Author:  Zoe Henkes

Location:  San Jose, Costa Rica

One thing that anyone should absolutely know about traveling to Costa Rica anytime from about May to November, is that it rains.  It rains a lot. It’s different from the climate in Valpo where winter weather generally lasts from November to March and summer weather from May to September, Costa Rican summer (AKA the dry season) generally lasts from November to April and winter (the rainy season), from May to October.  I’ve been wanting to write about this for a while since it is such a large part of life in Costa Rica, but I thought now would be the most appropriate time since we are finally at the tail end of the rainy season (fingers crossed).

That being said, it’s important to note that during this season, it rains every day.  That is no exaggeration.  It also rains a lot—like cats and dogs, except that if you try and directly translate that into Spanish, you will get some weird looks because that isn’t a real phrase here.  Additionally, the rain generally falls during the afternoon, but it can rain in the morning or nighttime, as well.  One of the nice things, however, is that if it rains in the morning, it usually doesn’t rain again that same day.

With all of that in mind, an umbrella and rain jacket should be at the top of your list of packing essentials for traveling to Costa Rica during this season.  Some packing lists might lump these together as an “either/or” suggestion, more or less, but in my opinion, they are both necessary.  Especially as a student, you’ll be walking to and from different places with a backpack a lot, so you’ll likely appreciate both in preventing all of your schoolwork from getting soaked.

Furthermore, if you like to wear rainboots, those might also be helpful.  Although I brought them, I don’t like wearing them on a daily basis, but they also could help you avoid coming home each day with wet shoes and feet.  Another thing to pay attention to when picking out rainboots to bring is how heavy they are for two reasons: 1) packing, since you are only allowed to bring so much on the airplane and 2) the heat, because it could be just as bad to walk around with boots that make your feet sweat profusely as it is walking around with wet feet from the rain.

Lastly, this is not to deter you from coming to Costa Rica during the rainy season at all—Costa Rica is a beautiful country, rain or shine!  In fact, I find that the rain can be quite soothing and exhilarating at the same time.  It also helps to keep the temperature reasonable (usually around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day), because the cloud cover provides a little barrier from the harsh sunrays.  Overall, hopefully after reading this post, you know a little more about Costa Rican climate, and will be even more prepared than I was, if you are planning on traveling here!