Things to Do in Costa Rica in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
May Weather in Costa Rica
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is May Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + May splits the difference well: the dry-season crowds have thinned while green-season prices kick in, cutting accommodation rates by 40% across Costa Rica and leaving you with half the visitors you'd battle in March or April.
- + The year's first rains have clocked in, but they're as reliable as a Swiss train: thunderheads stack up around 2 PM, unload for three hours, then roll out by 5 PM, gifting photographers honeyed light and giving everyone cooler nights for deep sleep.
- + Wildlife emerges from dry-season cover in force, sloths are suddenly visible in Guanacaste's newly green canopy, and Tortuguero records its first turtle nests of the year.
- + Coffee harvest wraps in May, so every plantation tour hands you beans roasted within days, and baristas will walk you through the flavor gaps between Tarrazú, Tres Ríos, and Central Valley lots.
- − Humidity wakes at 70% and keeps climbing. If sticky air drains you, schedule anything active between 6-10 AM or after 4 PM when the breeze returns.
- − On the Nicoya Peninsula and Southern Caribbean, some back roads turn to chocolate pudding, restricting access to 4WD only, a detail a few tour desks conveniently forget to mention.
- − Those afternoon storms can torpedo full-day outings; Isla del Coco boat runs and offshore dive trips get scrubbed more often than operators like to advertise.
Best Activities in May
Top things to do during your visit
Arenal's cone shows itself only in the mornings before noon clouds seal it away. May's damp forest floor draws wildlife down from the canopy, so coatis and howler monkeys cross the trail at eye level instead of 30 m (98 ft) overhead.
Southern Caribbean reef breaks sharpen under May's shifting swells, Puerto Viejo dishes steady 1-2 m (3-6 ft) waves for intermediates, while Salsa Brava still lobs the odd head-high set for experts. After the storms, the sky flames orange for a full twenty minutes.
The final harvest bags come down from the high farms in May, letting you sample beans processed three ways on one tour. Wet mills run at full tilt, so you follow the chain from red cherry to dried parchment, and the roaster's aroma is still in the air, something you never catch in dry season when everything's already packed.
Green turtles begin trickling into Tortuguero in May. You won't face the August/September mobs, yet you'll watch the full nesting ritual minus fifty competing flashlights. The sand is still firm for walking, and lightning over the ocean frames the scene like free fireworks.
May Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
May 1st turns San José's Parque Central into an open-air party: union marches dissolve into live bands and food stalls ladling olla de carne from clay pots. Locals treat the holiday as a beach pass, so buses to Manuel Antonio and Jaco sell out fast.
San Isidro de El General throws an agricultural fair with real ox-cart parades, working bulls, not postcard props. Farmers parade prize animals through town while vendors hawk fresh cheese wrapped in banana leaves. The weekend market stocks the year's best spread of regional handicrafts.
Packing Checklist
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Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
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