February is Costa Rica's sunniest month — rainfall nearly disappears on the Pacific side, rivers run slow and clear, and the light at golden hour turns everything amber. Coral reefs are at their clearest visibility of the year. The Caribbean coast operates by different rules: short afternoon downpours keep the landscape vivid and the birding extraordinary.
Highlights this month
- ✓Clearest water visibility of the year for snorkeling and diving on both coasts
- ✓Butterfly species diversity peaks in lowland Pacific rainforests
- ✓Scarlet macaw nesting season well underway in the Osa Peninsula
- ✓Dry forest flora in peak golden-brown dormancy — a photographic register all its own
Best for
Photography
February light on the Pacific coast is exceptional. Underwater photography reaches its year-round peak — visibility at reef sites can exceed 20 metres.
Worth knowing
Waterfalls are at their seasonal low. If the falls are what you're coming for, wait until May when the green season wakes them up.
Event note — Valentine's Day brings coastal lodges and mountain viewpoints to capacity — book ahead for the week of February 14.
Places that shine in February
🏊 Swimming
Isla del Caño Biological Reserve
The finest reef on the Pacific coast of Central America, twelve kilometres offshore
Drake Bay
🌊 Waterfalls
Catarata La Fortuna
A dramatic 70-metre waterfall, tropical rainforest, wildlife, and swimming
La Fortuna
🏊 Swimming
Parque Nacional Cahuita
One of Costa Rica’s most beautiful Caribbean national parks
Cahuita
🌊 Waterfalls
La Paz Waterfall Gardens
One of Costa Rica’s most famous eco-attractions, located in the cloud forest between Poás Volcano and Sarapiquí
Heredia Province
🏊 Swimming
Playa Conchal
A beach made entirely of crushed shells — no sand, only conchitas
Brasilito
🚗 Scenic Drives
Valle del Río Orosi
A 37-kilometre valley loop through coffee terraces, colonial churches, and four ecosystems
Orosi
🏊 Swimming
Playa Hermosa (Jaco)
One of the most famous surf beaches and beautiful stretches of coastline on the Central Pacific
Jacó
🏊 Swimming
Nacientes Palmichal
Crystal springs and natural swimming pools
Acosta
💎 Hidden Gems
Playa Escondida
A small hidden beach near Manuel Antonio and Quepos
Quepos
☕ Scenic Cafés
Café Finca Los Sueños
Espresso on a working coffee farm with valley views
Naranjo
💎 Hidden Gems
Playa Biesanz
One of the calmest and most scenic beach
Quepos
🌅 Sunset Spots
Playa Santa Teresa
Bohemian surf village with the finest sunsets on the Nicoya Peninsula
Cobano