Though majority of visitors want to see Costa Rica in all its sunny glory, there’s something magical about Costa Rica in rainy season. Visitors CAN still have an incredible time in Costa Rica during rainy season despite what you may have read, but there are some things to know so you come fully prepared.
Below is our guide to visiting Costa Rica in the rainy season, the Costa Rica rainy season months and our tips for a safe and fun trip.
There are affiliate links in this post.
When is Costa Rica’s Rainy Season?
Rainy season in Costa Rica is generally beginning of May to end of November. This is for the majority of the country. Although there aren’t the four seasons in Costa Rica, rainy season is considered Costa Rica’s “winter.”
The transition months from dry to rainy are April and May. The rainiest months in Costa Rica are September and October.
It is important to note that the Caribbean coast (Limon province) follows its own weather pattern and doesn’t strictly adhere to the rainy season months. October is actually their summer month. We will talk about the Caribbean coast later on.
November and December are the transition months from rainy to dry season. As Costa Rica has over 20 micro-climates, average day and night time temperatures and the abundance of rain varies throughout the country. However, the average day and night time temperatures do not vary greatly between rainy and dry season. Read more about Costa Rica weather here.
Central Valley (San Jose, Heredia, Cartago, Alajuela)
In the city, during the day it is around high 70s° F (26° C) and at night, it cools off to around 60-65° F (15°-18° C). These are areas such as San Jose, Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia. If you go up to the mountains outside the city, it gets cooler, windier and tends to rain a bit more. This area can start to rain around end of March/beginning of April (sporadic rains in the evenings/nights).
Guanacaste Coast and Nicoya Peninsula
On the Northern Pacific coast (Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula), it is much drier. It is still very hot, around mid 80s° F (30° C) and very humid. It doesn’t really start raining hard constantly until about August/September and it is mostly cloudy in mornings, rainy in afternoons and nights. As a transition month, May may see off and on random rains and is usually very cloudy and humid.
Central and South Pacific Coast (Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Costa Ballena, Osa Peninsula)
For the Central and South Pacific coast (Jaco/Manuel Antonio/ Dominical, Uvita, Ojochal/Osa Peninsula), this area is very humid and tends to rain more. Average temperatures are around mid 80s° F (29° C). This part of the Pacific coast can start seeing rains around beginning of April but it can also rain during dry season being the proper tropical rainforest.
Mountaineous Areas (Monteverde, San Isidro de Perez Zeledon, San Gerardo de Dota, etc.)
In the mountainous areas such as Monteverde, San Isidro de Perez Zeledon, Bajos del Toro, Poasito, San Vito and San Gerardo de Dota, it is much colder. Daytime temperatures are around low to mid 70s° F (21°-23° C) and cools off at night to low 60s F (15-16 C). It can get even colder if it’s windy. San Gerardo de Dota can get even colder, down to 50 F (10 C) at night.
Caribbean coast (Limon province)
On the Caribbean coast, Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo follows a different weather pattern. The rainiest month is normally July but this area can rain any time of the year. October is their summer month.
Temperatures During Costa Rica’s Rainy Season
Average day time temperatures in Costa Rica don’t vary too much throughout the year, even between the dry and rainy seasons. In rainy season, it does cool off a little tiny bit but you get very high humidity in return. For more information, you can our Costa Rica’s weather post.
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Now let’s get into why you should visit during Costa Rica’s rainy season!
Wildlife Watching Galore
Although you can see wildlife in Costa Rica any time of the year, there are certain times where you can witness natural phenomenons that only happen during rainy season. Wildlife watching during Costa Rica rainy season is excellent when it comes to marine wildlife.
One of the best scuba diving spots in Costa Rica, the Bat Islands (Islas Murcielago), is only accessible during the rainy season (May – November). The islands have an extremely healthy and large population of bull sharks and manta rays!
Turtles
If seeing turtles is high on your bucket list, then you must visit Costa Rica in rainy season. Ostional Wildlife Refuge experiences a mass gathering of nesting turtles (called arribadas) during this time of year.
These arribadas are best in September, October and November. Thousands of turtles come onto shore to lay their eggs during arribadas! In Tortuguero, another excellent destination for turtles, the nesting season is May – November.
Whales and dolphins
If you want to see whales, good news! Costa Rica has a long humpback whale season and the best months are August and September. In Uvita, they hold the whale and dolphin festival in August since it’s such a good time to see whales.
There are several places in Costa Rica for whale watching such as Drake Bay, Manuel Antonio, Gulf of Nicoya, Golfo Dulce and Marino Ballena National Park in Uvita. We have even seen humpback and pilot whales in the Gulf of Papagayo and near the Catalinas Islands by Flamingo beach.
