What is the weather like?
Two seasons, not four, and where you are matters more than the month. What to expect from Guanacaste to the Caribbean and the mountains.
Costa Rica has two seasons rather than four: a dry season, roughly December to April, and a green season, roughly May to November.
The green season is not a washout. On the Pacific side, most green-season days start sunny, with rain in the afternoon, and the country is at its greenest. Many travelers love it.
Where you are matters more than the month. Guanacaste, on the north Pacific coast, is the driest part of the country. The Caribbean coast keeps its own calendar, with its calmest spells in February to March and September to October. The mountains, like Monteverde and the area around the Arenal Volcano, are cooler and can be misty at any time of year.
Pack for both: sun on the beach, a light jacket for the cloud forest. We will tell you what to expect for your exact dates. For a month-by-month guide, see When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?