South Pacific like Dominical, Uvita, Ojochal and the Osa Peninsula stays lush and dry. This is the driest month for this area but even still, it can still have a random rain here or there in the late evenings and nights. Average temperatures similar to Jaco and Manuel Antonio, upper 80s to low 90s° F (31 – 33° C) and average night time temperatures are around mid 70s° F (25° C). Always high humid here.
Caribbean Coast (Tortuguero, Limon and Puerto Viejo)
The Caribbean coast (Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limon and Tortuguero) tends to follow its own weather pattern and doesn’t strictly follow the rest of Costa Rica’s climate. So although it can rain in March, it tends to still have good weather with high temperatures and cloudy but dry conditions for the better part of the day. If it rains, it may be a short shower in the late afternoon and evenings, or overnight and early mornings.
Average day time temperatures are mid to high 80s°F (30-31° C) and average night time temperatures are low 70s° (22° C).
Monteverde
March weather in Monteverde is fantastic for anyone who can’t stand the coastal heat and humidity. This mountain town sitting at around 1200 meters in elevation (~4000 feet) always has fresh weather. It may still sprinkle here and there and will still be cloudy from time to time, but that is the true tropical cloud forest experience.
We have visited Monteverde in March a couple times and it was wonderful. Though still cloudy, it would clear up for longer periods of time so we could see both the Pacific and Caribbean slopes from the viewpoints in the cloud reserves.
Even though it does get a bit hotter in March, it is still extremely comfortable. Average temperatures are high 70s° F (25° C) in the day time and low 60s° F (15° C) in the night time. Can go up to low 80s° F (26° C) during a heat wave.
Prices in March in Costa Rica
March is an expensive month to travel to Costa Rica being peak of the high tourism season, mostly part to it being the month of spring break and because of Semana Santa (Holy Week). If Holy Week is in March that year (it changes every year), then hotel prices increase nearly double and some resorts can have a 2 or more minimum night stay. If Holy Week does not fall in March at all, then prices are normal high season rates, similar to January and February.
This is also applicable for car rental prices, which fluctuate throughout the year depending on the season. But again, as March is the peak of the high tourism season, prices are quite high. An automatic subcompact crossover 4wd SUV can be around $90-100 USD a day for just the car rental rate, excluding insurances and extras.
Tour prices do not change in March, they’re the same as January and February. Make sure to ask for cancellation policies as some places may have a stricter cancellation policy due to Holy Week.
Airfare is expensive in March, it’s not a cheap time to travel abroad. I have only ever found flights from Seattle to Guanacaste Airport around $800-900 USD and much more expensive if I want main cabin or economy plus. Sign up for cheap flight subscriptions or put an alert on the flight you want. Start looking at least 6 months before for flights. Get a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire and start collecting travel points to use if you can only travel in March.
Trip Planning for March in Costa Rica
If you plan to visit Costa Rica in March, we highly recommend you to book your services at least 3 months before due to very limited availability, especially if you have any “must sees” or “must dos.” For example, Tabacon Hot Springs Resort and Manuel Antonio National Park are two extremely popular places that require reservations and they sell out weeks in advance. Tabacon also has incredibly strict cancellation policies around Holy Week.
For Manuel Antonio National Park, people missed out on visiting the park because they were sold out around two weeks in advance for the last two weeks of March. They only sell a certain number of tickets per day so snag yours as soon as you can. Even tour operators do not have a special reserve of tickets and national park tours will sell out.
Corcovado National Park is also very popular in March as they only sell a limited amount of park tickets All visitors must go with a guide to Corcovado so it is not possible to simply buy your park tickets and be ready to go – you must have prebooked a tour.
Then popular activities such as canyoning in La Fortuna, ziplining at Sky Adventures Arenal, Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve night walk, Damas Island Mangrove kayaking and private snorkeling tours sell out very quickly in advance as well. Any private guides, private chefs or private tours also tend to sell out very fast.
If you wait last minute to book your hotels, cars and tours, you will probably not get what you want and you will have to book whatever is left and it may be expensive or not the best quality. So book early for March.