It’s So Green!
There’s a reason why they say green is nature’s color and makes people feel refreshed and calm. When we lived in Playas del Coco, we would go months and months without a drop of rain meaning all the grass and hills were yellow and dry like a desert. But as soon as we got a few good hard rains, Coco transformed into this lush, verdant beach town.
This is typical for areas such as Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula and even the mountainous areas.
Save Money During Costa Rica’s Rainy Season
If you’re planning on traveling in Costa Rica on a budget, rainy season is definitely the best time to visit. Hotels in Costa Rica normally have three different seasonal rates: low, high and peak. Low is rainy/green season, high is dry season and peak is during Christmas/New Years and Semana Santa (Easter week).
Low season rates can be a good amount less than high season. For example, a hotel that is normally $100 USD a night in high season may be $80 USD a night in low season. Same goes for car rentals. Additionally, some tour companies or restaurants may run promos in the lowest months of September and October. When we visited Manuel Antonio in October, a ton of restaurants had 30-50% off their entire menu (cash only).
Be aware that July, particularly the first and second week of the month is considered high season due to North America summer vacation and Costa Rican mid winter vacation. When we traveled to La Fortuna with my parents, it was hard to find hotels since many of them were full and prices were normal like high season. August is also high travel season on the Caribbean coast.
The cheapest times to travel in Costa Rica are the shoulder months of May, June, September and October.
Rivers and Waterfalls are Fuller During Costa Rica Rainy Season
Water levels are much lower during dry season and water sports such as rafting and tubing aren’t quite as exciting. We’ve gone white water rafting and white water tubing in both dry and rainy season and we have to say hands down, rainy season is way more fun! The rapids are much more thrilling to raft through with gushing waters and dark green jungle surrounding you.
Same with tubing. With low water levels you don’t bounce around nearly as much as rainy season when the rivers are full. Still fun in dry season but definitely more in rainy!
Likewise, waterfalls are normally drier and smaller in dry season, especially in Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula. During rainy season, the waterfalls fill up! There’s nothing more breathtaking than seeing a huge waterfall dropping from a tall cliff. It’s not quite as impressive when it’s a tiny stream.
But Keep in Mind…
However, one downfall to visiting waterfalls in rainy season is the color and extreme weather conditions. La Fortuna waterfall is actually a pretty bright green/blue but in the photo it looks grey. The color change is due to the sediment and dirt run off from the rain. Keep this in mind if you plan to visit blue waterfalls and rivers like Las Gemelas, Rio Celeste or La Leona, when it’s raining very hard, they may be a murky brown instead of sky blue.
Another downside is that during the peak rainy season months, it may be storming so the rivers may get too full. In those situations, it will be too stormy to run rafting or tubing tours so those tours will cancel. This can happen more during August, September, October and November.
Enjoy Beaches All to Yourself
Rainy season means less tourists and Yeison and I have had beautiful beaches all to ourselves many times during this time of year. Even places that are normally very busy like Manuel Antonio empty out once September and October roll around.
Rent a car, explore and you can find beautiful beaches all to yourself! It’s one of the best parts about the Costa Rica rainy season.
Tips for Visiting Costa Rica in Rainy Season
Consider visiting destinations that are not far from the international airports in Costa Rica. That way you don’t need to worry about driving long distances in the rain.
If you are really concerned about rain, consider rescheduling your trip to the dry season (December to April). If you can’t reschedule, then consider visiting the Caribbean coast if you will be coming in October and the Guanacaste/Nicoya Peninsula for May through August as those are the drier areas in the country.
I planned this specific 2 week Costa Rica itinerary for family and friends who visited me in August and it worked out great in the rainy season. Check our Costa Rica itineraries for more information!
Tours
- Schedule your activities in the morning. In rainy season, it is generally sunny and dry in the morning and rainy in the late afternoon and nights
- Check Facebook or Instagram accounts of the tour you’re doing, hotels you booked and places you’re visiting. They may post updates on conditions.
- You don’t necessarily need to pre-book all your activities if you want to wait and see how the weather is.
Packing
- Bring mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes are absolutely awful in rainy season. Read our post about our favorite bug repellents for Costa Rica. This is one of our favorite DEET free mosquito repellents.
- Pack accordingly. Be prepared for sudden rain so bring waterproof gear. We never leave without our waterproof backpacks! Read our complete guide to packing for Costa Rica during rainy season.
- Always have your light weight rain jacket with you. A small travel umbrella is a good idea too.
- Don’t forget sunscreen. Even if it’s cloudy, the sun is still strong.
