The dry season in Costa Rica is considered to be the middle of December through March. This is a lovely time to visit Costa Rica.  The rain has stopped and the flowers are all in bloom because the sun shines all day long.  From around five thirty in the morning until five thirty in the afternoon, a full twelve hours.

It’s a great time to visit the beaches.  The water is warm and the skies are blue.

More tourist are in Costa Rica during these months and there is gaiety in the air, with a lot of activity in the best tourist destinations.

Also the dry season is when Costa Rica holds it’s best festivals.  The annual oxcart parade in the old town of San Antonio de Escazu, the first week of March is a “don’t miss festival”.  Also the horse parade or “tope in Alajuela” is held  around the first week of March with one thousand horses participating and the riders dress their best.
So if you are visiting at this time be sure to stop by Alajuela for this opportunity to see the Andalusian horses.

Many small towns have week end festivities such as bull fights and rodeos. In Costa Rica the bull is let loose in the ring and young men actually get into the ring with the bull.  The bull chases the young men around the ring.  Most of the time it’s a comical affair but occasionally the bull actually does harm to the participate.  That is why a ambulance is stationed just outside the bull ring.

The weather in December, January, and February is cool and breezy but by March is is getting very warm and by April it is actually hot, but then the rains come and cool everything off.

Rainy season -from around mid April through around December 10th.   Exceptions are on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica the rainfall in much heavier and there is really not a dry season and a rainy season.   Seems to rain there less in October and November  (but that too varies)

NW Pacific Guanacaste beaches  is where there is the least rainfall in Costa Rica- even in the rainy season- this part of Costa Rica gets sunny mornings and late afternoon showers.

South Pacific of Costa Rica-this includes the Osa Peninsula.  Very rainy here.  Even in the dry season, rains a lot here. But in dry season usually sunny mornings and afternoon showers.

When traveling to Costa Rica you will admire how beautiful and green everything is.  That’s because of the rain,  the rich volcanic soil, and the warm tropical sunshine.

If you are planning a vacation to Costa Rica you would love to have our recently filmed travel DVD “Costa Rica a Travel Adventure Spectacular” travel video.  This full length DVD will show in their most spectacular beauty the 10 most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.  Just go to our home page of costaricalearn and at the top click on “buy our video.”  There you can view a 3 minute preview and all the instructions on how to order the video.

I invite you to read here on costaricalearn.com more about the weather patterns in Costa Rica.  Go to category weather patterns in the most popular touris destinations.

When is the best time to travel to Guanacaste, Costa Rica? Here we find much less annual rainfall.  There is SUNSHINE many more hours per day and that is why we see so many beach hotels on the NW Pacific coastlines. The rainy season is light but starts around mid May through mid November.  Afternoon thunder storms light up the sky with large bolts of lightening.  Dry season is December through mid May.  You can tell by the vegetation, trees aren’t as tall and the lushness is just not there, there are less mountains and the land  has longer spans of flatness.  Many of the trees have been cut for pastureland.  This is cowboy and cattle country.  The average temperature along the beaches is 80-90 F.  Interior Guanacaste is around 78-80 F with little humidity.  Air conditioning  is needed in cars and homes.  Great weather for beach lovers!!  Tourism in Guanacaste, mostly to the beaches is all year round.

weather Caribbean coastline and Caribbean interior:  Lush jungle vegetation and hot-humid  weather.  Rainfall is very heavy.  No rainy or dry season- sometimes rains less in October and November but not always.  Temperatures range in the 80-90F  with  high humidity.   Although this does not mean that it rains all day long everyday.  There are breaks when you can see the sun for a few days at the time.  Or it rains only in the afternoons.  It’s hard to predict. Vegetation is beautiful, with exotic plants everywhere and  palm trees line the beaches swaying  in the warm tropical winds.   Air conditioning definitely needed.  Tourism to the Caribbean is highest  December through March.

Weather Osa Peninsula-Gulfito region-southern Costa Rica: along the coastlines the weather is hot 80-90F with high humidity.  As we go further inland and the mountains rise, the temperatures become cooler-depending on the altitude.  Lush, jungle vegetation and lots exotic flowers and primary rain forest in many areas such as Corcovado National Park.  Less people here and definitely beautiful!  Tourism is less here because it is remote and requires driving very long distances or flying a small aircraft.  Also the National Park of Corcovado is somewhat expensive to hire guides     Tourism is highest here December through March.

Ann welcomes questions and comments.  At end of this post click on comments although it may say no comments, click anyway.  Thanks for visiting us here at costaricalearn.com