Everyone comes between December and April. Here's what you miss by avoiding the other six months.
Key points
- The green season runs from mid-May to November; Guanacaste stays dry a few weeks longer.
- A typical day: a sunny morning, then a shower lasting a few hours in the afternoon.
- September and October are the wettest months, especially on the southern Pacific; the Caribbean coast is actually drier then.
- Fewer people, gentler prices and landscapes at their greenest.
The dry season has its reasons, but also its downside: roads, beaches and hotels are full, and prices follow. The rainy season, which Costa Ricans call the green season, is wrongly feared. For a motorcycle trip, it is often a very good idea, as long as you know how the rain falls and pick your month.
When is the green season in Costa Rica?
In Costa Rica, people don't talk about summer and winter but about the dry season, from December to April, and the green season, from mid-May to November. Costa Ricans even call these wet months “winter”, although it is just as warm as in summer. The name green season is more than a sales pitch: it is when the country is at its greenest, the rivers are full and the waterfalls at their most powerful.
The whole country does not follow the same rhythm. Guanacaste, in the northwest, stays dry a few weeks longer than the rest of the country. The further south you go along the Pacific, the more it rains. And the Caribbean coast has its own calendar: it rains there all year round, but September and October are among its driest months, just when the Pacific gets its heaviest rain.
What is a rainy day like?
Forget the image of a whole week under gray skies. Most often, the morning is bright and sunny, clouds build around noon, and the shower falls in the afternoon, sometimes very hard, for one to two hours. Then the sky calms down and the evening is cool.
On a motorcycle, this rhythm is almost ideal: you leave early, ride in the cool of the morning and reach the stop in the early afternoon, just when it is nice to park the bike. That is how we build our stages in the green season.
Month by month: when to go?
- May and June: the start of the rains, still light and often late in the day. The country turns green again and prices drop.
- July and August: this is usually when the “veranillo” arrives, a little summer of a few weeks when the rain eases off. It is unpredictable, but often a very good time to ride.
- September and October: the wettest months, especially on the southern Pacific, where some tracks become difficult and a few places to stay close. It is, on the other hand, a lovely time for the Caribbean coast.
- November: the transition. The rain eases, the vegetation is at its best, and the holiday crowds haven't arrived yet.
What you gain by riding in the rainy season
Fewer people, first of all: quieter roads, near-empty beaches and hotels with rooms available. It is often possible to organize a trip a month in advance, which is rare in high season. Gentler prices, too, on both accommodation and activities.
And then there is nature. It is the season of waterfalls in full flow and of two great events. From late July to October, humpback whales from the southern hemisphere swim off Marino Ballena National Park, near Uvita, on the route of our southern tours. And from July to October, green turtles come to nest on the beaches of Tortuguero, on the Caribbean side.
What changes on a motorcycle
Riding in tropical rain is nothing insurmountable, but a few habits make all the difference.
- Dirt tracks: dirt turns to mud, and a track that is easy in March can call for experience in October. A light bike and dual-sport tires are your best allies.
- River fords: rivers rise fast after a downpour. Never cross without looking first, and when in doubt, wait or turn back. Some crossings, like the Bongo River on the Nicoya Peninsula, can only be forded in the dry season.
- Pavement: wet asphalt is slippery, especially in the first minutes of rain and on road markings. Allow longer braking distances.
- The mountains: fog and landslides are more frequent. Passes are crossed in the morning.
- Luggage: anything that must stay dry travels in a dry bag, or failing that in a garbage bag inside your bag.
Which route to choose in the green season?
From May to August, all our tours run normally. In September and October, we adapt: we favor more paved routes, such as the Pura Vida Tour and its 70% asphalt, we shorten some stages and always keep a paved alternative when a track becomes impassable. And if you want a trip tailored to the weather of the moment, the Free Ride is built with you, from three days.
To gear up properly for the rain, see our list too: What you really pack
