The best time to visit Manuel Antonio depends, of course, on your tastes, wishes, and dreams. As much as your family’s. Read this article to find out the differences from month to month.
The best time to visit Manuel Antonio is all year round.
The only thing that changes from month to month in the rainforest is the blooming or fruiting of some species. The rainforest remains wonderful all year. Neither the temperature nor the humidity levels vary significantly.
Actually, though, the ideal time to travel to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, will depend on your vacation preferences. Naturally, when are you able to travel?
Travelers from the North typically choose to go elsewhere during the winter months, which roughly correspond with our sunny season.
We will try our best to provide you with an extensive tour that takes into account your preferences, goals, and optimal times and locations to visit.
Let’s first talk a little about seasons in Manuel Antonio:
The selection of the best time to come to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, has a lot to do with the weather if you can travel whenever you like.
Just like the rest of Costa Rica, we have two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. Neither the temperature nor the humidity levels change much because of this seasonality.
And rainy does not mean it rains all day long. Usually, it’s a couple of hours per day.
The weather in Manuel Antonio:
The weather in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, is one of the most important factors to consider when making travel plans.
The most important fact about the weather in Manuel Antonio is that the temperature is always warm and comfortable.
Put it this way, these are the average temperatures in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. (1)
March is the warmest month of the year.
Average maximum temperature of 89.6°
Average temperature of 78.8° F (26°C)
Average minimum temperature of 73.4° F (23°C),
January is the coolest month:
Average maximum temperature of 86° F (30°C),
Average temperature is 77°F (25°C).
The average minimum temperature is 69.8 (21°C).
Rainy season. May to November:
It is rather sunny during the day during the rainy months. There’s a chance of clouds in the afternoon, and overnight rain is typical.
This is the average monthly rainfall:
The driest month is February, with 136 mm | 5.4 inch of rain.
October is the month with most precipitation with an average of 970 mm | 38.2 inch.(2)
Sunny Season: Late November to May:
During the sunny season, it can also rain, particularly from December to February when there may be cold fronts that disrupt the overall pleasantness of the sunny weather. However, it is certainly an exception to the norm.
These are the averages sunny hours per month. If you take a look, you will see that throughout the year there are plenty hours of sun.
Weather by Month in Quepos:
Ocean water temperatures in Manuel Antonio and Quepos:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June | July | August | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Min. Water Temperature °C (°F) | 28.5 | 28.8 | 29.3 | 29.4 | 29.1 | 29 | 28.7 | 28.7 | 28.4 | 27.8 | 27.8 | 28 |
| 83.3 | 83.8 | 84.7 | 84.9 | 84.4 | 84.2 | 83.7 | 83.7 | 83.1 | 82 | 82 | 82.4 | |
| Avg. Water Temperature °C (°F) | 28.7 | 29.1 | 29.5 | 29.6 | 29.4 | 29 | 28.9 | 28.9 | 28.6 | 28.1 | 27.9 | 28.3 |
| 83.7 | 84.4 | 85.1 | 85.3 | 84.9 | 84.2 | 84 | 84 | 83.5 | 82.6 | 82.2 | 82.9 | |
| Max. Water temperature °C (°F) | 28.9 | 29.3 | 29.8 | 29.8 | 29.6 | 29.1 | 29 | 29.1 | 28.8 | 28.5 | 28.1 | 28.6 |
| 84 | 84.7 | 85.6 | 85.6 | 85.3 | 84.4 | 84.2 | 84.4 | 83.8 | 83.3 | 82.6 | 83.5 |
The average annual water temperature in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific is 28.80°C (83.84°F).
The month with the highest water temperature is March, with 29.80°C and 85.64°F.
The lowest water temperature of 27.80°C (82.04°F) will be reached in October.
Travel Seasons in Manuel Antonio:
- Lowest season in Costa Rica
The months with the lowest number of tourists are: May, September and October.
May is a transition month, and it may be the best time to come to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. There are plenty of hours of sun, and ran, if any are quick showers.
September and October are sunny season months for the Caribbean Coast.
- Shoulder Season in Costa Rica
The months with low numbers of tourists are: April, July, August and November. - High season in Costa Rica
The number of visitors to Quepos is high in: January, February and March. - Peak season in Costa Rica
There are two peak season dates in Costa Rica, both last a week. The last week of the year, and Easter week.
Figure: Visitor index for Quepos month by month
References:
Quepos climate: Average Temperature by month, Quepos water temperature. (2024). Climate-Data.org. https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/costa-rica/puntarenas/quepos-28571/
Des Clics Nomades. (2014). Best time to visit Quepos: Weather and Temperatures. 7 months to avoid! – Costa Rica. Where and When. https://www.whereandwhen.net/when/central-america/costa-rica/quepos/
weather-and-climate.com. (2024). Manuel Antonio Climate By Month | A Year-Round Guide. World Weather & Climate Information; weather-and-climate.com. https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,manuel-antonio,Costa-Rica
