In general, the climate in Costa Rica is very pleasant not only during the dry season, which extends from December to April but also during the rainy season, which runs from May to November. During the rainy season, rain falls mainly in the afternoons; on the other hand, the mornings are usually sunny.
Costa Rica has a tropical climate with an average temperature of 22-Celsius degrees (72-Fahrenheit degrees) that increases considerably on the coastal areas. The changes in temperature are considerable and due to the short distances in this relatively small country, they can all be experienced in just one day.
Due to factors such as the geographical location, the weather conditions, the formation of mountain chains, mountains, and valleys, this country experiences different microclimates that give a home to different types of vegetation.
- The high and cold region: It presents an elevation of 3,000 to 3,100 meters in altitude with temperatures of 0 degrees C.
- The hot region: The elevation is above 1,500 meters in altitude, with temperatures between 14 and 18-Celsius degrees.
- The humid tropical region: The elevation here is up to 1,100 meters in altitude, with temperatures between 25 and 26-Celsius degrees.
- The tropical region: Pertaining to the dry season, it has temperatures between 26 and 27-Celsius degrees.
- The inter-mountainous valley region: This region has an elevation between 1,000 and 1,100 meters in altitude, which is a characteristic of the central valley, and temperatures ranging from 14 to 18-Celsius degrees.
Due to the weather characteristics and the topography of the country, Costa Rica has different types of forests: the cloud forest, the rain forest, the dry forest, and the transition forest.
Enjoy the sun, but carefully
Going to the beach is a must when traveling to Costa Rica and a nice suntan is always possible. It is not advisable however, to try to tan in just one day because it takes 24 to 48 hours for the skin to produce melanin, a dark pigment that reduces the aging process caused by sunburn. The healthiest thing for you to do is to use a PABA-free suntan or UV sun blocking lotion.
