Costa Rica Guide

travel information and maps

  • Vacation Planning
  • Best Trips Ever>>
  • More Fun Than Humanly Possible
  • Costa Rica
    • Top Ten
    • Best Time to Visit Costa Rica
    • Things To Do in Costa Rica
    • Maps
    • Transportation
      • Rental Cars
        • Advantages of Driving
        • Disadvantages Driving
        • Code of the Road
        • Navigation & Drive Time
        • Rental Insurance Explained
        • Can’t Get There
      • Airports
        • Flights Worth Taking
        • LIR or SJO
        • Airfare Deals
        • Domestic Airlines
        • Domestic Air Tips
      • Taxis
      • Bus Schedule
    • Food
      • Typical Menu
      • Batidos & Refrescos
      • Gallo Pinto
      • Tamales
      • Ceviche
      • Ensalada Palmito
      • Sopa Negra
      • Vinagre Chilera
    • Weather
      • Seasons in Costa Rica
      • Current Storms in Costa Rica
    • Regions
  • Nature & Wildlife
    • National Parks
    • Wildlife Refuges
    • Ecozones
    • Best Places to See Wildlife in Costa Rica
  • Practical Info
    • Health & Safety
      • Health Tips
        • Altitude Sickness
        • Chikungunya
        • Natural Disasters
      • Crime
        • Cons & Rip-offs
        • Corruption
        • Violent Crime
    • Will My Phone Work?
    • Packing List
    • Passports & Docs
    • Money – How To?
    • How Much Does it Cost?
    • Travel Tips
  • Stories
    • Photos
    • Trek Across Costa Rica
    • Sendero de Oro
    • Quebrada Gata
    • Bicycle Touring
    • About Us
  • Move to Costa Rica
  • Free Travel Pack
no obligation custom trip plan & price quote

1-866-816-0197

· Copyright © 2025 ·

July in Costa Rica

July rain and weather pattern map of Costa Rica
Costa Rica July rainfall patterns. It’s the rainy season across the country but mostly in the afternoons and evenings or overnight.

Best Time to Travel – Low Season?


or see when to travel in Costa Rica

Twenty years ago only insiders traveled to Costa Rica in July, but the secret is out so we’ve started recommending planing ahead and making advance reservations.

July and August have nothing like the crowds during the peak season weeks of Christmas/New Years and Easter but it’s lively along the popular routes.

 

Reservations

July has grown immensely in popularity in the past few years and now rivals December, January and March as the most popular month to visit Costa Rica.

Advanced reservations are recommended for northwest Guanacaste, Nicoya and central beach and volcano destinations although if you arrive early in the day and are flexible about where you end up staying you probably will be able to get a room as a walk-in at any except the most popular hotels.

Costs & Availability for Travel in July

The instant trip cost calculator is a quick easy way to get an idea of how much you’ll spend on a trip to Costa Rica in July.

Costa Rica travel budget calculator
instant trip cost calculator – no app to download, no mailing list to join

With increasing popularity “low season” discounts for July are pretty much a thing of the past.

One thing that can still be a great deal in July is airfare. Especially if your travel dates are flexible and you can fly on weekdays last minute sales (2-12 weeks in advance) have been fairly common for the past few years.

July Weather in Costa Rica

Bright sunny mornings heat up the ocean and rain forest canopy loading the air near the surface with water and causing it to rise. As the moisture laden air climbs it expands and cools condensing out droplets that form clouds and eventually rain.

This pattern dominates the Costa Rican wet season from May through November and July is no exception. Still, it’s a great time to visit with hot sunny mornings to enjoy the beach and afternoon and evening rains cooling it off so you can enjoy a meal al fresco.

Although it is the middle of the rainy season Costa Rica typically experiences a short mid-year mini-dry season in July and the beginning of August. Rainfall decreases significantly for three or four weeks especially in the northern Pacific.  Ticos call this the veranillo or little summer and you can read about how it occurs here.

When to Visit Costa Rica Time Machine
Input activities and what you want to see and the wizards behind the Costa Rica Time Machine will send you a where, when, how and how much travel plan.

As noted above out of all the rainy season months July is usually a bit drier than the rest, but occasionally it’s very wet. 2007 was a record breaker with rainfalls nearly double the average in some regions of the north and northeast that washed out dozens of bridges. Five vacationers died in flash flooding while rappelling a waterfall in the mountains and another was struck by lightning and died while swimming in the Pacific.

The Caribbean side is solidly in the rainy season and heavy rain is common.  June and July 2015 were very wet on the Caribbean as the effects of a strengthening El Niño caused widespread flooding.  Major landslides and bridge structural damage closed many of the roads on the eastern side of the continental divide (including access to Arenal from the capital).

