In Costa Rica, the tourist season is December through April, which corresponds to the dry season. You can almost depend on clear, sunny weather, but there are occasional unseasonal storms from the north that can last for several days. The rainy season usually takes a while to get started in May, and often diminishes for a couple of weeks in June or July. The rains dwindle in December. (In Guanacaste, the only really rainy months are October and November.)
 There are certain advantages to going during the off-season: The mornings are almost always clear and warm. The scenery is fresher and greener. The days are cooled by the rains, which can be a blessing, especially at the beach. The clouds usually clear in time for a magnificent sunset. Many hotels offer substantial discounts during the off-season, sometimes as much as 50 percent. All places are leas crowded, more peaceful. Leas harm is done to the ecosystems in the parks when fewer people come trooping through at one time.
You really need to plan ahead for Christmas week and the week before Easter. Hotel rooms are booked months in advance, and popular hotels are often booked several months in advance in the dry season. But during the rest of the year you can cake a "let's just explore and see what happens" vacation, and you'll almost always find a place to stay. Airlines are usually booked far in advance from about December 10 to January 10, so make your plane reservations early if you want to go during that time. The same goes for the weeks before and after Easter. |
