Central America - Costa Rica in October

My future wife and I plan to go to Costa Rica in October....

Questions:
*should we go? Rain is a concern.
*if we go, are there places that we should visit where we can miss the rain?...
*or should we not bother going to Costa Rica?

...Thanks for the Help.

-Brian:confused::)

Rain is an issue however our weather is in constant change, even during rainy season we have good days (no rain today in my area for example)

It rains a lot less in the Guanacaste peninsula so if you fly into LIR you can enjoy CR without (relatively) so much rain

What type of places were you thinking of visiting?

October is the rainiest month of the year in Costa Rica. There's still a lot you can do, and most tours go on rain or shine. But if you're the type for whom your vacation will be ruined by rain, you should pick another month, or pick another October destination.

Thanks for the insight...

We were hoping to go to the Guanecaste area, maybe the Westin Resort or the another all inclusive...

And then possibly hit the Caribbean coast....maybe Limon

is it worth paying for an all inclusive or is it better to pay as you go??

The Carribean is much much less developed than Guanacaste, in that area you dont have to worry, I dont think there are all inclusive at all :D

Honestly , I am not a fan of all inclusive. I want to go where I want and eat where I want.

Also, while it may look close in the map, driving that distance is absolutely crazy for a tourist, you would have to fly (involving a connection in San Jose)

I would say, pick an area and stick to it, in this case, Guanacaste has MANY nice places out of the beaten path (Rincon de la Vieja for example)

I always try to stir tourists to stay in Guanacaste. I am honestly doing you guys a favor ;)

Many go from San Jose to Arenal (volcano), then to Monteverde (rainforest), then to Miguel Antonio (beach, National Park), back to San Jose.

Many go from San Jose to Arenal (volcano), then to Monteverde (rainforest), then to Miguel Antonio (beach, National Park), back to San Jose.

Fair enough, that's a good route, however at that time of the year it would probably be a safer bet to do LIR>Arenal>Monteverde with beaches before/after , I am just saying , that sounds dryer to me ;)

Yes - Guanacaste is considerably dryer and hotter than other parts of CR (and you will notice this right away). All at enjoyable levels.

Had a great experience at the Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa, in Playa Flamingo (Guanacaste). It's not super expensive but has great high-end facilities, great beach, pools, sunsets, excellent service, and very relaxing (not over-crowded).

Costa Rica is a fabulous place to see. Now I am not a big fan of tours but I did the Caravan tour of CR last Dec and it was amazing. It was unusually rainy. I mean RAINY!!! Now we went in Dec because it was supposed to be the driest month. I am of the philosophy that the weather is the weather and we can not control it, so we make the best of whatever happens. We were really tested on this trip. I am really glad that we got such a thorough overview of this wonderful country. After the tour we went down to Manuel Antonio and stayed at Si Como No resort for 4 nights. What a way to unwind after the whirlwind tour of this peaceful country. It sounds like a honeymoon is what you are planning. If, indeed, Oct is the Rainiest month....I think I would wait to go in a drier month--January is a good choice. If you are determined then hit some beaches and some of the other recommendations that are listed. But check out Caravan--$999/ea, all transportation, meals, lodging for 9 days/nights. Can not beat the value. We are going to use Caravan to go to Guatamala next Jan. Remember, I am not a fan of tours. I like to plan my own trips.

I live in Costa Rica and I would not recommend traveling here from September through mid-November. It is far too rainy. You might get lucky and having a dry morning, but from Sept 1 to Nov 15th it could be all downpours all day, everyday. Visit in January, right after the new year. Everything will still be green.

My wife and I spent a week at the Hilton in Guancaste before it became all-inclusive and had a great time. We visited in September 2009 and it was dry the entire time for us.

I'd go back again if the opportunity arises.

Yes, it's rainy in Costa Rica in October but go anyway. Guanacaste is great and fly into Liberia LIR if you can - then the beaches are only 20 minutes away. I like Playa Hermosa and Playas del Coco. There are some great restaurants, so I wouldn't go with an all-inclusive.

http://www.climate-charts.com/Charts/C/CS78760.png
Puntarenas yearly precipitation chart

October is peak rainfall in many parts of Costa Rica; a handy source is the World Climate Charts website here (http://www.climate-charts.com/); also be aware rains may be influenced by El Niño / La Niña issues, and Guanacaste climate is significantly different than much of Costa Rica - significantly less rainfall there, which is why it is scrub forest rather than rain forest. "Significantly less rainfall" still means 112 inches of rain in October... Also check www.guanacastecostarica.com and other sites to be sure you want to go. (Monteverde can be not accessible at all in heavy rains.)

I've escorted tours to Costa Rica and spend a lot of solo time as well - frankly, I would not recommend October at all.

The way the OP has phrased his request for info ("Rain is a concern") makes me say that definitely he should not come to Costa Rica in October. It sounds as if too much rain will be an issue. That will almost be a certainty in October. This is shaping up to be a wetter than normal rainy season, and October is always the wettest month here. Yes, Guanacaste is drier, emphasis on comparatively so, but it still gets a lot of rain in October.

JDiver, nice to see you here from the AA forum. :)