- Get our Costa Rica packing list with rainy season tips here!
Driving
- We don’t recommend to drive long routes in the late afternoon/night during rainy season because it tends to rain more at night. If your flight lands after 3-4 PM and your next destination is 3 hours way, stay a night near the airport and then leave early the next morning. Remember that it gets dark by 6 PM everyday in Costa Rica. Find out what other things to know about Costa Rica before you go here!
- If you plan on renting a car, rent a GPS or use Waze/Google Maps on your phone. It’s pretty hard to see road signs when it’s pouring rain. The last thing you want to happen is to get lost or stuck in a thunderstorm. We also recommend to get a Costa Rican prepaid SIM card so you can make phone calls in case of emergency. Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!
- When using GPS, do not take the shortest route or that detour. Most of the time, it is through an unpaved road. If you miss a turn, go back to the main road. Always take the paved route and check road conditions.
- Rent a 4×4/4wd if you plan to explore, are staying up in the mountains or staying in places outside the main tourist zones.
- In some areas, the power may go out during rain or thunderstorms. Bring a battery pack to always keep your phone charged. A headlamp or flashlight will also come in handy.
Costa Rica Rainy Season By Month
Although tropical weather is more unpredictable, here is a general breakdown. Costa Rica is also affected by the El Niño y La Niña events which may influence how much it rains and when the rainy season starts/ends for the year. In Costa Rica, El Niño tends to bring drier weather with a later rainy season.
April
Although Costa Rica in April is *technically* dry season, the weather generally starts to transition around mid April in some parts of the country. Rain may occur in places like the Central Valley, La Fortuna or South Pacific. The North Pacific coast places may start getting cloudier and get a random rain here or there.
Because of this, around mid to end of April, it will get extremely humid.
May
What the weather is like in Costa Rica in May: May is our shoulder and transition month. It may rain off and on sporadically and some days may be rainier than others in the rainforest and mountain areas. Days are still hot, though cloudy and humid. It may rain very hard for 10 minutes and then be super sunny for the rest of the afternoon. The Caribbean coast can be rainy in May as it doesn’t follow a strict dry-rainy tropical climate.
June
What it’s like to travel Costa Rica in June: June is proper rainy season. Depending on the type of year, June can be quite rainy with some tropical storms or hard rains. Although it doesn’t rain all day, every day, come prepared. In drier years, it doesn’t rain as much but in wetter years, it can rain consistently in the afternoons, evenings and overnight.
June on the Caribbean coast is similar to May.
July
What it’s like to travel to Costa Rica in July: July has what the locals call “little summer.” This little summer is around mid-July and the weather tends to dry up, as if it’s dry season. It even has clear blue skies and little humidity. Although it can still rain in July in the rainforest areas, it is generally drier and a great month to visit Costa Rica. July can be a lot rainier on the Caribbean side.
August
What it’s like to travel to Costa Rica in August: It starts going back to the typical rainy day with sunny mornings and cloudy afternoons. Rain can start picking up more in the afternoons and nights and more often towards mid to end of August. Starts to rain more in the rainforest and cloud forests.
September
What the weather like in Costa Rica September: September is the start of the rainiest months in Costa Rica. Expect more cloudy days and rainy afternoons and nights. Starts to dry up in the Caribbean. September and October tend to be the coldest months in Costa Rica.
October
What it’s like to travel Costa Rica in October: This is the driest month for the Caribbean side but the worst for the rest of the country. Expect sudden rain storms during the day and it may rain late into the night. On the Pacific coast you will still get dry but cloudy mornings but by afternoon, it’ll start raining.
There are also many possibilities of big storms in October and when it storms in Costa Rica, it storms good. In 2018, the Guanacaste coast was hit by a tropical storm in October. Roads flooded, people got stuck. This is a great reason why you should purchase travel insurance for your trip if you plan to visit during rainy season. Travel delays and cancellations can be common.
November
What it’s like to travel Costa Rica in November: Still expect a good amount of rain throughout the country. Starts transitioning to dry season but can still rain in the afternoons and nights in the higher elevation areas. The coast will have hard rains at night. At the end of November 2017, the Costa Rica Northern Coast got hit by Hurricane Otto, the first hurricane since 1996.
December
What it’s like to travel Costa Rica in December: Beginning of December is very nice as it is drying up. It can still rain here and there beginning of December but by the end of December, it’s not common to have the super hard rains.
It usually gets very windy in December throughout the Central Valley and North Pacific coast. If there is a cold front up north in the Atlantic, the Central Valley will also be affected.
Best Things to Do in Costa Rica Rainy Season
Fishing in Costa Rica is generally very good in rainy season, especially for mahi mahi and tuna.
