Costa Rica in April: what to expect

April is the last full month of the dry season on the Pacific side, and the hottest. Guanacaste and the north Pacific — Liberia, Tamarindo, Nosara, Santa Teresa — run hot and brown, with little rain and strong sun. The central and south Pacific (Manuel Antonio, Uvita, the Osa) are still in their best window: clear mornings, warm water, occasional showers late in the month.

The Central Valley and the mountains are the comfortable option: San José, Poás and Irazú sit around 26–28 °C by day and drop to the mid-teens at night, with spring-like conditions. Monteverde is cooler, windy and often misty — a fleece earns its place. La Fortuna and Arenal can rain in any month, so plan volcano views for the morning.

The Caribbean is the exception. Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and Tortuguero follow a reverse pattern: April is one of their better months, but showers are still possible. If you are chasing guaranteed sun, stay on the Pacific.

April sits between the Christmas-to-Easter peak and the low green season. Crowds are medium overall, but they spike hard around Semana Santa, when Costa Ricans head to the beach and hotels fill. If Easter falls in April, expect the first week or two to feel like high season; if it falls in late March, April is noticeably calmer.

Prices follow the same curve. High-season rates usually hold until Easter, then ease. April is a good month for value on the Pacific: you get dry-season weather at shoulder-season prices after the holiday week. Book rental cars and popular beach hotels early regardless — April is still a busy month for international visitors.

Domestic travel is heavy during Semana Santa: buses are reduced, roads to the coast are slow, and some cantons limit alcohol sales on the Thursday and Friday. Plan transfers around it.

The big variable is Semana Santa, the Easter week that can fall in late March or April. Beaches fill, accommodation prices jump, and some businesses close or run reduced hours. It is a lively time to be in the country if you have booked ahead, and a frustrating one if you have not.

On 11 April, Juan Santamaría Day is a public holiday honouring the national hero of the 1856 campaign against William Walker. Banks and government offices close; most tourist services keep running. Beyond these, April is a quiet month for festivals — the Guanacaste rodeos and fiestas come later, in July.

Base your trip on the Pacific and the centre. Guanacaste gives you the driest, hottest beach weather of the year: Tamarindo, Nosara and Santa Teresa for surf and sun. The south Pacific — Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Dominical — is still in its best window, with wildlife and warm water before the rains arrive in May.

Inland, the Central Valley is comfortable and easy: San José for museums and markets, San Pedro de Montes de Oca for a student neighbourhood feel, and day trips to Poás and Irazú volcanoes. La Fortuna and Arenal work well in April, but treat the volcano as a morning target — cloud builds through the day.

Skip or shorten the Caribbean if sun is your priority; save Puerto Viejo and Tortuguero for September and October, when that coast is at its driest. A three-base trip — Arenal, then the Pacific, plus the Central Valley — fits April's weather well.

Pack for heat and sun on the coast and a cooler layer for the mountains. Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses are essential in Guanacaste, where the sun is strong and shade is scarce. Bring quick-dry clothing, swimwear and sandals for the beach, plus closed shoes for volcano trails and rainforest walks.

Add a light rain shell even in the dry season — Arenal and the Caribbean can produce an afternoon shower — and a fleece for Monteverde and the highlands, where nights are cool. A refillable water bottle, insect repellent and a basic first-aid kit cover most trips. If you are driving, download offline maps; coverage is patchy on remote roads.

March is hotter and drier but busier and more expensive, with Semana Santa a risk. May marks the start of the green season: sunny mornings, afternoon storms and much lower prices — good value if you do not mind the rain. February is peak dry season, clear and busy. Use the month comparison to weigh weather against cost before you book.