Costa Rica in January: weather by region, crowds and what's on

January is the heart of the dry season on the Pacific side and in San José: sunny, windy and hot on the beaches, cool and breezy in the mountains. The Caribbean is still in its rainy stretch. The holiday rush lasts until about 3 January; after that the month stays busy, but prices ease a little.

What is the weather like in Costa Rica in January?

Dry on the Pacific side and in the Central Valley, wet on the Caribbean. The Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) puts the northern Pacific dry season, which covers Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula, from December to March, when only 4 percent of the year’s rain falls and the northeast trade wind dominates. On the central Pacific coast the IMN treats December as a transition and January to March as the dry period, again with 4 percent of the yearly rain.

In the Central Valley, January to March are the dry months, though the IMN notes the eastern side can collect more than 100 mm of rain in that period, against 20 to 50 mm in the driest part of Guanacaste. The Caribbean has no defined dry season: the IMN says November to February is its wettest stretch, bringing about 40 percent of the year’s rain, with the peak between December and January. Its drier window is February and March.

As of October 2026, the IMN expected a very strong El Niño to last from November 2026 through January 2027 and then weaken, per CRHoy, with temperatures in 2027 up to 2 °C above normal. A forecast is not a promise, but it points to a hot January.

Region	January per the IMN	Typical January highs
Guanacaste and Nicoya (Sámara)	Dry season; December to March bring 4% of the year’s rain	32 to 35 °C
Central Pacific (Punta Leona)	Dry period, January to March	31 to 33 °C
Central Valley (San José)	Dry months; trade wind all day	24 to 26 °C
Monteverde	Light drizzle, very windy (Costa Rica Vibes)	20 to 22 °C
Caribbean (Cahuita)	Rainiest stretch, November to February	28 to 30 °C

Highs from Costa Rica Vibes (updated 27 October 2026); patterns from the IMN regional climate baselines, 1961 to 1990. For the other eleven months, see Costa Rica weather by month.

Is January windy in Costa Rica?

Yes, in much of the country. The IMN says the trade wind blows all day in the Central Valley during the dry season, and Costa Rica Vibes calls both Guanacaste and Monteverde very windy in January. In Monteverde it lists highs of 20 to 22 °C and nights near 16 °C.

Costa Rica Vibes also warns that wind can cancel zip lines and boat tours, so book those early in your trip to leave room to reschedule.

When does the holiday peak end, and how busy is the rest of January?

Around 3 January. Costa Rica Vibes calls New Year’s week the busiest and most expensive of the year and treats all of January as high season. Enter Costa Rica, a tour operator, says prices generally drop a little after the first full week of January and that good-value hotels book up months ahead.

Costa Rican families keep traveling. Under the Ministry of Education (MEP) 2027 calendar announced on 27 October 2026, teachers return on 8 February and classes start on 1 March 2027, per La República and Delfino. In 2026 classes started on 23 February, so the 2026 to 2027 school vacation covers all of January and February. Costa Rica Vibes says beaches near San José get busy on weekends; some English-language guides still give early February for the school start, so go by the ministry’s dates.

Sunday afternoons heading back to San José are the slow part, and our New Year’s Eve guide has the Route 27 reversible-lane details.

What events are on in Costa Rica in January?

Mostly town fiestas with bulls, topes and concerts. Our holiday festivals guide covers them in detail; for 31 December and 1 January, see New Year’s Eve in Costa Rica.

• Juego de los Diablitos, Boruca, ends 2 January. The Boruca ceremony runs from the night of 30 December to 2 January, per El Observador (January 2026). In Curré it is held in late January or early February, Thursday to Sunday.
• Fiestas de Zapote, planned until 3 January 2027. San José’s year-end fair is scheduled for 25 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, but La Nación reported on 16 October 2026 that a third auction of the fairground had failed, and El Observador on 22 October that a fourth was being prepared. Check before you go.
• Fiestas de Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, mid-January. The 2026 edition, in honor of the Santo Cristo de Esquipulas, ran 14 to 18 January with marimba and a bull tope on 15 January, per CRHoy. Costa Rica Vibes lists 15 January 2027; we found no official 2027 program as of November 2026.
• Fiestas de Palmares, second half of January. The 2026 edition ran 15 to 26 January with its tope on Saturday 17 January, per La Nación; as of November 2026, the Asociación Cívica Palmareña lists the 2027 tope for Saturday 16 January and bullfight nights from 15 to 25 January.