White water rafting and tubing: Rivers are fuller like I mentioned before so it’s a lot more fun! Take note if you’re visiting September – November though the weather may get too crazy. Tour companies will cancel rafting tours if the rivers are too full or weather becomes dangerous so if you visit those months, be aware that it may happen.
Coffee tours: The coffee harvest season starts around September to December/January so you can see the entire picking, separating and processing procedure.
Museums: In San Jose, you can visit the Central Market, the museums or National Theater.
Enjoy the rain! We absolutely love sitting on our covered balcony with a hot cup of tea or coffee, watching the rain fall while listening to the thunder. We also love seeing the crazy lightning storms. Taking a nap in the rain is also pretty nice!
Be Prepared for Costa Rica Rainy Season
Whether you visit Costa Rica during May, July or October, the most important thing is to be prepared for rainy season. Bring appropriate gear, schedule your activities in the morning, don’t plan to drive long routes in the late afternoons and after dark and consider planning an itinerary that doesn’t go to very rural/remote places if you can’t rent a 4wd.
Get a discount off your Costa Rica car rental with our partnership! More information in the link.
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”
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels. Save more money with our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Sunny says
Hello,
We are going to Costa Rica ending of November and renting car. Have 2 young children.. how is the road from Liberia airport to Monteverde, close to the cloud forest to stay.
Will it be dangerous driving there at night?
Gps says the trip will take under 3 hours.
Sammi says
Hello Sunny, we’ve sent you an email
Claire says
I am heading to Costa Rica July 2023 to Hotel Bosque del Mar. Any recommendations on things to see in the area? I’m trying to decide if I’ll need to rent a car or not.
Sammi says
Hi Claire, we have sent you an email with more information
Kathy K says
I had planned to visit Manuel Antonio in October but after reading that it is the WORST month for rain, I am considering changing our trip to the Carribean side. Would you recommend that?
Sammi says
Yes October is our rainiest month except its summer on the Caribbean coast
Kevin H. says
Hello,
This is just the article I was looking for. We are looking to book early September (9/6-9/12). I don’t think I mind the rain but the bug part. How unbearable is it? We were looking into renting a VRBO or AirBnB. There are a lot in the jungle area or mountains. Is that a bad idea for this season? Or do you recommend certain areas?
Sammi says
It really depends on where you’re going and what kind of accommodation you’re booking. VRBOs and Airbnbs don’t have to adhere to any like cleaning rules or regulations so I’ve had our fair of experiences (and others) where it’s been super clean and tidy, and others that were not. Vacation rentals normally do not come with cleaning service either. If you’re concerned about bugs, I’d personally recommend a higher end hotel or a higher end rental that offers daily cleaning services
Julia says
Hello! We are thinking about going to Manuel Antonio area at the beginning of May. Do you think by then it wouldn’t have been enough rain to make the area look green and lush? I really want to experience lush and green and rainforest… But also want to squeeze in few tours without having to do it in the rain (which I understand we need to do in the mornings). Thank you for the article, it is very helpful.
Sammi says
Manuel Antonio is tropical rainforest so it’s green all year round
Milada says
Hi! I’m thinking about taking my parents to Costa Rica in the first half of August. I know it’s a rainy season, and usually tends to have dry mornings and rainy evenings. However, in the mornings, does the sun come out, or is it generally cloudy all day even when it’s not raining? We’re thinking about Manuel Antonio and Drake Bay. Thanks so much! Love your website!
Sammi says
The sun can still be out but it’s usually cloudy during August, but still hot. You can read more about Costa Rica weather in this post. Manuel Antonio and Drake Bay are in the South Pacific rainforest so those areas tend to rain more
Shane says
Hi,
We’re planning on visiting Manuel Antonio, Monteverde cloud forest, and Arenal in mid August with our kids. I know we may get some rain. But do you think our trip would be ruined by the amount of rain?
Sammi says
Rainy season in Costa Rica is not downpours 24/7 (unless we have a tropical storm or hurricane but hurricanes are not that common). You can still do things during rainy season but plan your activities in the morning. It gets dark by 6 PM everyday and starts to rain on/off afternoons and nights.
Claire says
Thanks so much for the tips!
We will be in Costa Rica 11/29-12/6 visiting Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, and La Fortuna. Is this a good time to visit these areas? We really hope not to get heavily rained on during our trip.
Also will 7 days be too few to spend in all 3 areas? We are thinking about cutting out Monteverde if so.
Thanks so much!
Sammi says
Hello, you can read about the best time to visit Costa Rica and read our monthly breakdown.
