Costa Rica has some of the strangest weather patterns in Latin America. Although July should be firmly in the middle of the wet season – which, technically speaking, it is – the country tends to experience a break from the rainy weather and a short but dry interlude.
This is the low season though, so despite the wonderful weather and sunny skies you’re unlikely to find too many other tourists exploring Costa Rica in July.
Take a chance on the weather and you’ll enjoy lower costs and smaller crowds, and experience the best that Costa Rica has to offer at a fraction of the price.
The weather is weird in Costa Rica, and it never seems to conform to general world standards. This is the wet season, but statistically, this is the driest month of the wet season. It’s so dry that Costa Ricans call this their ‘mini dry summer interlude’.
It might rain once or twice during your trip, but head north and the arid climate of Guanacaste makes even this likelihood a low possibility. On the Caribbean coast, especially in the rainier south, it’s more likely that there will be the odd thunderstorm, but even here it’s generally drier than other rainy season months.
Given the dry interlude, Costa Ricans make the most of July by holding plenty of fiestas. The biggest is held in Guanacaste on 25 July celebrating the local Independence Day. This was when Guanacaste Province was officially annexed to Costa Rica, after spending time as part of Nicaragua.
Locals are proud to be Costa Rican, so Guanacaste is the scene of big parties, fiestas, parades and speeches. Visit the provincial capital, Liberia, to get involved with the biggest celebrations and events.
Another great fiesta celebrates the Virgin of the Sea and it’s held in Puntarenas, on the coast. The locals deck out their best boats in vibrant colours, and you can expect plenty of music, dancing, food and drinking.
There’s a lot to do in Costa Rica in July, and you’ll want to make the most of the dry weather and the low season peace and quiet to visit the top sights.
Head to the northwest for the best and driest weather, but also take advantage of low season prices on the coast. Visit Tamarindo for excellent coastal views, or spend a week or two basking in the sun on the Papagayo Peninsula, where you can find the best resorts in Costa Rica.
To get a little off the beaten track during your
Costa Rica luxury travel package, head to the Nicoya Peninsula, also on the Pacific Coast, and enjoy great snorkelling and jungle trekking with plenty of waterfalls. The waterfalls will be bursting after the rains of the last few months, while the jungle will be lovely and green.
