The short answer
December to April is the dry season and the most reliable time for sun: from January to March, Liberia gets almost no rain at all. It's also the busiest and windiest time.
May to November is the green season: afternoon showers, lush landscapes and far fewer visitors. May, June, July and November are the sweet spots; September and October are the wettest months.
The busiest weeks are Christmas to New Year and Semana Santa (Easter week), when Costa Rican families head to the beach too.
Guanacaste is Costa Rica's driest region, and its seasons are sharply defined. Liberia gets about 1,600 mm (63 inches) of rain a year, and almost all of it falls between May and November. In the dry season the hills turn brown and the waterfalls shrink to a trickle; in the green season the same landscape is lush and green. It's warm all year, with daytime highs of about 31 to 36 °C (88 to 97 °F).
Guanacaste month by month
Rain and temperature figures are long-term averages for Liberia from Costa Rica's national weather service (Instituto Meteorológico Nacional).
| Month | Rain in Liberia | Weather and wind | Crowds | What's happening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1 mm (under 0.1 in), 0 rainy days | Dry and sunny; highs about 33 °C (92 °F). Windy: the Papagayo winds are blowing. | Very busy until about January 5, then high season | New Year's Day. Fiestas de Santa Cruz from January 14. Leatherbacks at Playa Grande; northern humpback whales. |
| February | 2 mm (under 0.1 in), 0 rainy days | Almost no rain; highs about 34 °C (94 °F). The Papagayo winds peak. | High season | Leatherback nesting ends February 15. Humpback whales. Costa Rican schools go back (late February). |
| March | 4 mm (0.2 in), 0 rainy days | Hot and dry; highs about 35 °C (96 °F). Still windy. | High season; very busy in Semana Santa (March 25–28, 2027) | Semana Santa in 2027. Humpback whales. Nosara's best surf season runs December to April. |
| April | 24 mm (0.9 in), 1 rainy day | The hottest month; highs about 36 °C (97 °F). The first showers may arrive late in the month. | High season, easing after Easter | Semana Santa in some years (not 2027). Juan Santamaría Day, April 11. Last northern humpbacks. |
| May | 194 mm (7.6 in), 9 rainy days | The rains begin, mostly in the afternoon; winds drop. Highs about 34 °C (93 °F). | Quiet | The green season starts and the landscape turns green. Labor Day, May 1. |
| June | 246 mm (9.7 in), 14 rainy days | On-and-off rain; highs about 32 °C (90 °F). | Quiet | Lush and green, with fewer visitors. |
| July | 153 mm (6.0 in), 10 rainy days | The veranillo ("little summer"): a drier spell with sunny breaks. Highs about 32 °C (90 °F). | Busier: Costa Rican school holidays (July 6–17 in 2026) and the July 25 long weekend | Guanacaste Day, July 25, with fiestas in Liberia. Southern humpback whales arrive late in the month. |
| August | 209 mm (8.2 in), 12 rainy days | The veranillo continues, though wetter than July on average. Highs about 32 °C (90 °F). | Moderate | Holidays on August 2, 15 (Mother's Day) and 31. Southern humpbacks. Bigger turtle arribadas at Ostional. |
| September | 346 mm (13.6 in), 17 rainy days | The wettest month, with tropical waves and storms; highs about 31 °C (88 °F). | The quietest; some businesses close or cut their hours | Independence Day, September 15. Peak arribadas at Ostional. The Caribbean coast is at its driest. |
| October | 310 mm (12.2 in), 16 rainy days | Very wet; highs about 31 °C (88 °F). Unpaved roads at their worst. | Very quiet; some businesses close | Peak arribadas at Ostional. Leatherback nesting at Playa Grande starts October 20. |
| November | 98 mm (3.9 in), 6 rainy days | Rain tapers off while the landscape is still green. The Papagayo winds return. | Quiet | Arribadas at Ostional. Leatherbacks at Playa Grande. Last southern humpbacks. |
| December | 12 mm (0.5 in), 2 rainy days | The dry season is back; highs about 33 °C (91 °F). Gusty "Christmas winds." | High season; the busiest weeks of the year from about December 20 | Army Abolition Day, December 1; Christmas. Leatherbacks at Playa Grande; northern humpbacks arrive. |
Dry season: December to April
This is Guanacaste's summer. From January to March, Liberia averages less than 5 mm of rain a month and no rainy days at all. You get blue skies, beach days you can plan, and the best road conditions of the year. The trade-offs: it's the busiest and most expensive time to visit, the landscape is brown and dusty, and waterfalls such as those around Rincón de la Vieja run low.
