☀️ Dry Season

December

Dry season returns, and so does everyone else

December is Costa Rica's most visited month, and for good reason — the dry season returns, skies clear, and the Pacific coast enters its prime. But December also holds something the tourist numbers don't capture: the particular warmth of a tropical Christmas. Tamales in banana leaves, Las Posadas processions, markets full of aguinaldo treats, and the genuine community warmth of a country that takes Christmas seriously.

Highlights this month

✓Dry season returns in the second week — Pacific coast conditions transform rapidly
✓Christmas preparations visible everywhere — tamales, Las Posadas, market stalls
✓Coffee harvest in full swing in highland regions through mid-month
✓International arrivals peak — book all accommodation well in advance

Best for

Beach travelCultural experiencesCoffee farm visitsFamily travelFestive atmosphere

Photography

The Christmas markets and Las Posadas processions in colonial towns (especially Cartago and Escazú) are photographically rich. The return of dry season clarity makes mountain viewpoints worth revisiting after months of cloud cover.

Worth knowing

Christmas week and New Year's week are the busiest and most expensive periods in the entire Costa Rican calendar. Roads, beaches, and lodges operate at capacity. This is not the time for spontaneity.

Event note — Christmas Eve (December 24) is the primary celebration — family gatherings, tamales, fireworks at midnight. New Year's Eve brings Costa Rica's biggest celebrations to San José's Paseo Colón and Pacific beaches.