Things to Do in Costa Rica in February
February weather, activities, events & insider tips
February Weather in Costa Rica
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is February Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + February lands smack in Costa Rica's dry season, expect blue skies nine days out of ten, good for crater treks and lazy Pacific beach days. The west coast serves its finest weather now, and divers enjoy 30 m (98 ft) of water clarity.
- + Wildlife viewing hits its stride, turtles nest on Ostional, humpbacks still launch themselves off the south coast, and from your Manuel Antonio balcony you can hear howler monkeys without rain muffling the roar.
- + Semana Santa crowds have not yet rolled in, you'll share Manuel Antonio's sand with perhaps thirty people, not three hundred. Hotels keep shoulder-season prices through mid-February.
- + Coffee harvest is in full swing, the scent of roasting beans drifts across Central Valley towns, and fincas will let you taste cherries picked that same morning.
- − Trade winds scream through February, expect 40 km/h (25 mph) gusts that blast sand across Tamarindo and can turn Santa Rosa National Park boat trips into a rough ride.
- − February may be dry, but it's also dust season, unpaved roads north of Liberia throw up brown clouds that coat skin, packs, and your rental's air filter clogs within days.
- − Water levels plummet, that postcard La Fortuna waterfall becomes a skinny ribbon, and Pacuare rafting drops from Class IV thrills to gentle Class II floats.
Best Activities in February
Top things to do during your visit
Cloud-free February dawns let you see Arenal's crater from the summit trail, something that happens barely sixty days a year. Lava rocks stay dry, not slick, and dawn hovers around 18°C (64°F) before the sun climbs. Sulfur drifts at the top, and on clear mornings you can look straight into Nicaragua.
February's steady offshore winds sculpt Playa Guiones into long, perfect peelers, 200-metre rides are real on a good day. Water warms to 28°C (82°F), so you can surf three hours without rubber. Glassy morning sessions last until about ten, when the breeze rises.
February is harvest month in the Central Valley, you can pick coffee cherries at Doka Estate and taste the gap between sun-dried and honey-processed beans. The air smells of caramel from the roasting drums, and piece-rate workers will show you the right picking twist if you ask.
Humpbacks still head south in February, you'll watch them breach three or four kilometres off Uvita, and skippers know the whales by name. February seas are calmer than January's, and you might witness a mother coaching her calf to launch.
February's starry skies turn Monteverde's night tours into theatre, you'll spot bioluminescent fungi that glow only in the dry season, and without rain, kinkajous and olingos drop to eye level to feed. The forest soundtrack changes too. No rain on leaves means every footstep crackle carries.
February Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Liberia bursts with sabanero tradition, horse parades pound down Calle Real, rodeos draw locals who bet on eight-second rides, and food stalls dish vigorón (yuca with pork rinds) so loud you can't hear the mariachi. Woodsmoke from grilling chorizos hangs over the plaza until two in the morning.
For four days the hippie set owns Uvita beach, sunrise yoga, electronic beats till four, food trucks slinging jackfruit tacos. Drum circles fire up at dusk, and palo santo smoke scents the air.
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Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
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