July is the strangest month in the Costa Rican year and the chart shows why: the Pacific is drier than June at about 140 mm thanks to the veranillo, while the Caribbean has its wettest month of the year at 400 mm. Whale season is running, turtle nesting starts at Tortuguero, and the country has a small high season inside its rainy one.
The rain map
Read that chart carefully. Guanacaste at 140 mm is having a break; Puerto Viejo at 400 mm is having its worst month. A July trip that plans both coasts equally will go badly. July is a Pacific month.
The veranillo
The “little summer” – a two-week-ish break in the Pacific rains that usually lands somewhere between late June and late July. Skies clear, afternoons stay dry more often, and the Pacific behaves like a dry-season month without losing the green.
It is variable. Some years it is pronounced, some years it barely registers, and it cannot be booked with confidence – but it is why July shows up as a dip in the rainfall curve and why Costa Rican school holidays fall in early July.
Turtles at Tortuguero
Continue planning your Costa Rica trip
Green turtle nesting season runs roughly July to October on the Caribbean coast, and Tortuguero is one of the most important green turtle rookeries in the western hemisphere. Thousands of females come ashore across the season, peaking in August and September.
- Night tours are licensed and guided, with strict rules – no white light, no flash photography, limited group sizes and set beach sectors. Book through the park or an authorised operator.
- Tortuguero is reachable only by boat or small plane, which keeps numbers down.
- It is also the Caribbean’s wettest month, so expect rain and pack for it.
Whales
The southern-hemisphere humpbacks are now reliably present on the Pacific coast, having migrated up from Antarctic waters. Marino Ballena National Park at Uvita is the main base, with mothers and calves in the sheltered water. The season runs to about November and peaks in August and September.
Guanacaste Day, 25 July
A national public holiday marking the 1824 annexation of the Nicoya province – when Guanacaste voted to join Costa Rica rather than Nicaragua. In 2027 it falls on a Sunday. Expect parades, folk dancing and bullfighting-style corridas (Costa Rican corridas do not kill the bull) in Liberia and Santa Cruz.
Prices and crowds
A small high season inside the green one. Costa Rican school holidays in early July and northern-hemisphere summer holidays push rates up from green-season lows, particularly on the Pacific. It is still below December-to-April pricing. See what a trip to Costa Rica costs.
What to pack
Light rain jacket, quick-drying clothes, insect repellent, closed shoes with grip and a dry bag. Dark clothing and a red-filtered torch if you are doing a turtle tour – guides will tell you, but coming prepared helps.
The July 2027 calendar
- Through July – the veranillo often breaks the Pacific rains; Guanacaste drier than June at about 140 mm.
- Through July – the Caribbean’s wettest month, about 400 mm.
- From July – green turtle nesting begins at Tortuguero, running to October and peaking August to September.
- Through July – humpback whale season on the Pacific; Marino Ballena at Uvita.
- Early July – Costa Rican school holidays; domestic travel bump.
- Sunday 25 July – Guanacaste Day, a national public holiday; parades in Liberia and Santa Cruz.
Read alongside
- Costa Rica in June – wetter Pacific, quieter country.
- Costa Rica in August – peak turtle and whale season.
- Costa Rica in September – the coasts swap over.
- 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 July a good month in Costa Rica?
On the Pacific, yes – the veranillo often makes it drier than June. On the Caribbean it is the wettest month of the year. Plan a Pacific trip in July, not a two-coast one.
Why is July drier than June on the Pacific?
The veranillo, a two-week break in the rains that usually falls between late June and late July. It is variable year to year but consistent enough to show in the long-term averages.
When do turtles nest at Tortuguero?
Green turtles nest roughly July to October, peaking in August and September. Tours are licensed and guided with strict rules on lighting and group size, and Tortuguero is reachable only by boat or small plane.
Can you see whales in July?
Yes – the southern-hemisphere humpbacks are reliably present from about July to November, with Marino Ballena at Uvita the main base.
What is Guanacaste Day?
A national public holiday on 25 July marking the 1824 annexation of Nicoya, when the province chose Costa Rica over Nicaragua. It falls on a Sunday in 2027, with parades and folk events in Liberia and Santa Cruz.
Is July expensive in Costa Rica?
Higher than June because of Costa Rican and northern-hemisphere school holidays, but still below the December-to-April peak.
Should I visit the Caribbean coast in July?
Only if Tortuguero turtles are the reason. It is the Caribbean’s wettest month; September and October are its dry window.
Is the veranillo guaranteed?
No. It varies in timing and strength each year and cannot be booked with confidence – treat it as a likelihood rather than a promise.
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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.