Also here are our posts for your destinations: Manuel Antonio, Costa Ricam Monteverde Costa Rica, La Fortuna
Personally for 7 days I would cut out Monteverde and leave just 2 destinations: Manuel Antonio and Fortuna
We wrote a 1 week itinerary that goes to these two places (Itinerary 1): Costa Rica 1 week family itinerary
Tony Cisneros says
This is a great service! We are traveling to Guanacanaste (Playa Manzanillo) 10/1 – 10/6. The forecast is for rain the whole time…but I used to live in Panama and the rain would not come until 2 or 3pm. Is this the same for the Guanacanaste area…will we have any sunshine? We are planning to take a tour to Rio Celeste to see the waterfall/sloths/etc…is this a good idea during this time? The other thing we wanted to do was the sunset catamaran tour. From reading this blog, the sunset tour seems like it should be substituted for something else. What are good tours during the rainy season? ATV? Fishing/scuba?
Thank you in advance for all your tips.
Sammi says
Yes its about the same, on and off rains in rainy season, usually starting late afternoons but can also have on and off rains throughout the day in October as we are in a strong rainy season this year and we get affected by the hurricanes and other storms
Paige says
Hello and thank you SO much for this blog. I’ve been reading for hours and am definitely going to use your codes!
One question I have in particular is best places to visit in late Oct – late Nov with a 3 year old. We’ll rent a car and from what I’ve read here, it would be best to head to the Caribbean side. Any other recommendations? We don’t want to make the mistake of trying to do too much (like you advise) and it looks like there are age restrictions on most of the activities anyway.
Should we just plan on beach hopping? Any suggestions for laid back beach towns (and beaches) that are toddler friendly?
Thank you so much!!
Sammi says
Hello Paige, you can check our following posts for more information
Best places in Costa Rica
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica (main beach town in the South Caribbean)
Ryan says
I’m looking to go to jaco and some other areas in September for surfing mainly, atv, zip line, snorkeling, etc. is this possible during this time of the year with rain.
Sammi says
You can definitely visit in September, just plan your activities in the morning
Sammi says
We are all open! HOwever sometimes in October, some businesses may close because it’s our lowest tourism month or they may have limited hours. SOme hotels do all their construction in October or close some sections
Ann says
Thanks for your great article. We may have an opportunity to go to Dominical in mid-October. Are the restaurants and tour operators open for business? We’re all for rain in a rain forest (!), but don’t be stuck in the house or unable to explore. We’re up for some adventure, but not too much!
Zoe Reid says
Hi! me and my friend are planning to travel to the guanacaste region specifically hear Playa del Coco in mid october this year. We have since realized from doing more research that October is one of the rainiest months. We will be there for a full 7 days. What are some types of activities we would be able to do because we initially weren’t planning on it raining? We were thinking ziplining but i read that it is not fun to do that during rainy season. We were also thinking about doing a tour to tortuga island, would you recommend that? and when people say it rains in the afternoon is it like a nice drizzle or is it like a downpour? thank you!!
Sammi says
Coco tends to be a bit drier than the rest of the country but October still has strong rains, usually on and off during the time and more consistent in evenings and nights.
Tortuga Island from Coco is a 4 hour drive so that is very far, I don’t recommend doing it unless you will be closer to the boat dock.
Chelsea J says
Thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful posts. We will be in Costa Rica for 10 days in the middle of October and plan to rent a car. It sounds like there are many reasons to recommend traveling that month (the greenery and lack of crowds are big pluses) so long as we are prepared for the rain. My main anxiety right now is that we plan to rent a car, and I am worried about the roads being washed out, as this is something all of the guidebooks have warned about. We plan to only drive between places between 8am-1pm to avoid heavy rains. Our current itinerary plan is SJO to La Fortuna to Monteverde to Quepos and back to SJO. How would we find out about bad road conditions or flash flooding that might impact our drives? Any other tips for staying safe while driving in the rainy season?
Sammi says
I would keep an eye on the weather forecasts because they will have information on the “tropical ondas” or tropical waves, or storms or hurricanes coming in. This website is very good, https://www.imn.ac.cr/en/web/imn/inicio as it’s the national meteorological agency of Costa Rica.
Download your routes offline (like Google Maps) and don’t take any shortcuts or detours. Always stay on the main road.
Definitely rent a 4wd.
Drive safe.
