When Is the Best Time to Visit Costa Rica? (2026)

ShopBack US is a free Cashback app and website. You go through ShopBack, book on sites like Booking.com, Expedia or Viator as usual, and part of what you spent comes back as cash once the booking is confirmed. Sign up for ShopBack before you book your Costa Rica trip.

Other travel sites on ShopBack US for a Costa Rica trip include Hotels.com, Trip.com, Vrbo, Priceline and Agoda.

---

When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?

The dry season, mid-December to late April, is the best time for most first trips, and the green season, May to mid-December, is the better time if you want to pay less and avoid crowds. That is the official split from Visit Costa Rica. The country is small, but the two coasts have different weather, so the right month also depends on where you are going.

Months	Season (Visit Costa Rica)	Pacific side (Guanacaste, Manuel Antonio, Osa)	Caribbean side (Puerto Viejo, Tortuguero)	Crowds and prices
Mid-December to March	Dry season	Dry; March is the driest and hottest month	Wetter; December is the rainiest month, February and March are relatively dry	Busiest; holidays and US winter travel
April	Dry season ending	Transition month	Rains pick up again from May	Busy around spring break and Holy Week
May and June	Green season	Rainy season starts	Rainy period	Lighter crowds
July and August	Green season	Veranillo, or little summer: less rain	Rainfall peaks in July	Busier with family school breaks
September and October	Green season peak	Rainiest months	Relatively dry period	Reduced rates and light crowds; some closures in the south
November to mid-December	Green season ending	November is a transition month	Strongest rainy period starts	Prices climb toward the holidays

The quick rule: January to March for the most reliable sunshine on the Pacific beaches, July and August for a cheaper Pacific trip with a break in the rain, and September or October for the Caribbean coast.

---

Best time to visit Costa Rica

The best time to visit Costa Rica depends on the coast and on what you want to do, because the Pacific has clear dry and rainy seasons while the Caribbean does not. Here is how Visit Costa Rica describes each side.

The Pacific side has a well-defined dry season from December to March, with April as a transition month and March the driest and hottest. The rainy season runs from May to October, with November as a transition, and September and October are the rainiest months. Rain usually falls in the afternoon and early evening, so mornings are often clear even in the green season. In July and August the rain eases during the veranillo, or little summer.

The Caribbean side has no well-defined dry season. Its relatively dry spells are February to March and September to October, and December is its rainiest month. Rain falls mostly at night and in the morning. That is why Visit Costa Rica calls the Caribbean coast "your best bet" in the fall, when the Pacific side is at its wettest.

What that means for planning:

• Beaches in Guanacaste (Tamarindo, Playa Conchal, Nosara): December to April.
• Rainforest and wildlife on the Pacific (Manuel Antonio, Corcovado): dry season for easier trails, green season for lush forest and fewer people.
• Arenal and La Fortuna: hot springs work all year, according to Visit Costa Rica.
• Puerto Viejo and Cahuita on the Caribbean: September and October, or February and March.

---

Best time to visit Costa Rica in 2026

If you are booking now, the next dry season runs from mid-December 2026 to late April 2027, and the late 2026 green season, especially October, is still the quieter, lower-priced window. Visit Costa Rica describes winter as busy, with hotels, national park excursions and outdoor attractions filling up, so it advises planning ahead.

Dates to plan around, from Visit Costa Rica's events calendar:

• Second full week of October: Carnaval del Limón on the Caribbean coast.
• Late December: Fiestas de Zapote, a rodeo and carnival in San José, and the arrival of humpback whales.
• January: Fiestas de Palmares.
• February: Envision Festival in Uvita.
• March or April: Semana Santa (Holy Week), a major holiday that draws big crowds, plus US spring break.

If your dates fall on a big holiday week, book flights and hotels earlier and pick refundable rates where you can.

---

Cheapest month to visit Costa Rica: what the price data says

September and October are usually the cheapest months to visit Costa Rica, and May, June and November are good value too. Visit Costa Rica says the fall is the peak of the green season, with "reduced rates and light crowds", while the dry season is when hotels and tours get busy. We do not publish live fares or hotel prices, because they change daily.

What the official data shows about the cost of a trip:

• Weather tradeoff. September and October are the wettest months on the Pacific side, and some hotels and attractions close completely, particularly in the south. The Caribbean is relatively dry at the same time.
• Taxes. Costa Rica's sales tax is 13%, according to Visit Costa Rica, so compare totals with taxes included.
• Departure tax. Since 2016 the $29 departure tax has been included in most airline tickets. If your ticket says it is not included, you pay it separately.
• Money. The colón is the local currency, US dollars are widely accepted, and major credit cards are widely accepted.

