The Climate of Costa Rica:

Climate and weather are important factors to consider when visiting a country. Most people consider travelling to Costa Rica in wintertime. December and january are perfect months for vacations in Costa Rica - you can avoid the cold in the Northern Hemisphere and are most likely to hit good weather here. Note that this is the peak tourist season. Contact us for informationabout where to go and hotel bookings.

The dry season lasts from November/December to the end of April. The vegetation is less lush during this season, making places like Guanacaste look like an African savannah. In recent years there has been a change of climate (due to global warming linked to the hole in the ozone layer and/or El Niño?). For example, we found abnormally heavy rains in January and February, while in theory this is the dry season.

From November to April, hotels and other operators charge high season rates. Many North Americans visit the country during this season.

The ("green") rain season lasts from May until November. This is the best season to travel to Costa Rica. The season is characterized by almost daily rains, mainly in the middle of the afternoon. This phenomenon is more distinct on elevations than in the lowlands. The mornings are generally sunny; clouds begin to form around noon. Heavy showers (often in the form of storms) occur around 2 a.m. These showers last from 2 to 3 hours, after which the sun returns. During this period the vegetation is of a beautiful lushness. The Atlantic side gets more water than the Pacific, except in July and August where the opposite is the case (this period is called the "little summer" in the Caribbean).

The months of September and October are considered the rainiest in theory. In reality there seemed to be a change of weather in the last few years. During the years 2005 and 2006 these two months (September and October), were particularly sunny.

Hotels and other tourism operators consider the months of May, June, September and October (“temporada verde") to be low season. Many Europeans visit the country in July and August (average rates or high season).

Costa Rica, is located between 8 and 11 degrees north latitude, between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Due to its geographical position the country has certain peculiarities that should be recalled. The nights are longer from October to March: the sun rises at about 05:30 and it sets around 17:30. From March to September nights are shorter, the sun goes down at 18:15. This season gains about 1.5 hours of sunlight per day. Another well-known phenomenon: dusk and dawn only last a short time. Note that in Costa Rica there is no time change as in Europe or USA.