As a tropical country, Costa Rica only has two seasons, wet and dry. The dry season runs from December to April, while the rest of the year is the wet season. Although temperatures do not fluctuate much by season, Costa Ricans refer to the dry season as verano (summer) and the wet season invierno (winter).

The highlands and most of the Pacific slope experience a marked dry season when it rains only a couple of days per month (whereas it rains about two out of three days during the wet season). Along the Caribbean coast and in the Southern Pacific regions it is rainy throughout the year, with between 130 to 160 inches (330 to 400 cm) of annual rainfall.

There is a slight dip in rainfall during June and July in the Caribbean and between January and May in the Southern Pacific, periods referred to as veranillo (little summer). Temperature is dependent primarily on elevation. Daytime temperatures in the lowlands average over 86°F (30°C) and around 72°F (22°C) at night.

Although it is usually slightly hotter on the Pacific side, the humidity of the Caribbean makes it seem more so. In the central highlands, temperatures range between 61°F (16°C) and 78° F (26°C) year round. This climate is very pleasant, warm, refreshing and breezy. Based on intensive studies, NASA and National Geographic have concluded that Atenas, a quiet town about 40km west of San José, has thebest overall climate in the world… we don’t disagree with them.