Heather says
Hi, and thank you for this blog, and for your answers to others’ questions. I’m curious about a) traveling during the rainy season (October 9th-ish) and during corona-times. We’re thinking about a tiny (read: our immediate family/travel companions) wedding at an Airbnb in, likely, Tamarindo. It’s close to the airport, but we’d like to get out to at least some restaurants for dinners. Are things open? I know that Costa Rica’s borders are open to vaccinated US travelers, but do you have a sense for people’s feelings about tourists walking the streets when Costa Ricans haven’t largely had the chance to get vaccinated the way we have yet? Basically, will we but “stuck” at the (beautiful) home because of the rain/pandemic?
Sammi says
Costa Rica is open and Tamarindo looks pretty much like normal pre-COVID times, beach is open, things are open, etc. I don’t know how it will be in October since that’s too far away but right now, the government has put in a restriction for things to close by 9 PM and that’s until at least July 11. If anything changes, we always update our Costa Rica COVID travel post.
Costa Rica depends a lot on tourism for a good part of their economy and Tamarindo being a touristic town depending solely on tourism really wants tourists to come but we do ask that you follow any regulations that are still in place in October which could be mask wearing, social distancing, etc. Right now Costa Rica has applied nearly 2.5 million doses (out of a population of about 5 million) and they’re hoping to keep vaccinating their citizens in the next following months.
As for the rain, schedule activities in the morning and plan for rain in late afternoons and nights.
Ang says
Hi we are coming to costa rica in october. i heard that the best thing to do is plan for activities in the morning as it rains in october. is this accurate?
Sammi says
Yes
Jasnin says
I have stumbled upon your blog and I’ve been on it for hours. I love it. I want to go to Costa Rica for my birthday late October (10.27-11.01.21) and there are so many tours and adventures I read from your blog that I want to do! I’m thinking of flying into Liberia and doing the Guachipelin Adventure Park’s combo tour and then head towards Pure Trek to go canyoning (next day), but I am now seeing that October is the rainiest month. I was also planning on doing the private boat tour with Marcy. Then I was planning of ending my Costa Rica trip by driving to San Jose on the 31st and fly back home from there. Do you think the weather will really affect my trip?
Sammi says
Hi Jasnin, it is difficult for me to predict how the weather will be exactly, as usually the Guanacaste coast is dry but cloudy in the mornings, rains in the afternoons and night. La Fortuna where Pure trek is does tend to rain quite a bit and this year they said it will be another very rainy year and October is our rainiest month. You only have a few days in Costa Rica so you don’t really have much flexibility in case your tour gets cancelled due to weather issues but if you want to visit during that time, I would just stick o one destination especially since you only have a few full days anyways so I don’t really recommend spending two full days you have in Costa Rica to drive from Liberia to Arenal and then driving all the way to San Jose which is 4 hours from La Fortuna. And I would fly in and out of the same airport if you can.
Susan says
Hi I love your Blog! I’ve spent hours reading it! It is so imformative! I’m trying to decide if June or July is a better time to visit Costa Rica? Are the crowds generally the same? I know there is a mini summer in July but does that draw crowds as well? How busy is Manuel Antonio in June and July? We wanted to go to the Osa Penninsula but we’re worried that during June it would be to rainy? Thanks so much!
Sammi says
June is definitely less crowded, because in July, the local schools also have their mid winter break for 2 weeks so July gets very busy. But in general, in Osa Peninsula it’s not crazy crowded, especially now due to COVID. June can rain a bit, especially in the South Pacific.
Anne Garo says
Hello,
Thank you for your great website. It is very informative. I would be great if you could provide more links to your favorite car rentals sites, vacation hotels or VRBO areas, restaurants, and adventure sites.
My family and I (husband and 2 teenage girls…13 &15) are wanting to travel this October 2020. We are a bit nervous due to the COVID19 issues. I know being on an airplane isn’t ideal with a mask for 8 hours but willing to endure it for a great vacation. We read the virus risk in CR is very low compare to the USA. Do you know if there are any travel restrictions or quarantine issues we may face in October?
My husband wants to fish for tuna one day. Any recommendations?
We love horseback riding, inner tubing (low rapids), hiking, relaxing on beaches, ziplining, animals etc. We aren’t extreme sports people but like an adventure. Any recommendations?
We are thinking of renting a jeep or other 4×4…any recommendations?
We are thinking of staying on the Caribbean side for 1/2 our trip and maybe a more jungle area for the other half. We are traveling from October 23-31st.
Any other advice or recommendations you can give us?
Thank you so much.
Sammi says
Hi Anne, you can check our Costa Rica destination map to browse through all our articles via location or our Costa Rica itinerary ideas which has sections for things to do, hotels, restaurants, tours, etc.
Jeeps are not really rented or available in Costa Rica because they’re very expensive (premium cars here) but maybe check Nomad America, they may have some old ones that you can rent (you don’t need to get all the camping stuff).
