Early green Season: May to June
Cooler, quieter, greener. That’s the simple way to describe Costa Rica’s early green season. After months of near-constant sunshine, the first big rains break through and transform the country. Forests burst back into life, rivers swell, and mornings are often gloriously clear before the afternoon showers roll in.
For travellers, May and June are something of a sweet spot — a shoulder season with fewer crowds, lusher scenery, and lower prices than the peak dry months.
Regional Highlights
Pacific Coast (Nicoya, Osa, Uvita)
- Nicoya mornings are clear, with rain arriving later in the day. You can expect quieter beaches.
- Osa is wetter but spectacular — rainforests buzz with activity, dolphins offshore at Uvita.
Central Highlands & Cloud Forest (San Gerardo, Chirripó, La Fortuna, Tenorio)
- Cooler and misty, but birdwatching remains superb, especially in San Gerardo.
- La Fortuna and Tenorio shine with powerful waterfalls and swollen rivers.
- Chirripó trails are greener and quieter than in peak season.
Caribbean Coast (Cahuita, Tortuguero)
- Warm, humid, and wet, but wildlife thrives. May–June is particularly good for nature photography and spotting frogs and turtles in Tortuguero.
Central Valley (San José, Turrialba)
- Hillsides are vivid green and farming communities lively with planting season. Great for cultural stops between adventures.
Why Travel in May–June?
- Greener landscapes: Costa Rica at its lushest.
- Better wildlife encounters: Frogs, snakes, insects and birds are more active.
- Lower crowds & costs: Shoulder season perks without the full force of rainy season.
- Great photography: Misty mountains, vibrant forests, full waterfalls.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Afternoon showers are almost guaranteed — we will help you carefully plan what to pack.
- Sunshine is often best in the mornings, so we suggest hikes and tours early.
- Some areas (like the Osa) get very wet — ideal if you want immersive rainforest, less so if you’re after dry beach time.
Ready to Go?
If you’re after quieter trails, greener views and a more intimate Costa Rica experience, May and June are a wonderful time to visit. The early rains make the country feel fresh and alive, while mornings stay clear enough for adventure.
We’ll help you piece together a trip that makes the most of this “in-between” season — from rainforest night walks to lazy mornings on quieter beaches.
Thomas Power
Co-founder & CEO of Pura Aventura
Thomas has run a café in northern Mexico, lived on a Honduran island, guided tour groups throughout Spain and worked for the UN in Santiago. But it was in the mid-nineties that the seeds for Pura Aventura were sown, through a chance meeting with fellow co-founders in Chile's Torres del Paine and his experiences hitchhiking up through Patagonia along the Carretera Austral. So beautiful were the landscapes through which he passed, and so warm was the hospitality he received, that he decided to start a tour operator primarily dedicated to sharing these special places, no matter how unknown they were at the time.
20 years on, and many more special places later, Pura Aventura is still dedicated to protecting and benefiting their destinations and partners overseas, enabling clients to experience both the ‘bumpy beauty’ and iconic highlights of Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
Pura Aventura has been recommended by The Independent, Wanderlust and Condé Nast for innovative sustainability initiatives, is trusted by BBC Radio 4, The Financial Times & CNN as a voice for certifiably responsible travel, and praised by Which? for commitment to fair and open customer service during the Covid-19 pandemic. Handpicked as the official European launch partner of Patagonia's Route of Parks, the world’s most ambitious conservation tourism project, in 2020 Pura Aventura became one of the first UK travel companies to achieve B Corp certification.