To find the cheapest dates for your own trip, search the same route and the same hotel across a whole month using the calendar or flexible-dates view on your booking site, and compare the total price with taxes and charges.

---

Best time to visit Costa Rica: best deals for US travelers in 2026

The best Costa Rica deals for US travelers usually come from booking a green season trip with free-cancellation rates and using each booking site's own member pricing. Here is what Booking.com offers, in its own words, at the time of writing:

• Booking.com Genius is free to join. According to Booking.com, Level 1 gives 10% discounts on select stays, Level 2 gives 10 to 15%, and Level 3 gives 10 to 20%, all applied to the price before taxes and charges. Level 2 unlocks after 5 bookings in 2 years.
• Genius rental car discounts are 10% at Level 1 and 10 to 15% at Levels 2 and 3, applied to the cost of the car only. That matters in Costa Rica, where many travelers drive between regions.
• Free breakfasts and room upgrades are available on select stays at Level 2.

Expedia and Viator run their own member offers and deals, which change over time, so check the current terms on each site before you book.

Three habits that save the most on a Costa Rica trip:

1. Pick the airport that matches your region. Liberia (LIR) is the gateway to Guanacaste, while San José (SJO) is closer to the Central Valley, the Caribbean and the central Pacific. Flying into the right one saves a long drive or a domestic flight.
2. Book refundable rates early, then recheck. If the price drops before the cancellation deadline, rebook.
3. Go in the shoulder weeks. Late April and early December sit at the edges of the dry season, so they can give you mostly dry days without the peak holiday crowds, though the weather varies year to year.

---

Expedia vs Booking.com: best time to visit Costa Rica price comparison 2026

Neither Expedia nor Booking.com is cheaper for Costa Rica every time, so compare the same hotel, the same dates and the total price on both. The same room can differ by room type, cancellation terms and member rate.

What to compare	Expedia	Booking.com
What you are booking	Flights, hotels, cars and flight plus hotel bundles	Hotels, lodges, apartments, rental cars and flights
Member pricing	Check Expedia's own member prices on the hotel page	Genius: 10% to 20% off select stays by level, per Booking.com
The fair test	Total price for the same dates and room, bundle vs separate	Total price including taxes and charges, Genius price vs standard
Good for	Booking flights and a hotel together	Comparing eco lodges and small guesthouses

If the two sites are close on price, pick the one with the better cancellation terms. Green season plans change with the weather, and a free-cancellation rate gives you room to move.

---

Expedia, Booking.com and Viator for a Costa Rica trip from the US

Use Expedia or Booking.com for flights, hotels and rental cars, and Viator for tours such as zip lines, volcano hikes, rafting and turtle watching. A simple planning order:

1. Pick your month from the season table above.
2. Search flights to SJO or LIR for the whole month to find the cheapest days. Visit Costa Rica lists Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country and United among the airlines flying in.
3. Compare the same hotel on Expedia and Booking.com, and check the Genius price.
4. Add tours on Viator, such as zip lining in Monteverde, a volcano hike at Arenal or a Tortuguero turtle tour, and check each listing's cancellation policy.
5. Go through ShopBack before each booking: open ShopBack, tap the site, then book as usual.

---

What to do in each season, by region

Every region has something worth doing in both seasons, according to Visit Costa Rica. A short version of its seasonal picks:

Region	Dry season (December to April)	Green season (May to November)
Guanacaste	Beaches at Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Playa Conchal and Nosara	Mangrove kayaking in the Gulf of Papagayo, birdwatching in Palo Verde
Puntarenas	Zip lining in the Monteverde Cloud Forest	Hiking in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
Central Pacific	Sport fishing in Quepos, birdwatching in Carara	Rafting on the Savegre and Naranjo rivers, hiking in Manuel Antonio
South Pacific	Surfing and snorkeling at Dominical and Uvita	Whale and dolphin watching in Ballena National Marine Park, hiking in Corcovado
Caribbean	Beaches at Puerto Viejo, Playa Cocles and Punta Uva	Turtle watching in Tortuguero, rafting on the Pacuare River
Northern Plains	Arenal Volcano wildlife tours and hot springs	Rafting on the Sarapiquí River, hanging bridges in La Fortuna
Central Valley	Museums and markets in San José, Poás and Irazú volcanoes	Chocolate farm tours, Braulio Carrillo National Park

More than 900 species of birds live in or visit Costa Rica, Visit Costa Rica says, so wildlife is good in any month.

---

How ShopBack lowers the cost of a Costa Rica trip

Booking a trip online: pick your dates, compare flights and hotels, go through ShopBack to the booking site, then pay with a travel card. You still book on the site you chose, at the same price it shows you.

Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

The live rate is on the store's ShopBack page. Each booking counts on its own, so the flight, the hotel, the rental car and the tours can each go through ShopBack US.

The current Cashback is shown on the Booking.com, Expedia or Viator page on ShopBack US before you book.

---

Paying with a travel card

Paying with your travel credit card usually earns that card's normal rewards on the booking, separately from the cash you get through ShopBack. Card rewards, member prices and ShopBack each have their own rules, so check the booking site's terms and your card's terms before you count on all of them for the same booking.

---

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?

For most US travelers, the best time to visit Costa Rica is the dry season, from mid-December to late April, according to Visit Costa Rica, the official tourism site. It is also the busiest time. If you want lighter crowds and lower rates, the green season from May to mid-December works well, especially July and August on the Pacific side or September and October on the Caribbean coast. Before you book, go through ShopBack.

What is the cheapest month to visit Costa Rica?

September and October are usually the cheapest months. Visit Costa Rica says the fall is the peak of the green season, with reduced rates and light crowds, although some hotels and attractions close, mostly in the south. The Caribbean coast is usually the better pick in those months. We do not publish live fares, so compare the whole month on your booking site.

What months are the rainy season in Costa Rica?

On the Pacific side, the rainy season runs from May to October, with November as a transition month and September and October the rainiest, according to Visit Costa Rica. July and August bring a drier spell called the veranillo, or little summer. The Caribbean side has no well-defined dry season, and its rainiest month is December.

Is July a good time to visit Costa Rica?

Often, yes. July is in the green season, but on the Pacific side rainfall usually eases in July and August during the veranillo, or little summer. Visit Costa Rica also notes that July marks the migration of Southern humpback whales into warmer Pacific waters. Families on school breaks travel then too, so book popular areas early.

When can you see whales and turtles in Costa Rica?

Visit Costa Rica says humpback whales arrive from the north in late December and Southern humpback whales migrate into Pacific waters from July. For nesting sea turtles, it points to Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast, where turtle watching is listed as a green season activity, and Las Baulas National Marine Park on the Pacific coast.

Which airports do you fly into for Costa Rica?

Most travelers fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) near San José, or Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia, the gateway to Guanacaste. US airlines on Visit Costa Rica's airline list include Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country and United.

Is Expedia or Booking.com cheaper for Costa Rica?

Neither is cheaper every time. Compare the same hotel, the same dates and the total price with taxes on both sites, and check any member price. Booking.com Genius members get 10% to 20% off select stays depending on level, according to Booking.com. Then go through ShopBack before you book on whichever site wins.

Do I need a visa to visit Costa Rica from the US?

According to Visit Costa Rica, US citizens can enter without a visa, but a valid passport is mandatory. Check the current entry rules with the Costa Rican authorities and the US State Department before you travel, since requirements can change.

Is the Costa Rica departure tax included in my plane ticket?

Usually, yes. Visit Costa Rica says the departure tax has been included in most airline tickets since 2016. If your ticket states that it does not include the tax, you pay $29 per person in US dollars, colones or by card.

How does ShopBack lower the cost of a Costa Rica trip?

Booking a trip online: pick your dates, compare flights and hotels, go through ShopBack to the booking site, then pay with a travel card. Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. The live rate is on each site's ShopBack page.

---

Key takeaways

• Dry season, mid-December to late April, is the best time for most first trips, per Visit Costa Rica, and also the busiest.
• Green season, May to mid-December, brings lighter crowds; September and October bring reduced rates but the wettest Pacific weather.
• The coasts differ: the Pacific has a clear dry season, while the Caribbean is relatively dry in February to March and September to October.
• Booking.com Genius gives 10% to 20% off select stays by level, per Booking.com; compare it against Expedia for the same room and dates.
• Before you book on Booking.com, Expedia or Viator, go through ShopBack US so the effective price of the trip drops.

---

Related reads

• Best Time to Visit Greece for Good Weather and Lower Prices
• Best Time to Visit Japan for Cheaper Flights and Hotels
• Booking.com Discounts and Deals
• Save on Expedia
• Earn Cashback on Hotels and Flights

Book through ShopBack US: Booking.com · Expedia · Viator · Hotels.com · Trip.com · Vrbo · Priceline · Agoda

---

Disclaimer

The views in this article are those of the author and are for general information only. Season dates, regional weather patterns, events, airport and tax details are drawn from Visit Costa Rica, the official tourism site of the Costa Rica Tourism Board, and Genius details from Booking.com, at the time of writing. Weather varies year to year, and prices, member discounts, entry rules and cancellation terms can change; check each site before you book. This article is not affiliated with or endorsed by Booking.com, Expedia or Viator. ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code; the current Cashback is shown on each store's ShopBack page before you book.