Ask anyone who has lived here long enough and they’ll tell you the truth about Costa Rica’s “rainy” months: this is when the country shows its brightest colors, lowest prices and widest smiles. From early May through mid-November—known locally as época verde—the Pacific slope wakes up to crystal-clear dawns, a midday burst of warm rain, and cool, star-filled nights. Rivers run glassy, waterfalls double in volume, and every hillside flashes an impossible emerald.
For travelers who value wildlife, photography and uncrowded beaches, the Green Season is the jackpot—and Costa Rica Green Airways is the quickest, most sustainable way to claim it.
Manuel Antonio via Quepos: Wildlife Without the Waiting Lines
Land at Quepos airport and you’re five minutes from Manuel Antonio National Park—normally the nation’s busiest reserve, but almost private during Green Season. Rain brings fruiting trees, so three-toed sloths, squirrel monkeys and rainbow-beaked toucans forage right beside the trails. Beaches like Playa Espadilla feel cooler after a brief shower, and late-day sunsets explode in sherbet colors ideal for photography.
Hotel and tour prices drop up to 40 percent, meaning you can upgrade to that tree-house suite while still spending less. With Costa Rica Green Airways’ low-emission morning departures, you’ll glide over jade river valleys instead of white-knuckling the Costanera highway in a downpour.
Nicoya Peninsula via Cóbano & Nosara: Surf, Yoga and Turtle Magic
Touch down on the Cóbano airstrip and you’re surfing Santa Teresa within an hour—try doing that after a six-hour wet-season drive. Consistent swells meet nearly empty line-ups, while Montezuma Falls morphs into a multi-tiered spa worthy of a travel cover shoot.
Farther north, Nosara’s Playa Guiones hosts sunset sessions under mist-filtered golden light, and from August to October the world-famous arribadas of olive-ridley sea turtles flood nearby Ostional. Boutique hotels, yoga shalas and ceviche bars all run shoulder-season specials, stretching your colones as far as the coastline. Surfboards and yoga mats fly free on Costa Rica Green Airways, making that short, scenic hop even sweeter.
Untamed Osa via Puerto Jiménez: The Ultimate Rainforest Shortcut
National Geographic calls the Osa Peninsula “the most biologically intense place on Earth,” and Green Season is its blockbuster release. Scarlet macaws pair up, humpback whales breach just offshore, and big-cat pawprints appear on freshly washed Corcovado trails.
A 50-minute flight from San José to Puerto Jiménez spares you the all-day drive and two ferry crossings, so you hit the ground rested and ready for mangrove kayaking or waterfall rappelling. Cooler ambient temperatures also improve our aircraft’s fuel efficiency, shrinking your carbon footprint before you even set foot in the jungle—proof that “fly green” is more than just a tagline.
Rainy-Season Myths—Busted
Before you let old travel forums scare you away, remember that most complaints about “rainy season” come from people who have never actually visited during Green Season Costa Rica. Misconceptions linger like morning fog, so let’s clear the air. Here are the four myths we hear most often—followed by the reality you’ll experience once you’re on the ground (or in the air with us).
• Myth 1: “It rains all day.” Reality: Average shower length on the Pacific coast is 1–3 hours, usually mid-afternoon.
• Myth 2: “Flights get canceled constantly.” Reality: Last Costa Rica’s Green Season our on-time performance was 93 percent—higher than peak-season traffic days.
• Myth 3: “National parks close.” Reality: Parks stay open; you just need sturdy shoes. Trails are quieter, wildlife sightings better.
• Myth 4: “Beaches are no fun when wet.” Reality: Rain cools the sand and supercharges sunsets—you’ll take your best photos, promise.
Pack Smart, Play Hard
Packing for Green Season Costa Rica is all about staying light, dry, and adventure-ready. You’ll move from blue-sky mornings to postcard showers and back again, so versatile gear beats bulky luggage every time. Use the checklist below to keep your backpack lean, your electronics safe, and your focus exactly where it belongs—on waterfalls, wildlife, and waves.
• Quick-dry layers for comfort between sun and showers.
• Lightweight rain jacket that stows into its own pocket
• Dry bag or waterproof phone sleeve for waterfall selfies
• Grippy hiking shoes for mud-slick jungle paths
• Reef-safe sunscreen—the sun still shows up!
• Sense of adventure; Mother Nature sets the schedule
Green Season means smaller crowds, bigger waterfalls and lower prices, and Costa Rica Green Airways is your nonstop ticket to every highlight. Our sustainable aviation fuel blend, carbon-offset program and free surfboard allowance make “flights to Cóbano,” “Nosara flights,” “Quepos flights,” and “Puerto Jiménez flights” better for both traveller and planet.
Seats for the 2025 Green Season are on sale now—secure yours at www.CostaRicaGreenAir.com or call +506 8583-1741. Fly shorter, pay less, see more, tread lighter. The rainforest—at its greenest and greatest—is waiting.