Welcome to Costa Rica
This guide covers everything you might need during your trip: weather, transportation tips, last-minute tours, safety basics, what to do if something goes wrong, and helpful apps to make travel easier.
Emergency Contacts
Police, Fire, Ambulance: Dial 9-1-1 | US Embassy Emergency Number: (506) 2519-2000 | Canadian Embassy: (506) 2242-4400 | UK Embassy: +506 2258-2025
Today’s Weather
Forecast
Whats On in December?
- Around mid-December, Costa Rica gets its famous Christmas Winds. These are strong, warm gusts that blow across much of the country.
- Costa Rica LOVES December. Even if you’re not here for Christmas Day, you’ll see Christmas lights & nativity scenes in towns, holiday parades, fireworks on Christmas Eve + New Year’s Eve.
- If you’ll be here on December 31, expect fireworks on nearly every beach, live music and dance parties in bigger towns, beach bonfires, special New Year’s menus at hotels and restaurants
- The week of December 24–January 2 is one of the busiest times of the year. Expect more traffic, longer drive times, full parking lots at beaches, national parks reaching capacity early
- Most tourist areas stay open, but small, local businesses may close on December 24 (Christmas Eve), December 25 (Christmas Day), January 1 (New Year’s Day).
Last-Minute Bookings
Still need to book something? Plans shift, weather changes, or maybe you suddenly realized you forgot to plan something.
Here are quick links to get everything sorted fast:
Book Last Minute Tours and Activities
Need Local Advice Right Now?
Join our Facebook Group. We post travel updates, road conditions, weather notes, and answer questions daily.
Current News in English
- Tico Times: Online newspaper that is great for staying up to date on happenings.
- CNE Costa Rica (National Emergency Commission)
- RSN (Red Sismológica Nacional) – Earthquake details & alerts
- U.S. Embassy Costa Rica – Safety updates for U.S. travelers
Can We Ask for Your Feedback?
If you’ve used our site or any of our tools such as our discounts, email list, Facebook group, or Ai planner, we would love your feedback! We are always trying to make our business as helpful as possible.