It's also windy. From about November to March the Papagayo winds blow across northern Guanacaste, peaking in February. The wind pulls cooler water up from the deep, so the ocean around the Gulf of Papagayo can feel cooler than you might expect. Further south in Nosara, the dry season brings the cleanest surf of the year.
Pick your beach with the season in mind: our Guanacaste beaches guide covers which bays are sheltered and where the swimming is calmest.
Green season: May to November
Costa Rica calls the rainy season the green season, and in Guanacaste it's often a lovely time to visit. The rain tends to arrive in the afternoon, so mornings are often dry, and the dry forest turns green. There are far fewer visitors, so beaches, tours and restaurants are quieter.
- May and June: on-and-off rain, light winds and very few crowds.
- July and August: the veranillo, or "little summer," a drier spell in the middle of the rainy season. July is the driest month between May and October in Liberia's long-term averages.
- September and October: the wettest months, with tropical waves and storms. Some hotels, restaurants and tour operators close or cut their hours.
- November: the rain tapers off while everything is still green, and the high-season crowds haven't arrived yet.
Insider tip: When travelers ask me for the best balance of weather, crowds and green scenery, I usually point them to late November, or to May through July. You'll get plenty of beach time, green landscapes, waterfalls near Rincón de la Vieja with water in them, and far fewer people. If your dates are fixed on September or October, plan your beach time and drives for the mornings.
Holiday peaks and local crowds
Guanacaste is a vacation spot for Costa Ricans too, and national holidays change the feel of the beaches. These are the dates that matter most:
| When | What | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| About December 20 to January 5 | Christmas and New Year | The busiest, most booked-up weeks of the year. Tamarindo and Playas del Coco are among the country's busiest beaches, and Costa Rican families fill the sand. Book hotels 6 months or more ahead and rental cars 2 to 4 months ahead. |
| Mid-January (from January 14) | Fiestas de Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz's national traditional fiestas, honoring the Santo Cristo de Esquipulas: a tope (horse parade), bull riding, marimba music and food. |
| March 21–28, 2027 (the week before Easter) | Semana Santa (Holy Week) | The biggest beach week for Costa Ricans. Holy Thursday and Good Friday (March 25 and 26, 2027) are national holidays, and many businesses close. Beaches are packed, and traffic is worst on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday around midday and Sunday evening. Alcohol sales rules are set by each municipality, so small towns may restrict them. |
| Early to mid-July | Costa Rican school holidays | Two weeks off school (July 6 to 17 in 2026; the 2027 calendar hadn't been published in September 2026), so beaches get busier with local families. |
| July 25 | Guanacaste Day (Anexión del Partido de Nicoya) | A national holiday marking Guanacaste joining Costa Rica in 1824. Liberia celebrates with parades, folk dances, marimba music, cattle shows and local food. |
| September 15 | Independence Day | A national holiday in the middle of the low season. |
Turtle and whale seasons
- Leatherback turtles, Playa Grande: October 20 to February 15. Playa Grande, just across the estuary from Tamarindo, is part of Las Baulas National Marine Park, which protects one of the most important leatherback nesting beaches on the Pacific. You can watch only on guided night tours, in groups of up to 15.
- Olive ridley arribadas, Ostional: all year, biggest September to November. Near Nosara, thousands of turtles come ashore together once or twice a month. The largest arribadas, with more than 100,000 turtles in a night, usually happen from September to November; dry-season arribadas are smaller. Visits are with a certified local guide only.
- Humpback whales: December to early April, and late July to November. Whales from the Northern Hemisphere arrive in December and those from the Southern Hemisphere in late July. Sightings around the Gulf of Papagayo have become more common, though the southern Pacific is still the more reliable spot. Bottlenose dolphins live off Guanacaste all year.
How the season affects your drives
The main routes from Liberia airport (LIR), to Playas del Coco, the Papagayo Peninsula, Flamingo, Conchal, Tamarindo and Sámara, are paved and fine all year. The season matters on the unpaved stretches, and for timing.
- Unpaved roads in the green season. From May to November the last stretch into Nosara, the road to Rincón de la Vieja after Curubandé and the last 20 km or so into Santa Teresa get muddy and rutted. A 4x4 is worth having for those.