Here are our articles for the Puerto Viejo area (South Caribbean)
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Things to do in Puerto Vijejo
Michael Plaza says
Hello,
I am planning on solo travelling to Costa Rica in late October. Flying into SJO and planning on travelling to Arenal for 3 days and then Jaco for three days. I was considering booking a trip through a rain-forest tour website. They drive you to all locations and take care of hotels and day tours. I would much much rather rent a car, go on my own to save money and have the freedom of having my own car. I’m just worried about rainy season and driving by myself. I consider myself a great driver and am capable of making rational decisions, but still worried that I will run into issues with the season driving. I would do all the long drives in the early morning and keep a good look at the weather radar. Should I be okay to rent a car?
Sammi says
Hi Michael, all those destinations and those routes are on well paved roads, in fact most of them go through the highway. As long as you leave in the morning and use GPS like Waze or Google Maps, I would say you should be fine. You also don’t need a 4×4 or high car for those destinations which is nice. Once you get out of San Jose, the driving is pretty easy and nothing crazy to Arenal or Jaco. Hope this helps!
Jackie Geigel says
Hello! My husband and I were considering a trip to CR in October of this year. We’d like to visit the Caribbean side, and wonder about the trip from San Jose to Puerta Viejo, particularly over the mountains. How is the trip over the mountain? How long? Is it a lot of ‘switchbacks’? How high? We’ve been warned about landslides. II’d prefer not to rent a car, but the private shuttle price I’ve seen is outrageous. What is a typical price for a flight from San Jose to Limon? Thanks for any information!
Sammi says
The drive is a bit long because that route usually has a lot of traffic so it can take anywhere from 4 hours (normal without traffic) to 6. The public bus takes around 6 ish hours and it’s the cheapest option (and direct). It’s a straight route, no switchbacks because you go through the mountain, not over it.
You can check with Sansa who flies to Limon for prices.
kristina says
Hello!
I am coming to Costa Rica, Guanacaste on May 25th. We are staying for 5 days. I wanted to know some of the tour recommendations you had. I would like to know more about the weather being that it is wet season but I know Guanacaste is relatively a drier city compared to the rest. We are so excited! What are some of your favorite tours. We wanted to do mud baths, surfing, hot springs, ziplining, volcanos, and ATV tours. Please let us know your suggestions!!!! We are looking forward to having a great experience
Sammi says
Hi Kristine, you can check out our Guanacaste itinerary for ideas 🙂
Jen says
Hi thank you for all the details here!
I travel next week to San Jose for a week. What are the closest beaches, highly recommended food/bar spots? Also, what would you recommend as mode of transportation?
Sammi says
Hello Jen, for the closest beach town, that would be Playa Jaco Costa Rica. You can take the San Jose bus to Playa Jaco, a shuttle or drive.
Todd Johnson says
Hi I’m staying here and would love some tips on where to zipline, hotsprings, and maybe some ATV riding are close to here. The Airbnb listing has the name of the town as Hacienda Pinilla, Santa Cruz. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Todd Johnsno
Sammi says
Hi Todd, you’re close to Tamarindo so you can check out our Things to do in Tamarindo post for ideas of things to do.
Susan Hanson West says
I’m so excited about coming to costa Rica but worried about it being in October. We are staying 3 nights in Peurto vejo and 3 in Cartago. How is the drive between the 2 towns? Is there cell service to use Waze?
Sammi says
The drive is not bad, it is on all paved roads actually and there is signal for the most part, except for the section in Brauilio Carillo National Park from San Jose to Guapiles.
Stephanie Cadaval says
Hola! I am traveling by myself from San Jose to Isla de Chira (in the middle of the gulf of Nicoya). I am doing my master’s field work and will live there for three months. This is my first time traveling solo as a woman and carrying a lot of supplies. Do you have any tips on staying safe? I love your blog! I leave next week.
What is the best way to get a phone?
Sammi says
Hi Stephanie, how cool!
Here are our Costa Rica safety tips.
I would recommend to use your own phone and purchase a Costa Rica pre-paid sim card
Chris says
Hi, refered to this site by a friend on FB, Jen. My family and I are traveling to the Carrillo area in May. Small children will be with us, do you reccomend anything in particular we need to bring to account t for them and do you suggest any sites to see in the area?
Thanks you
(sorry corrected area)
Sammi says
Hi Chris, you can check our post on Samara (right next to Carillo) for things to do and what to know: Samara, Costa Rica
Sammi says
Hi Maggie! You can read our honeymoon post here: Costa Rica honeymoon planning guide
Maggie says
I’m so happy I came across this site via Pinterest! Thank you so much for all the recommendations on everything! My fiancé and I will be visiting Costa Rica for our honeymoon In June. Do you have a favorite beach in mind?