What wildlife can you see in Costa Rica in January?

Whales, nesting turtles and birds. The Marino Ballena National Park leaflet, published on the tourism board’s visitcostarica.com, dates the season for humpbacks from the north from December into March or April (the leaflet gives both), and Costa Rica Vibes says tours leave from Uvita and Drake Bay.

The sea turtle infographic on visitcostarica.com, reviewed by SINAC, puts leatherback nesting on the Pacific from September to March, at beaches including Grande, Ventanas, Langosta and Ostional, and olive ridley arribadas, the mass nestings, once a month all year at Ostional and Corozalito.

For birders, Costa Rica Vibes notes that North American migrants are still wintering in January and that quetzal season starts to pick up in Monteverde and San Gerardo de Dota. Our Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve guide covers the visit.

What should you pack for Costa Rica in January?

Beach clothes, a windbreaker and one warm layer. Costa Rica Vibes’ January list: light, breathable clothes and a couple of swimsuits, a windbreaker or light rain jacket, a fleece for Monteverde and San José evenings (a real jacket for Monteverde, where nights fall to about 16 °C), reef-safe sunscreen, a hat with a strap, sunglasses, bug spray, sandals plus sturdy shoes, and a refillable bottle.

What is driving like in January?

Slower than the distances suggest. Costa Rica Vibes says roads can be rough after the rainy season, with potholes not fixed until later in the dry season, and to leave extra time on travel days. It gets dark at about 18:00, and Two Weeks in Costa Rica advises first-time visitors not to drive long distances after dark. At Liberia airport, Mytanfeet (September 2026) says to allow at least two hours from landing to driving away from mid-December through March.

Which region fits which January trip?

Choose by what you want from the weather.

• The most sun: Guanacaste and Nicoya. Sámara is about two hours by car from Liberia airport; see the Sámara area guide.
• A beach near San José: the central Pacific. Punta Leona is about 1.5 hours by car from San José airport (SJO) without traffic, and closer to 2 hours with it. See the Punta Leona area guide.
• Cloud forest: Monteverde, about three hours from either airport, for cool nights, wind and birds. See the Monteverde area guide.
• Caribbean: go knowing January sits in its rainiest stretch, with drier weather from February. See the Cahuita area guide.

For the run-up, see our December guide.

Where to stay in January: our homes

Five of our homes cover the January regions above.

• Casa Almendros, Sámara. Our beachfront house on a quiet stretch of Playa Sámara, with a garden gate to the sand and three bedrooms with air conditioning for up to six. Two-night minimum, from $303 a night.
• Lapas Leona Home, Punta Leona. Our two mirrored houses booked together for up to 16, sharing a private saltwater pool and rancho, with Playa Mantas a walk away. The pool has no fence, so watch small children. From $355 a night.
• Kapetsowa Container Loft, Monteverde. Our glass-walled loft for up to four, steps from the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve visitor center (about 170 m). In strong wind the container makes noise, so light sleepers should bring earplugs; a portable heater is there for cold nights. Not suitable for children. From $128 a night.
• Casa Yaiwa, Santa Elena. Our three-bedroom house two minutes on foot from downtown, for up to six, with parking at the door and one bathroom. From $107 a night.
• Ewa Boxes, Cahuita. Our two container villas booked together for up to eight, with air conditioning in each and a plunge pool to yourselves. Keypad check-in runs until 02:00, which covers a late drive. From $361 a night.

The Airbnb page shows the total for your dates before you confirm. For the first week of January, message us on WhatsApp with your dates.