Best Things to Do in March in Costa Rica
March is a great month for all activities in Costa Rica, particularly birdwatching, wellness and outdoor adventure. However, white water tubing in the Guanacaste province is not great as the water level is too low. This will be at places like Hacienda Guachipelin and Rio Perdido (both parks have white water tubing).
Also, the waterfalls in Rincon de la Vieja National Park Las Pailas sector and Barra Honda National Park shrink to a trickle so it’s not very impressive to see. Other waterfalls in Guanacaste like Llanos de Cortes are dry but still have a bit of water. Thankfully, the Caribbean coast, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Central Pacific and South Pacific have waterfalls with flowing waterfall all year long.
Here are some of the best things to do in March in Costa Rica.
Beach Hopping
No vacation to Costa Rica is complete without a visit to some beaches! March is a great time to beach hop and see as many beaches as you can. Even the more “off the beaten path” beaches are easier to get to due to drier roads so a high clearance car may be required instead of an actual 4wd.
You can take a boating tour to see different beaches or hop in your car to explore.
Birding
March is a fantastic time to see Resplendant Quetzals in Costa Rica. You can find them in Monteverde, San Gerardo de Dota, the cloud forests in San Ramon and in San Vito. The most popular places are Monteverde and San Gerardo de Dota where you can see many Quetzals with the help of an excellent birding guide.
We’ve seen Resplendant Quetzals in both places with a guide. In Monteverde, we have seen the Quetzal in Curi Cancha Reserve and Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. In San Gerardo de Dota, we went to a private reserve near Providencia.
Other great places for birding in Costa Rica in March are Palo Verde National Park and Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge since the migratory birds are there. Furthermore, the river levels are lower and the lagoons have dried up, so the birds will congregate in specific spots, making them easier to see. You can see a variety of birds like Roseate Spoonbill, Jabiru, Little blue heron, Great Potoo, Tiger Herons and more.
Wildlife
Wildlife watching goes a bit low in March. The humpback whale season ends around mid March and by end of March, the season is essentially over. It won’t start picking up again until July. In March, you may see some turtles and dolphins out in the ocean.
There aren’t really any major turtle nestings in March – no mass nestings of turtles.
Night Walk
March is a fantastic time to do night walks as you will have nearly no chance of getting rained on. Best places to do night walks are in La Fortuna, Monteverde, Drake Bay and Manuel Antonio.
Bio Luminescence
Due to the dry skies and clear waters, it is a great time to see bio luminescence in Costa Rica. The best place is Punta Cuchillos on the Nicoya Peninsula. It is also possible in Drake Bay.
Sky Blue Rivers and Waterfalls
Sky blue rivers and sky blue waterfalls will be at their brightest and bluest and prettiest in March. La Leona Waterfall up in Curubande near Rincon de la Vieja National Park is sparkly blue, Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park has great chances of daily near perfect conditions, Blue Falls of Costa Rica in Bajos del Toro will be so blue, and the Oropendola Waterfall will be an emerald pool. March is a great time to do a waterfall hike and visit the sky blue rivers and waterfalls.
Get a Massage
You can get a massage any time of the year in Costa Rica but we highly recommend finding an indoor local spa if you don’t feel like being out in the intense heat and humidity that day. Get a massage, facial, body wrap and just relax the day away. You’ll feel so refreshed afterwards.
There are lots of indoor massage parlors and spas with air conditioning. If your hotel/resort doesn’t have their own spa, find a local place in town. Local massage parlors are very common in La Fortuna and often have promos.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
March is a wonderful time for scuba diving and snorkeling in Costa Rica. You can see manta rays in March, so if you’re a scuba diver, definitely schedule a dive or two during your trip. The water temperature may be a bit cold compared to the air temperature.
If you go snorkeling, wear a rash guard or use reef safe sunscreen. We recommend to go in the morning for the best snorkeling conditions. Afternoon can get very windy and it starts getting dark at 5 PM (sunset by 6 PM).