The beaches and lowlands have high temperatures in the low nineties and  low temperatures in the upper seventies or low eighties.   A week or two of temperatures in the mid nineties is possible at low elevations and especially on the Nicoya coast during July. Three thousand feet higher around San José and the Central Valley temperatures are 5-10 degrees cooler and temperatures at high elevations (Monteverde and Chirripo) can be 20 or even 30 degrees lower. The higher you go the more it cools off at night so if you’re looking for some relief head to the mountains.

Alternatives to July

August is quite similar to July – it has similar weather (slightly wetter), the big surf swells, and slightly fewer people. May, June and November are also alternatives, each with a little more rain but even fewer people.

Notes:

If you’re planning to rent a car you might want to take a look at the rainy season driving tips.

Winter School Holiday—The “Winter” break for public schools is typically the first two weeks in July (4th through the 19th in 2022) and families often vacation then making the beaches more crowded.

NOAA projects that 2022 will be an El Niño Southern Oscillation Neutral (La Niña) year which means July could be rainier than an average year.

…Other Bests…best kept secrets, best to do & best places…

Calendar of Nature, Holidays & Fiestas – Costa Rica in July

The Costa Rica tide table below is for informational purposes and is not suitable for navigation.  The more you see of a turtle, whale or quetzal symbol the more likely you’ll see one. A detailed explanation and legend is also included at the bottom.

July 2022
approximate exchange rate ¢562 per $U.S.
Rise & Set
Tide Times
Pacific
Caribbean
Costa Rica Moon Phase sunrise and sunset
Costa Rica High and Low Tides
dry season wave size
rainy season wave size
Wed 1
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑14:53 ↓2:01 ↑5:22 ↓18:04 ↑11:09
↑23:45
↓4:39
↓17:29
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Thu 2
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑15:52 ↓2:53 ↑5:22 ↓18:04 ↑12:09
↑
↓5:42
↓18:30
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Fri 3
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑16:52 ↓3:47 ↑5:22 ↓18:04 ↑0:46
↑13:06
↓6:43
↓19:26
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Sat 4
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑17:51 ↓4:44 ↑5:23 ↓18:04 ↑1:43
↑14:00
↓7:40
↓20:19
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Fourth of July – It has nothing to do with Costa Rica but there are a lot of expats in the beach areas and Ticos love an excuse for a party.
Sun 5
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑18:48 ↓5:42 ↑5:23 ↓18:04 ↑2:36
↑14:50
↓8:34
↓21:08
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Mon 6
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑19:40 ↓6:39 ↑5:23 ↓18:04 ↑3:26
↑15:39
↓9:24
↓21:54
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Tue 7
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑20:29 ↓7:34 ↑5:23 ↓18:04 ↑4:13
↑16:25
↓10:13
↓22:39
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Wed 8
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑21:13 ↓8:26 ↑5:24 ↓18:04 ↑4:59
↑17:11
↓10:59
↓23:22
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Thu 9
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑21:53 ↓9:15 ↑5:24 ↓18:04 ↑5:44
↑17:56
↓11:44
↓
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Fri 10
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑22:32 ↓10:01 ↑5:24 ↓18:05 ↑6:28
↑18:40
↓0:04
↓12:30
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Sat 11
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑23:09 ↓10:46 ↑5:24 ↓18:05 ↑7:12
↑19:26
↓0:46
↓13:16
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Sun 12
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑23:46 ↓11:30 ↑5:25 ↓18:05 ↑7:58
↑20:15
↓1:29
↓14:04
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Mon 13
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑23:46 ↓12:15 ↑5:25 ↓18:05 ↑8:45
↑21:07
↓2:13
↓14:54
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Tue 14
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑0:24 ↓13:00 ↑5:25 ↓18:04 ↑9:35
↑22:03
↓3:01
↓15:49
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Wed 15
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑1:04 ↓13:48 ↑5:25 ↓18:04 ↑10:27
↑23:02
↓3:53
↓16:45
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Thu 16
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑1:46 ↓14:38 ↑5:26 ↓18:04 ↑11:20
↑23:58
↓4:48
↓17:40
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Fri 17
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑2:33 ↓15:31 ↑5:26 ↓18:04 ↑12:12
↑
↓5:44
↓18:33
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Sat 18
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑3:24 ↓16:27 ↑5:26 ↓18:04 ↑0:51
↑13:02
↓6:38
↓19:21
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar – The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing boats carrying a statue of La Virgen del Monte Carmelo (the city’s patron saint) and a special mass. The secular celebrat
Sun 19
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑4:18 ↓17:23 ↑5:26 ↓18:04 ↑1:40
↑13:50
↓7:29
↓20:07
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Mon 20
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑5:16 ↓18:19 ↑5:27 ↓18:04 ↑2:25
↑14:36
↓8:17
↓20:50
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Tue 21
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑6:15 ↓19:14 ↑5:27 ↓18:04 ↑3:09
↑15:20
↓9:04
↓21:33
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Wed 22
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑7:14 ↓20:05 ↑5:27 ↓18:04 ↑3:53
↑16:05
↓9:50
↓22:16
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Thu 23
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑8:12 ↓20:53 ↑5:27 ↓18:04 ↑4:36
↑16:50
↓10:37
↓22:59
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Fri 24
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑9:08 ↓21:40 ↑5:27 ↓18:03 ↑5:20
↑17:37
↓11:24
↓23:44
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Sat 25
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑10:02 ↓22:26 ↑5:28 ↓18:03 ↑6:06
↑18:25
↓12:12
↓
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Día de Guanacaste – Guanacaste Day celebrates the annexation of Guancaste from Nicaragua in 1824. Street fiestas, folk dancing, topes (horse show/parade), traditional bullfights, rodeos and cattle shows are particularily colorful and exhuberant in the eponymous northwest reg
Sun 26
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑10:57 ↓23:12 ↑5:28 ↓18:03 ↑6:55
↑19:17
↓0:30
↓13:04
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Mon 27
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑11:52 ↓23:59 ↑5:28 ↓18:03 ↑7:46
↑20:13
↓1:20
↓13:59
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Tue 28
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑12:47 ↓23:59 ↑5:28 ↓18:03 ↑8:43
↑21:14
↓2:14
↓14:59
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Wed 29
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑13:45 ↓0:48 ↑5:28 ↓18:02 ↑9:44
↑22:20
↓3:13
↓16:03
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Thu 30
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑14:43 ↓1:40 ↑5:28 ↓18:02 ↑10:48
↑23:29
↓4:18
↓17:10
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Fri 31
Costa Rica Moon Phase ↑15:41 ↓2:35 ↑5:29 ↓18:02 ↑11:53
↑
↓5:25
↓18:15
olive ridley turtle  green turtle  leather back turtlehumpback whale  quetzal nesting
green turtle  leather back turtle  humpback whale
Costa Rica Moon Phase sunrise and sunset
Costa Rica High and Low Tides
rainy season    wave size
rainy season    wave size
Rise & Set
Tide Times
Pacific
Caribbean

