Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio in December
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Warm, humid and some showers.
🎒 Pack: compact umbrella or rain jacket · quick-dry fabrics
Why December scores 8.4What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.3
- ✓Warm (29.5°C highs / 25.6°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 23.1°C)
- !Wet: ~126 mm rain, ~3 heavy-rain days
- Air quality10.0
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~3 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Feb | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.4 Very good | 8.9 Excellent |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 30° / 26° | 31° / 26° |
| Rain | 126 mm | 25 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 23° | dew pt 21° |
| PM2.5 | 3 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore Manuel AntonioEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyA small national park on Costa Rica's Pacific coast near Quepos, visited for rainforest trails that lead to beaches and wildlife such as sloths and monkeys.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Costa Rica Independence DayEvery year15 September every year
Children carry homemade lanterns on the evening of 14 September and school bands parade on the 15th.
Why go: It is a public holiday and the area is busy with domestic visitors.
Where: Quepos and nationwide
Manuel Antonio National Parkgreat in Dec
Rainforest trails leading to white-sand beaches and rocky headlands.
💡 Use a certified guide to spot wildlife; visitor numbers are capped, so arrive early.
Playa Manuel Antonio
A sheltered, calm beach inside the park.
💡 Keep food in closed bags; monkeys and raccoons raid unattended belongings.
Playa Espadilla
A public beach just outside the park.
💡 Rip currents can be strong; swim where locals advise.
Punta Catedral
A forested headland within the park with a loop trail and sea views.
Sloth and monkey spotting
The area is home to sloths, white-faced capuchins and squirrel monkeys.
💡 Never feed the animals.
Mangrove kayaking
Guided kayak tours through the Isla Damas mangroves near Quepos.
Casado
A plate of rice, beans, salad, plantain and meat or fish.
💡 Sodas (local eateries)
Gallo pinto
Rice and beans fried together, the traditional breakfast.
💡 Sodas and hotels
Ceviche
Raw fish cured in lime juice with onion, coriander and pepper.
💡 Seafood restaurants in Quepos
Fresh Pacific fish
Fish such as mahi-mahi (dorado) from Quepos's fishing fleet.
💡 Restaurants in Quepos
Costa Rican coffee
Arabica coffee from the central highlands.
💡 Souvenir shops and supermarkets
Salsa Lizano
A tangy brown sauce used on almost everything in Costa Rica.
💡 Supermarkets
Wood crafts
Carved bowls and figures in tropical hardwoods.
💡 Souvenir shops in Quepos and Manuel Antonio