Stargazing
Clear skies means awesome stargazing in Costa Rica. Find a remote place with no light pollution and you can get some amazing star and astro photography. If you go out late at night, go in groups. Do not go alone, especially if you’re bringing expensive camera equipment.
Hiking
Dry conditions make for good hiking times. Don’t miss going for a hike or two to enjoy some nice views and get some exercise. Go to a national park, private reserve or just walk on the beach at sunrise and sunset to get in your steps.
Notable Festivals in March
There are some fun cultural festivals to check out if you’re around.
Día Del Boyero
The second Sunday in March is officially the day of the oxcarts. This one day parade celebrates the importance of oxen and oxcarts in Costa Rica. This takes place in San Antonio de Escazu in San Jose and you can see hundreds of beautifully painted oxcarts, local farmers and artists showing off their unique designs and handiwork.
Semana Santa (Holy Week and Easter)
As Catholicism is the main religion in Costa Rica, Easter is a big deal – just as much or even more than Christmas.
If Holy Week and Easter fall in March, as it did in 2024 (March 24-30), then expect tons of crowds, lots of traffic, long lines and lots of local partying at the beach. The country officially has Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday off so nearly all of the GAM cities (San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela and Cartago) empty out.
There will be tons of parties on the beach, live music and dancing on Friday and Saturday. To celebrate Easter, there are also religious celebrations and festivities.
It’s important to note that in most cities, they are not permitted to sell alcohol on Thursday and Friday. But if you’re visiting touristic places like Jaco, Manuel Antonio and Tamarindo, you don’t really need to worry about staying dry that weekend. Although, you may need to wait in long lines at the supermarket.
Likewise, government institutions are closed all those days and many businesses close early or close completely. If you are landing on that Friday or Saturday, some supermarkets close early. Many restaurants in the GAM close that weekend.
Other Things to Know About March in Costa Rica
- You will see lots of road side stands selling cantaloupe and watermelon which is in season. Don’t miss out on some of the freshest watermelon. Sugarcane is also in season so you may see huge trucks with sugarcane falling off the back, especially in Guanacaste.
- If you plan to do any ATV or buggy tours, bring head wear and googles or sunglasses to protect your face from the extremely intense dust in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula.
- You may see or hear of bad fires in Costa Rica in March. This is true, some of it is “controlled” burning, others are forest fires that sadly got out of hand.
- Lots of trees bloom in March so look out for beautiful yellow, pink and white trees.
- Don’t like the heat? Consider going to the mountains instead. Check out San Gerardo de Dota, San Isido de Perez Zeledon, Tilaran, Vara Blanca, the Central Valley, Poasito, Monteverde for cooler weather (70s-80s° F or 21-27°C).
- You can also do a coffee tour in March, even though it is at the end of the harvest.
What to Pack for Your March Vacation in 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, medicine.
MUST BRING: Sunscreen (SPF 30 and higher), after sun gel, mosquito repellent, insulated water bottle, microfiber towel, reusable shopping bags, swimsuits, sandals, sunglasses, hat, small first aid kit, dry fast and sweat wicking clothes and closed toed shoes for activities. Please please please make sure to reapply your sunscreen and drink lots of water. It is easy to get heat exhaustion or dehydrated without even knowing it and with temperatures 100°F and above in some places in Costa Rica in March, it can be dangerous.
Get our full Costa Rica packing list here.
Itineraries
Check out our itineraries below that we recommend for March.
One week Central and South Pacific: Jaco, Manuel Antonio and Uvita
Two Weeks: Tamarindo, Monteverde, Bijagua and Rincon de la Vieja
13 days: Puerto Viejo, La Fortuna and Monteverde
11 Days: La Fortuna, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio
10 Days Waterfalls: Bijagua, Bajos del Toro and Manuel Antonio
7/8 Days for Families: La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio + Samara and Bijagua
8 Days: La Fortuna and Playas del Coco
Costa Rica By Months
Read what Costa Rica is like in other months.
January
February
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
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- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
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