Costa Rica, by the numbers.
A country the size of Denmark holding an estimated 5% of everything alive on Earth. Pura vida is a genuine national attitude, and the lodges here compete on wilderness access, not ballroom size — which is exactly how Ant likes it.
12 months, plotted.
San José (central valley) averages. Regional variance is real: the Caribbean coast at Tortuguero gets rain fairly evenly year-round with no true dry season, while Guanacaste stays markedly drier and sunnier even in the 'wet' months.
The windows most brochures skip.
Reliable sunshine, calmer seas for Guanacaste beaches, the busiest and priciest window.
Afternoon showers rather than all-day rain, lush rainforest, fewer crowds and softer rates.
Dry trails make Corcovado and Osa Peninsula wildlife-spotting easier underfoot.
Nayara and Lapa Rios both run small room counts and fill fast over the dry season.
The properties Ant actually puts guests in.
Costa Rica's best lodges are architecture-led and access-led — the point is what's outside the window, not the window itself.
Let Ant plan the volcano-to-beach arc.
Arenal for the volcano and hot springs, Monteverde for the cloud forest, Guanacaste to finish on sand. See the full package at /packages/costa-rica.
Costa Rica, by the numbers. — straight answers
- When is the best time to visit Costa Rica, by the numbers.?
- Peak dry season (December – April): Reliable sunshine, calmer seas for Guanacaste beaches, the busiest and priciest window. Green season value (May – November): Afternoon showers rather than all-day rain, lush rainforest, fewer crowds and softer rates. Wildlife-focused (January – March): Dry trails make Corcovado and Osa Peninsula wildlife-spotting easier underfoot. Book by (4–6 months for Dec–Apr): Nayara and Lapa Rios both run small room counts and fill fast over the dry season.
- What is the weather like in Costa Rica, by the numbers.?
- Mar is the warmest month at about 26°C average high and Jan the coolest at about 24°C. Oct is the wettest month with roughly 280mm of rainfall, Feb the driest at about 10mm. Live current conditions are shown on this page.
- Where should you stay in Costa Rica, by the numbers.?
- AskAnt works with a short list rather than a directory: Nayara Springs (Arenal · adults-only tented villas · volcano views, private plunge pools); Monteverde Lodge & Gardens (Cloud forest edge · long-established naturalist-led lodge); Lapa Rios Lodge (Osa Peninsula · off-grid rainforest bungalows bordering Corcovado); Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo (Guanacaste · flagship beach resort, marina and golf); Nayara Gardens (Arenal · family-friendly sister property, same volcano views).
- What should you know about Costa Rica, by the numbers. before booking?
- ~5% Share of global biodiversity, in 0.03% of the planet's land — INBio / Costa Rica National Biodiversity Institute ~99% Electricity from renewable sources — Costa Rica ICE 25%+ Of the country under national park or protected status — SINAC 1970s Decade ziplining began — as canopy biology research, not tourism — Monteverde Cloud Forest records
- Can AskAnt book Costa Rica, by the numbers. as a set itinerary?
- Yes. Experience Costa Rica — CURATED by Czerlonka is a published AskAnt set journey covering this destination, priced and operated exactly as listed and locked in by a specialist ground partner. Ant can also build a custom brief around it.
Costa Rica journeys you can actually book.
Everything above is the groundwork. These are the set Costa Rica itineraries AskAnt already has costed, routed and matched to a specialist partner — fixed properties, no substitutions.
Pair Costa Rica with these.
This guide is one of 24 AskAnt destination guides. Browse every set itinerary on the packages index, or start from the AskAnt homepage.