Delights of Visiting Costa Rica in Green Season 

The months between May and November are called the ‘green season’ for a reason, with an abundance of rainfall transforming almost the whole country into a luscious, verdant green wonderland.

Of course, rains are all well and good if you’re a thirsty plant and need to flower, but for tourists they can present some disadvantages. The wonderful thing, however, is that as far as we’re concerned, the Delights of Visiting Costa Rica in Green Season far outweigh the disadvantages.

Wanna know why? Read on and find out!

Rain is Not Constant

With a little more time up your sleeve, you can still have an amazing vacation irrespective of where you go. The most popular hubs of Arenal and Manuel Antonio National Parks can receive heavy falls even for a couple of consecutive days, but that’s about it. If you include a few extra days for potential wash-outs, you’ll still be left with the greater portion of your vacation blissfully rain free. Moreover, full day rainfalls are quite unusual, with most mornings being dry and sunny, and rains only faling for a few hours in the late afternoon.

It’s the Best Time to Surf on the Pacific Coast

If you’re an experienced an avid surfer you will probably already know that the wettest months of September and October are actually the best surfing months of all. On the Pacific Coastline, swells, tides, and waves are at their stellar best, so if you want to nab some BIG waves the Green Season will hit the spot.

Hiking is Amazing – Just Bring Your Gumboots!

Coastal forests are at their most glorious best during Green Season, and mud notwithstanding, offer a visual spectacle like no other. Not only is the flora resplendent, but wildlife is also plentiful, as creatures need not roam too far and wide for essential water.

Forest hikes in Costa Rica during green Season may be messy, but gosh are they outstanding too.

Lower Prices, Less Competition and Fewer Tourists

Every year, we meet plenty of visitors who head over to Costa Rica in the Green Season just so they can feel they have the country to themselves. In such a popular and visited country, this priceless luxury is quite the scoop. Visiting during Green Season means that accommodation is plentiful and prices are at their yearly low (same goes for excursions and flights), ideal both for frugal travelers and those who are visiting on a spontaneous whim. Our best advice would be to use the lower price to your advantage by taking a longer vacation, rather than a cheaper one in general.

The Caribbean Side is at its Best

The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is perfect to visit in Green Season if you don’t mind the inconvenience of some rain to soak up the luxury of smaller crowds. Yet if you don’t want to compromise on anything at all, it’s the Caribbean side you should be visiting.

Costa Rica may be a small country, yet its topography means that the two coastlines enjoy drastically different weather patterns. Whilst the west is somewhat soggy in September and October, the east is sublimely dry. Funnily enough, the Caribbean coast is actually quite wet for most of the year, but only when the rest of the country falls under the spell of rain season, does the driest spell occur here.

The Caribbean side of the country is a spectacular natural playground, where swimming, snorkeling, hiking, and kayaking is on offer, and the entire length of the region boasts amazing nature reserves chock-full of wildlife. This is arguably the most remote part of the country, and the one with the least amount of infrastructure, but if you have some time up your sleeve you’ll discover a truly magnificent corner of Costa Rica. Popular destinations here are Cahuita and its glorious national park (a hiking and snorkeling haven), Tortuguero (an important turtle nesting hub) and Puerto Viejo (the best surfing spot on this side and ideal if you want an active vacation).

There are Always Exceptions

Last year, 2015, was a particularly dry year which left the Pacific side with very little rain during the (normally) wettest months. Bonus for those who were there! So although 2016 is expected to reverse this effect, with a particularly wet season expected, it pays to note that the weather is as it’s always been: unpredictable. Nothing is ever guaranteed, so as long as you visit Costa Rica in the Green Season with an open mind, and adventurous spirit and nothing set in stone, you’re still bound to have a totally amazing time.

We have a bevy of unforgettable trips running in September and October, and all through the year…from fun-filled 8-day adventure tours to whitewater kayaking vacations, as well as a myriad of tailor-made adventure trips that’ll take you to the best corners of the country at any time of year. So don’t let a few drops of rain ruin your dream! Book your Costa Rica trip today and you can look forward to an unparalleled Green Season adventure.