August is the best wildlife month in Costa Rica. The veranillo is over and the Pacific rains return at about 215 mm, but green turtle nesting peaks at Tortuguero, humpback whale season peaks on the Pacific, and the country holds its largest religious pilgrimage. If you came for nature rather than beach weather, this is the month.
The rain map
Peak turtle season
Green turtle nesting at Tortuguero reaches its peak in August and September. This is one of the largest green turtle rookeries in the western hemisphere, and on a good night in peak season the numbers are extraordinary.
- Tours are licensed, guided and tightly controlled – no white light or flash, limited group sizes, assigned beach sectors and fixed time slots. That is the reason the rookery still works.
- Book ahead in peak season; nightly places are capped.
- Tortuguero has no road access – boat or small plane only.
- Hatchlings from the earliest nests start emerging now too.
Peak whale season
Continue planning your Costa Rica trip
The southern-hemisphere humpbacks are at their peak numbers on the Pacific coast in August and September, with mothers and calves in the sheltered water around Marino Ballena National Park at Uvita and off the Osa peninsula. It is the strongest whale-watching window of the year.
La Roméria, 2 August
The largest religious event in Costa Rica and one of the largest pilgrimages in Central America. On 2 August – the feast of the Virgen de los Ángeles, the country’s patron saint – well over a million people walk to the basilica in Cartago, many of them the 22 km from San José, some on their knees for the final stretch.
In 2027 it falls on a Monday, and it is a national public holiday. Practically: the San José–Cartago road corridor is packed with walkers through the night of the 1st and into the 2nd, traffic is severely affected, and it is not a day to plan a drive east. It is a genuine and moving thing to witness – from the roadside, quietly.
Also in August
- Sunday 15 August – Mothers’ Day, a national public holiday in Costa Rica and a major family occasion. Restaurants are full.
- Surf continues strong on the Pacific.
- Rafting on the Pacuare at high flow.
- Northern-hemisphere holidays keep numbers up until the end of the month.
Prices and crowds
Still within the green season but lifted by northern summer holidays and the two August public holidays. Rates drop again sharply from September. See what a trip to Costa Rica costs.
What to pack
Rain jacket, quick-drying clothes, insect repellent, closed shoes with grip, a dry bag. For turtle tours: dark clothing, no camera flash, and a red-filtered torch if you have one.
The August 2027 calendar
- Monday 2 August – La Roméria to Cartago for the Virgen de los Ángeles; a national public holiday and over a million walkers. Avoid driving the San José–Cartago corridor.
- Through August – green turtle nesting peaks at Tortuguero; book licensed night tours ahead.
- Through August – humpback whale season peaks on the Pacific at Marino Ballena and off Osa.
- Sunday 15 August – Mothers’ Day, a national public holiday.
- Through August – the veranillo has ended; Pacific rains back to about 215 mm.
- End of August – northern-hemisphere holidays finish and rates begin to fall.
Read alongside
- Costa Rica in July – drier Pacific, wetter Caribbean.
- Costa Rica in September – the coasts swap and prices bottom out.
- Costa Rica in November – the Pacific dries again.
- Best time to visit Costa Rica – all twelve months compared.
- Costa Rica in 10 days – how the regions connect.
- Costa Rica travel guide – coasts, volcanoes and cloud forest.
- Trip to Costa Rica cost – green-season numbers.
Frequently asked
Is August a good time to visit Costa Rica?
For wildlife, it is the best month – peak green turtle nesting at Tortuguero and peak humpback whale season on the Pacific at the same time. For dry beach weather, it is not.
When is turtle nesting best at Tortuguero?
August and September, within a season running roughly July to October. Tours are licensed and guided with strict lighting and group rules, and nightly places are capped – book ahead.
When is the best whale watching in Costa Rica?
August and September, when the southern-hemisphere humpbacks peak around Marino Ballena at Uvita and off the Osa peninsula.
What is La Romería?
The pilgrimage to Cartago on 2 August for the Virgen de los Ángeles, Costa Rica’s patron saint. Over a million people walk, many the 22 km from San José. It is a national public holiday and the road corridor is impassable by car.
Is 15 August a holiday in Costa Rica?
Yes – Mothers’ Day is a national public holiday and a major family occasion, so restaurants book up.
Is the veranillo over by August?
Yes. Pacific rainfall returns to about 215 mm, up from roughly 140 mm in July.
Can you reach Tortuguero by road?
No. It is accessible only by boat or small plane, which is part of why the rookery remains in good condition.
Is August expensive?
Lifted above green-season lows by northern summer holidays and the two public holidays, but still below the December-to-April peak. Rates fall again from September.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