Rebecca says
What is your recommendation for beach area in November (last week of November)? We are vacationing for a week with 2 toddler boys. thanks!
Sammi says
Manuel Antonio and the Gulf of Papagayo/Tamarindo/Conchal area are always good choices. The Gulf of papagayo beaches are closer to the airport too, Coco, the closest one is only a 20 minute drive from LIR Airport. Manuel Antonio is about a 3 hour drive. You can read this post for more information: Best places in Costa Rica
Sammi says
HI May, it depends on what part of the country you’re going but for the most part, it doesn’t really start raining heavily until around September. May is just the beginning of rainy season so you may run into some rain, but for the most part days are still super sunny. If you’re going to the Caribbean side however, they don’t follow the dry-rainy seasons and it can rain there almost all year long. But in Guanacaste, it’s super sunny. Down in the South Pacific/Osa, it’s a lot more humid.
May says
Hi! We’re planning on visiting Costa Rica the last week of May-June 4th. Loved this article, I’m now less nervous about it raining all the time!
Will we still be able to have some days just tanning on the beach?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Clay, here are our favorite things to do in Arenal: Things to do in Arenal and La Fortuna , our favorite things to do in San JOse: Things to do in San Jose and things to do in the Coco area: day trips from Playas del Coco
During that time, do come prepared for rain especially in Arenal and San Jose as SEptember and October are our rainiest months. Coco is generally more dry but come prepared for rain and bring your rain jacket wherever you go! Here are our rainy season packing tips so you come prepared: Things to do in San Jose
Have fun!
Clay Carter says
Thank you for all of the great information! My fiancé and I will be going to Playas del Coco for our honeymoon from September 27-October 3 and we are very excited about it yet a little nervous because of the weather. We will be driving from Arenal because we’re going there first after we fly into San Jose and then returning to San Jose from Playas del Coco to fly home.
What are some of your favorite things to do in the area during this time? Anything you recommend that we must see or do? We are an adventurous younger couple looking for fun and hope to get a good day or two at the beach as well.
Thanks for your help!
Sammi says
May is considered a shoulder month as its the transition month between dry to rainy and since Guanacaste is a drier area, it doesn’t see much rain in May. We live in Guanacaste so you can read more about rainy season here: Best time to visit Costa Rica and Costa Rica weather
Marnie Ramon says
Were planning going to Guanacaste the week of May 13, Debating on going from reviews this is the start of green season for rain..
Has anyone been in May?
Ingrid says
I will be there next summer late August. I love the rain so I hope I see some great storms. But I do wonder if I will still get snorkling chances.
Sammi says
You’ll love it in August! It’s so beautiful. Just go early in the morning for snorkeling and it’s usually good! 🙂
yeison says
Yes it is, we love that time of the year it’s not as hot and everything looks so green, you can read more about this here: Costa Rica weatherand Hiking Manuel Antonio National Park or Best time to visit Costa Rica
Stephanie says
How is Quepos in July? Is this a good time to visit Manuel Antonio National Park?
yeison says
Hi, rainy season is our favorite season everything is green and there are not that many people as in high season. you might get some rain in November but it’s not that much, weather is changing all over the world so it’s hard to tell you can check this article it might help you: Best time to visit Costa Rica
Danyelle says
I plan on visiting Guanacaste CR the end of November, is this a good time to visit. I don’t want to get rained out
Alyssa @ UnevenSidewalks says
We love Costa Rica in the rainy season! After living there, we didn’t believe that many tourists were choosing to come in the dry season when everything is so brown and dry! I agree with you about the lightning storms too! I’ve never seen anything like it! I always recommend to go during the rainy season!
yeison says
Hi! Only the ones that have lived here before can actually tell how nice is on rainy season 🙂
James Kelley says
Shh… don’t tell everyone! It should stay a secret 🙂
Both times I visited Costa Rica were the months of October (two separate years) and I loved it! The main reason I loved it so much, and you could emphasize even more, is the lack of crowds and other tourists!
Especially in places like Manual Antonio, which I’ve heard can be crazy packed. When I hiked Corcovado I didn’t see another person on the trails or the beach for 8 hours at a time. And if I remember right, October is the ‘dry’ season for the Caribbean side of CR; I had hardly any rain at all when visiting Puerto Viejo and Limon.
yeison says
Yeah rainy season is one of the best times to visit you don’t want to deal with crowds and some times you have parks just for yourself. I am happy to heard that you had a great in Costa Rica