Calendar Legend

Averages for the month

  • Approximate exchange rate
  • General weather pattern for each half of the country
    dry season or rainy season average weather pattern
  • Average surf wave height for each coast
    larger or smaller than average wave height

Shown for each day

  • The phase of the moon, and the moon and sun rise and set times for planning turtle viewing or a night hike (best under the dark skies of a new moon when nocturnal animals are most active).
  • Times for each high and low tide along the outer Pacific coast (gulfs and bays vary). Average height 8 feet (2.5 meters).
    Not intended for navigation.
  • Tides on the east coast occur about 2 hours earlier. However, the average height is only 8 inches (0.2 meters) so levels in the Caribbean Sea do not significantly impact most activities.
  • Natural events are shown as shaded icons for quetzals (nesting), turtles (nesting), and humpback whales (calving) on each coast.
    wildlife calendar species
  • The more solid color shown the more likely the event, the more shaded the less likely.
    more or less likely turtle nesting
  • Baby turtles hatch (usually at night) after approximately 50-70 days incubation so look for nesting activity on the calendar two months prior to your visit if you’d like to see the little ones popping out of the sand..
  • Holidays – Bold indicates a government & bank holiday when most businesses are closed and buses may run on limited schedules.
  • Fiesta and local festival dates are approximate – most include events spread over a week or two so check the schedule locally for more information.

Ray & Sue

Cost · ToDo · Plan·Costa Rica Guide logo animated·Top10 · Best Time · Contact


toll free Costa Rica travel desk!
1-866-816-0197

CONTACT US

Best Time to Visit

Best Time to Visit
  • The Best Time to Visit Costa Rica
  • January in Costa Rica
  • February in Costa Rica
  • March in Costa Rica
  • April in Costa Rica
  • May in Costa Rica
  • June in Cost Rica – Best Time to Travel?
  • July in Costa Rica
  • August in Costa Rica – The Best Time to Go
  • September in Costa Rica – Best on the Caribbean
  • October in Costa Rica – Best Time for the Caribbean
  • November in Costa Rica – Could be Great
  • December in Costa Rica – Best Time to Visit?
  • Secrets of September & October
  • Costa Rica Holidays & Fiestas
  • Covid Perfect Destination – Costa Rica
  • Timing the Tides
  • Costa Rica Time Travel
  • Best Time To Go To Costa Rica Quiz
  • Best Things To Do September, October & November



Costa Rica Guide on facebook
Costa Rica Guide on Facebook