Costa Rica - don't know what to do.

[EssexSue]

We have booked a big family holiday for next July /August to Costa Rica but looking at the weather app it is thunderstorms all day and every day. I asked on the hotel facebook page if this meant we could not do anything (there are seventeen of us going so lots of exciting planning going on) and have been moderated and told we are not allowed to discuss the weather.
Has anyone here been to CR in summer please? We are thinking of changing to Jamaica, it's so difficult when there's so many people, especially when two are outlaws who we aren't paying for.

[LRMD]

Sorry not been at that time of year but stopped in Costa Rica on a cruise in Feb this year, beautiful place, so lush, green and lots of wildlife and rustic beaches. Even if you swapped to Jamaica that time of year is still off season. We usually go to the Caribbean Dec to Feb for best weather.

[skalexander]

I don’t know anything about Costa Rica, but isn’t August peak hurricane season in the Caribbean? You might be better changing the dates than the destination, but I appreciate that might be impossible with so many people.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by LRMD

Sorry not been at that time of year but stopped in Costa Rica on a cruise in Feb this year, beautiful place, so lush, green

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Lush? Green? That'll be the rain.

[EssexSue]

Originally Posted by skalexander

I don’t know anything about Costa Rica, but isn’t August peak hurricane season in the Caribbean? You might be better changing the dates than the destination, but I appreciate that might be impossible with so many people.

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We are committed to school holidays unfortunately. We have been to the Caribbean in July before and it was more like Florida weather but storms all day and every day is a real worry. We thought the nearby forest/jungle was an amazing experience for the children but if we are confined to hotel it's a waste of money.

[Lindsk]

As I understand it, it depends on which coast you go to. We booked a holiday on the Pacific coast for the end of Nov (hoping wet season would be ending) but no idea if this will go ahead this year.
But definitely worth checking as the wet season generally runs from May to November. However if you’re going to the Caribbean side, you might fare better frommers/destination...ica/when-to-go

[EssexSue]

We are going to Guanacaste, not sure which side that is but it's described as dry side on your link - thank you. We were committed to Tui as my son and his in laws were transferring a holiday for this year, I can't begin to tell you the aggravation we have had.

[munmun]

Maybe try asking a question on the Costa Rica tripadvisor forum I find you get good answers most of the time.

Websites seem to suggest very heavy rain most afternoons, steamy and hot mornings.

[Olympiad]

Yes. We've been for 2 weeks in August and it was fantastic.

Unless you're planning on spending all the time on a beach trying to sunbathe I really wouldn't worry about it.

The weather is still (very) hot and humid and typically any rain will come mid to late afternoon and be intense but short (bit like Florida in the summer). For this reason if you're doing things like ziplining it is best to go in the morning. Rainforest trips etc all occur early in the morning usually as well to increase chances of seeing wildlife.

Of course there are always variations but out of the 2 weeks we were there (which we told was a typical August) it tended to be sunny or at least dry to mid/late afternoon, and some rain in the afternoon and then brightening again. I can't recall a single day where the rain interfered with our plans.

[Olympiad]

Originally Posted by skalexander

I don’t know anything about Costa Rica, but isn’t August peak hurricane season in the Caribbean? You might be better changing the dates than the destination, but I appreciate that might be impossible with so many people.

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Hi - Costa Rica isn't considered a Caribbean country. It's part of Central America and is so far south below the path of hurricanes, that according to what we were told when there, a hurricane has never made land in CR.