Hi everyone,
We are just starting our plans for a trip to Costa Rica for 2 weeks, ideally the last week of March and first week of April. I am just wondering if this is a good time of year to visit Costa Rica weather-wise (I know it is towards the end of the dry season). Also, if we have to push back the dates, how rough is rainy season (and when is it the worst)? While I don't yet have a detailed itinerary, we're ideally looking to do some adventure travel and are keen on wildlife/the rainforest, if that helps at all.
Thanks so much! I'm looking forward to reading other posts and plotting out my trip!
looking for some advice on when to visit Costa Rica
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In my opinion, the rainy season doesn't really become a problem for visitors/traveling around and enjoying Costa Rica until late July and onward.
One thing to be especially aware of is that Semana Santa (Holy Week) falls on the last week of March this year. Hotels fill up fast and charge "peak season" rates.
We actually like traveling during green season because we get such great deals on hotels. We usually go during July and do get rain every day but never a full day of rain. It's not all that predictable. I like how lush and green things are during that time of year. We did the Osa one July and didn't get a drop of rain. We also did a CR trip in December, and it rained much more than it ever has during rainy season. That December trip it poured buckets almost every day. We just forged ahead with our plans. I would expect March/April to be pretty hot. Different areas of the country have different weather patterns. Guanacaste tends to be drier, while the Osa tends to be wetter, etc. I would personally avoid the Osa in September and October when the rains can get very heavy there. This map shows general weather patterns that may help. Mouse over the areas you're interested in.
http://costa-rica-guide.com/Weather/WeatherMap.html
Thank you both for the incredible advice! Our second idea was to go for the last 2 weeks in May, so perhaps that's a better plan considering Semana Santa and the deals. Plus, I do like the idea of lushness provided it's not pouring buckets.
Thanks again! I am sure I will return with more questions now that I have a starting point for planning.