We love Costa Rica green season. To us, it’s the calm before the storm although it may seem the opposite to those who’ve never visited during the months of June and July. During the Green Season, the country is blissfully drenched in sporadic downpours, the revered rain cleansing the wilderness and filling those raging rivers (we love to raft in) up to bursting point.
Experiencing the heavy rains, knowing they are the precursor to an upcoming exciting rafting season, has us all smiling contentedly with every drop. So we relax and rest, await in anticipation, and take advantage of the ‘calm season’ to tour the country. Because to seasoned Costa Rica aficionados, Green Season is the ideal time of year to experience parts of the country you’ve yet to visit.
You’ll still see plenty of glorious sunshine when you travel to Costa Rica during Green Season.
Get Costa Rica all to Yourself
Travel through Costa Rica in Green Season and you’ll find beaches are devoid of crowds. You won’t need to be a booking-master and can wing it anywhere at the last minute, can score exceptional deals on resorts and – more often than not – end up having the whole place to yourself. It’s the kind of loneliness discerning travelers simply cherish to bits. You’ll definitely come across other visitors, no doubt, adventurers who actually go out of their way to only ever visit Costa Rica during Green Season. Some come here year after year, only in June or November. They find that the whole country is at its absolute verdant best, and the lack of crowds and stifling heat are priceless bonuses to boot.
Rest Your Body & Rejuvenate Your Soul
What we also adore about Green Season is that those afternoon rains (which come like clockwork anytime between 3 and 4pm) force us to indulge in a local tradition that’s far too underrated: the siesta! Rather than running around like headless chickens, we take a book (or maybe just an eye-mask) and bask in some afternoon rest, arguably the most coveted luxury all travelers seek. Travel here during the busiest months and your FOMO will propel you out the door at first light, trying to fit in as many activities as possible into a single day. Vacations in Costa Rica can be exciting and fun-packed, which also means you may need another vacation just to rest from all the adrenaline rushes. Travel to Costa Rica in Green Season and the once a day rains will force you to stop, breath, chill and recoup. It’s an absolutely delightful – and addictive – way to travel. You can use the afternoons to indulge in spa treatments, really savor a long and leisurely lunch and soak up the sight, smells and delights of the many beautiful eco-lodges all over the country. Doesn’t that sound a tad delicious?
And it’s Gaining Popularity…
Having said all this, Green Season travel in Costa Rica is increasing in popularity. Apparently…someone let the cat out of the bag! So July, which actually coincides with European school holidays, is becoming progressively busier down this neck of the luscious woods. But June is still sublimely quiet and, to many, it’s still the best month to visit. Everything just about drops in price in June: from flights to accommodation and car rental deals, the usual big-ticket expenses, can be nabbed at anything up to 30 and sometimes even 40% off.
It’s not the first time we’ve waxed lyrical about Green Season travel in Costa Rica. We’ve already blogged about the brilliant delights of Green Season, and even given you a rundown of the best places to visit during the rainy months.
Because above all else, the Costa Rica green season is still a brilliant way to explore the country and discover its pristine wilderness and its exceptional wildlife. With so many animals out to play thanks to the rains, tours and excursions are immensely rewarding, even with gum boots and poncho in tow. So come on down! Hike a volcano, go zip lining, or thermal pool soaking and don’t, whatever you do, let a few drops of rain deter you.
Traveling while in a Costa Rica green season is that hidden secret you absolutely must experience for yourself.
March is an exciting month to visit Costa Rica. Being the last of the dry season and at the tail end of the high tourist season sees the country at its best with abounding wildlife and verdant landscapes along with greater availability and a drop in accommodation and tour prices.
Monkeys, sloths and larger animals are all quite active in March and easy to spot, as they tend to spend much less time in thick forest coverage – there’s no need to seek shelter from the elements when the climate is dry and delicious- and as water holes shrink in the heat many of the animals are lured out for a refreshing drink, making wildlife watching particularly great. All of Costa Rica’s major 
The cultural calendar for March is jam-packed full of colourful celebrations, with the month being a precursor to Easter, the busiest and most celebrated event in the Costa Rican calendar. The Oxcart parade (El Dia del Boyero) which takes place in San Antonio de Escazu on the second Sunday in March, is one of the most colourful of the year. Proud cart owners parade their incredible works of art in what is one of Costa Rica’s most unique events. Watch ox-pulled carts fill the streets of San Antonio and witness the blessings of the animals by local priests.
Although the heart of dry season spells lesser flowing rivers, daytime water release plans means white water rafting in the central region is still very much offered! The lack of rains and stormy seas makes March absolutely ideal if you’re heading to Costa Rica on a surf learning vacation, something you can do all along the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, and the beaches of the Manuel Antonio National Park. A dry climate, of course, is what makes this one of the year’s best months for 
Had you traveled to Costa Rica a decade ago, almost half the country would have been considered one colossal hidden gem. With the lack of modern infrastructure and paved roads, most of the gorgeous natural treasures were only accessible to those with a 4WD vehicle and nerves of steel. Today, Costa Rica gems have been made more accessible to tourists looking to spot a once-in-a-lifetime spot that’s just breathtaking.
You can head here in high season and head to the Manuel Antonio National Park, and spend your days sharing the immense natural treasures with hordes of fellow tourists. Or…you can skip the crowds altogether and discover the side of Costa Rica which, despite the highways and resorts, seems to be utterly untouched by the passing of time.
This most delightful wildlife refuge and ecolodge is set amidst primary and secondary forests along the Pacific coastline in central Costa Rica. Renowned as a nature and wildlife lover’s paradise, Hacienda Baru offers the chance for innumerable treks right outside their charming bungalows and is ideal for anyone who wants to get back to the basics and forego epitome luxury for a truly organic experience.
One of the most overlooked 
The Boruca are an indigenous tribe in the Costa Rican south-Pacific region. This reserve was the first of its kind to be established (in the 1950s), and was aimed at protecting and nurturing the ancient lifestyle and customs of the country’s indigenous population. Renowned for their arts, crafts, and incredibly colorful celebrations, the Borucas are a proud people who are always happy to welcome visitors into their village. If travelling to Costa Rica for New Years Eve, you can organize a personal visit to the tribe, where you’ll witness the amazing 3-day long Fiesta de los Diabilitos, where the tale of fights between natives and conquistadores is told via dances, vivid and scary masks, music and much fanfare.
Those who have stumbled upon Samara Beach, just a short drive away from Nicoya town, will attest to it being one of the country’s best swimming spots.
