Visit Costa Rica and live the Pura Vida!
Costa Rica has many characteristics such as beautiful beaches, volcanoes, rainforests, a wide range of wildlife, Caribbean rhythms, good surfing and a relaxed lifestyle. It is estimated to live around half a million species in Costa Rica, which represents around 5 % of all world’s species.
The locals in Costa Rica are very aware and protective of their nature and live their life according to the mantra ”Pura Vida”. This is an expression they say to each other but mainly to visitors. The significance of this is a way of thank you for choosing to visit the country while respecting the biodiversity. Costa Rica is with that a strong ecotourism supporter.
Selected destinations to visit in Costa Rica
Currency
Costa Rica's currency is colón (CRC), however American dollars (USD) is widely accepted around the country.
Language
Spanish is the official language in Costa Rica.
Capital
The capital in Costa Rica is San José.
Visa
Most of EU, North and South American countries and AU/NZ can stay up to 90 days without a visa.
Vaccines
No requirements for most countries, but Hepatitis A & B is strongly recommended.
Tip
The water in Costa Rica is drinkable.
Costa Rica in the Travel Blog
When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?
The best time to visit Costa Rica depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want to avoid the rain, mainly aiming for sunfilled days? Or would you rather visit the country when there are not as many tourists? In general the visiting periods can be classified into four parts, each characterized by its own qualities.
On Costa Rica’s west coast and the central parts of the country the dry season stretches from December to April where the days are filled with sun and rain falls very rarely. Worth to take not of is that Costa Rica is a country with a very diverse landscape and the weather can differ between these. Towns located on a higher altitude are often colder and on the Caribbean coast rain is common even during the dry season, with December and January being a bit more wet while February and March are more dry.
Due to the majority of the country being in it’s dry season during this period of time this is also the peak season for tourism and the best time to visit Costa Rica. The prices for your trip can therefore be somewhat higher.
Costa Rica enters its green season in May. This is also when the country’s shoulder season starts, meaning the period in between high season and low season.
Because of this it is arguable that May and June might be the best time to visit Costa Rica. Rain is starting to fall which is making the country more green and lush, but bad weather is still not predominant and the days when it rains it is usually shorter showers. In general you can expect many hours of sun.
The prices and the tourism is starting to decrease which also makes your trip more affordable.
July and August is similar to May and June when it comes to the weather and are also months a part of the green season. However, this period usually has an increase in tourism due to summer vacation and can therefore also result in higher prices.
September marks the start for the rainy season in Costa Rica and the country also enters low season regarding tourism.
The least attractive months to visit Costa Rica is therefore considered to be September through November. It rains basically every day and the country in general is very wet with a high humidity and muddy roads.
Something that is worth remembering is that the Caribbean side of Costa Rica has some of its drier months during September through November and it can therefore be worth to pay a visit to that part of Costa Rica at that time. You can expect significantly lower prices and fewer tourists.