- Flooding. The gravel road between Nosara and Sámara crosses creek beds that can flood, and low-lying sections of the Tamarindo–Nosara route can flood after heavy rain.
- Río Celeste. The road is paved, but a 4x4 is advised in the rainy season.
- Afternoon rain. In the green season, plan longer drives for the morning.
- Dark by about 6 p.m. Sunset barely changes through the year, and rural roads are unlit.
- Holiday traffic. In Semana Santa, expect heavy traffic to and from the beaches. In peak season, the Puntarenas ferry to Santa Teresa can have queues of 2 to 3 hours.
Full times and road notes are in our Guanacaste drive times. Weighing up whether to drive at all? See rental car or private driver. With a private transfer from Liberia airport, your driver meets you at arrivals with a name sign, and support is available 24/7 by phone, text and WhatsApp.
Planning around a season? Our Guanacaste itineraries and where to stay in Guanacaste help you choose your bases, and hot springs and mud baths make a good plan B for a rainy afternoon. Flying in? See direct flights to Liberia; many routes run only in the winter high season.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Guanacaste?
For the most reliable sunshine, January to March: Liberia averages less than 5 mm of rain in each of those months. February is the windiest month and April the hottest. For green landscapes, fewer people and still plenty of sun, May, June, July or November are good choices. Avoid late December to early January and Semana Santa (Easter week) if you don't like crowds, and September and October if you want dry weather.
What is the rainy season in Guanacaste?
May to November, which Costa Rica calls the green season. Rain usually comes in the afternoon, so mornings are often dry. July and August bring a drier spell called the veranillo, or "little summer." September and October are the wettest months, with about 16 or 17 rainy days a month in Liberia. November is a transition month, and by December the dry season is back.
Is it worth going to Guanacaste in the rainy season?
Often, yes, especially in May, June, July and November. The landscape turns green, there are far fewer visitors and the mornings are usually dry. September and October are the gamble: they're the wettest months, some businesses close or cut their hours, and unpaved roads (the last stretch into Nosara, the road to Rincón de la Vieja, the way into Santa Teresa) get muddy. They're also the best months for the mass turtle nestings at Ostional.
Is Guanacaste windy?
From about November to March, yes. The Papagayo winds blow across northern Guanacaste in the dry season and peak in February. They also pull cooler water up from the deep, so the ocean around the Gulf of Papagayo can feel cooler than you might expect. Locals call the December gusts the "Christmas winds."
When is turtle season in Guanacaste?
Two seasons, two species. Leatherbacks nest at Playa Grande, next to Tamarindo, from October 20 to February 15, and you watch them on guided night tours. Olive ridleys come ashore at Ostional, near Nosara, in mass nestings called arribadas once or twice a month all year; the biggest, with more than 100,000 turtles in a night, usually happen from September to November.
When can you see whales in Guanacaste?
Humpback whales visit Costa Rica's Pacific coast twice a year: whales from the Northern Hemisphere from December to early April, and from the Southern Hemisphere from late July to November. They're seen more and more often around the Gulf of Papagayo, though the southern Pacific is the more reliable whale-watching spot. Bottlenose dolphins live off Guanacaste all year.
When is Guanacaste busiest?
Christmas to New Year (about December 20 to January 5) and Semana Santa, the week before Easter, when Costa Rican families head to the beaches. In 2027, Holy Thursday and Good Friday fall on March 25 and 26. The mid-year school break (July 6 to 17 in 2026) and long weekends such as Guanacaste Day on July 25 also fill the beaches with Costa Rican visitors. For the holidays, book hotels 6 months or more ahead.
Which side of Costa Rica is better for beaches?
For most of the year, the Pacific, and Guanacaste in particular: its dry season runs from December to April, and it has the most beach towns, calm swimming bays and sunsets over the water. The Caribbean coast has its own drier spell in September and October, when the Pacific is at its wettest, so for those two months it's worth a look. See our Guanacaste beaches guide.
Is it worth going to Guanacaste?
Yes, especially if you want beaches and sun. Guanacaste is Costa Rica's driest region, its beaches are 30 minutes to 2 hours from Liberia airport, and volcanoes, hot springs and mud baths are an easy day trip. Start with the best beaches in Guanacaste and where to stay.
