Tamarindo is a year-round destination, but the experience changes a lot between the golden dry months and the lush green season. Here is what each part of the year is really like.
Guanacaste is the driest and sunniest corner of Costa Rica, which is why Tamarindo works as a destination all year round. Still, the season you choose shapes your trip — from the colour of the hills to the size of the waves and the rate you pay. Here is how the year looks from the estate.
The short answer
- For almost guaranteed sunshine: December to April.
- For green landscapes, fewer people and better value: May to August, and November.
- For the biggest surf and empty beaches: September and October — if you don't mind the rain.
Dry season: December to April
This is Tamarindo's high season, and for good reason. Rain is rare, the sky is blue almost every day and temperatures sit in the low-to-mid 30s °C (around 90–95 °F): hot at midday, beautifully warm in the evenings. The hills turn gold as the dry forest drops its leaves, and the sunsets are at their most dramatic.
From December to March the Papagayo winds blow from the land out to sea. They keep the air fresh, groom the waves into clean shapes in the morning and can make the ocean feel a touch cooler than the rest of the year.
High season is also the busiest time. Christmas and New Year, US spring break in March and Holy Week (Semana Santa, in March or April) are the peak weeks of the year, when rates are highest and minimum stays of 5 to 7 nights may apply at Cocoon. Book restaurants, catamarans and private chefs ahead. If your dates are flexible, early December and the weeks right after Easter are still dry but noticeably calmer.
Green season: May to November
Costa Ricans call it invierno — winter — and the travel world calls it the green season. The rains return, but they rarely last all day. A typical day starts sunny, clouds build in the afternoon and a heavy shower cools everything down before a clear evening. Within a couple of weeks of the first rains the landscape turns an intense green, rivers and waterfalls fill up and the wildlife becomes more active.
May and June
The transition months. The first rains arrive, there is still plenty of sunshine, the beaches are quieter and rates drop. A favourite time for people who know Tamarindo well.
July and August
There is often a drier spell in the middle of the year, usually in July, which Costa Ricans call the veranillo or "little summer". Sunny mornings, green hills and warm sea make it a lovely time to come. It is also holiday time for many families in Costa Rica, North America and Europe, so it pays to book early.
September and October
The wettest months of the year. Some restaurants and tour operators close for a few weeks, the beaches are almost empty and southern swells bring the most consistent surf of the year for experienced surfers. October also marks the start of the leatherback nesting season at Playa Grande. Plan outings for the morning and keep the afternoons for the jacuzzi and a good book.
November
The rains taper off through the month, the hills are still green and the high-season crowds have not arrived yet. For many of our guests, it is the best-kept secret of the year.
What's in season
- Leatherback turtles: nesting at Playa Grande roughly from October to March, on guided night tours only.
- Surf: good for beginners all year; bigger, more consistent swells from about April to October; clean offshore mornings in the dry season.
- Green landscapes and wildlife: at their best from June to November.
- Sunsets: the sun sets between about 5:15 and 6:00 pm all year round, so plan the sundowner early.
- Sea temperature: warm all year, often around 27–29 °C (80–84 °F), a little cooler when the Papagayo winds blow.
Our booking tips
- Holidays go first. For Christmas, New Year and Easter, book as early as you can — these are the first weeks to fill up across the estate.
- The green season rewards longer stays. Fewer people, softer rates and the landscape at its most beautiful.
- Let the concierge plan around the weather. Whatever the month, we will schedule your activities for the best part of the day.
Wondering how to fill your days? Read our list of things to do in Tamarindo, or send us your dates and we will tell you which houses are available.
