Costa Rica: A Country with Only Two Seasons

Map of Costa Rica

Sushma Malhotra

I always liked to travel to new places so that I could perceive and learn something about them. When I learned about a tour to Costa Rica I immediately decided to join the group. On May 03, 2025, I traveled to Costa Rica, a country in Central America. Most of the countries in the world have four seasons: spring, summer, autumn (fall), and winter, which are caused by the Earth's tilt and its orbit around the sun. These seasons create specific climate conditions, impact the weather patterns, animal behavior, plant growth, and human activities.  However, Costa Rica has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons only: a dry season (December to April) and a rainy season (May to November). Costa Rica is in close proximity to the equator as it is 10 degrees North of the equator. Both Pacific and Atlantic oceans contribute to the climate of the country. Costa Rica’s temperatures are generally warm throughout the year, averaging between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus in simple words, Costa Rica has only two seasons; Dry Season and Rainy Season.

From December to April is the driest time of the year, with the least amount of rainfall. From May to November the rainiest time of the year with frequent rainfall, especially in the afternoon and evening. The dry season is ideal for beach vacations and outdoor activities, while the green season is good for hiking and wildlife viewing. It is during the rainy season when the landscape is lush and green, and many wildlife activities are abundant. When we went it was very humid as the humidity is a natural part of the tropical climate. From lush rainforests to pristine beaches, Costa Rica promises an unparalleled experience for visitors. Going on a trip to the tropical paradise can be overwhelming and thrilling due to its diversity and breadth of attractions. Costa Rica, known for its biodiversity and commitment to conservation, plays a substantial role in the global travel sector. Knowing all this I was looking forward to a real adventure in the Rain Forests of Costa Rica.

My husband and I boarded a non-stop flight from Newark, New Jersey to San Jose Costa Rica. Around noon we landed at the San Jose, Costa Rica international airport. The tour director received us at the airport and escorted us to the tour bus to get to the city Monteverde. We along with other tourists boarded the bus and sat down comfortably. After about a four hour bus ride we arrived at the Hotel Poco a Poco. Hotel Poco a Poco is a boutique hotel in the heart of Santa Elena, offering comfortable accommodation just minutes from the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This accommodation was very family-friendly and located with easy access to the activities in nature. Located within proximity to cloud forest attractions the hotel provided an ideal base for exploring Monteverde's natural wonders.

Nuboso Trail

  The next morning we went to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve with biodiversity across distinct ecological life zones. This four-hour Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour was a guided nature hike. The Monteverde Cloud Forest was inhabited by a vast array of mammals, birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, insects, arachnids, mosses, epiphytes, lianas, and trees.

We had a naturalist guide, who pointed out animals and plants while providing commentary about Monteverde's natural world. While wildlife sightings could not be guaranteed, we observed the beautiful cloud forest and a scenic journey to the Nuboso trail.

After the hike we came back and relaxed at the resort and had a delicious dinner around the fire in the open.

Lizards, iguanas, snakes, toucans, and parrots

The next morning our adventure began with a 39-kilometer drive through cloud forest to Río Chiquito. For that we boarded a comfortable pontoon boat for a 40-minute cruise across Lake Arenal, Costa Rica's largest lake. On the way we watched the migratory birds and possible wildlife sightings along the shoreline. During our 2.5-hour guided walk, we looked for wildlife including howler monkeys, poison dart frogs, red frogs, snakes, toucans, and parrots. 

When tourists think of Costa Rica, one of the first places that comes to mind is Arenal Volcano. Arenal volcano is located in the country’s northern region, this majestic volcano is an active stratovolcano. Although it has erupted and has calmed down in recent years, Arenal still remains one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. We got a spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano also.

Arenal Volcano

The boat took us near the Arenal volcano and we took multiple photos. After disembarking the boat we continued by minibus for our journey to the Arenal area hotel, enjoying spectacular views of Arenal Volcano along the way.

Arenal Manoa resort offered us spacious rooms and suites with panoramic volcano views, that were set within well-manicured tropical gardens. In this resort there were hot spring pools, jacuzzis, and a swim-up bar, plus an on-site farm that we could tour. After settling in our individual rooms we all looked for a hot spring pool and spent almost two hours in the pool and felt relaxed. Hot springs were perfect for relaxation. Later we all had a nice dinner at a restaurant within the premises of the hotel. 

Panoramic Volcano view from Arenal Manoa Resort

It was amazing to see that the location provided easy access to attractions of a peaceful atmosphere surrounded by gardens and trees in the rainforest with a view to Arenal volcano..

Next morning we went for a combination of a rainforest exploration and waterfall adventure. Our experience began with a 30-minute drive to the hanging bridges, set within a 620-acre reserve of primary forest. Here, we embarked on a 2-mile trail featuring 16 state-of-the-art hanging bridges that introduced us to the forest's rich biodiversity as we looped through the mountainous area. Then we crossed over six suspended bridges through the deep forests. 

 

After crossing over all the bridges we continued to the stunning La Fortuna Waterfall, which drops 210 feet into a natural swimming pool. We could hike down to the base of the waterfall and take a refreshing swim in the pool below, making it a perfect spot for a relaxing break. However, to get to the waterfall we had to walk down more than 500 steps and to take the same number of steps to come back up. We arrived at the bottom of the waterfall and enjoyed the freshwater waterfall. We found the La Fortuna Waterfall, one of Costa Rica's most beautiful natural wonders. The waterfall is about 70 meters tall and is surrounded by lush jungle, creating a stunning sight. 

La Fortuna Waterfall

 After climbing 500 steps, we walked in the surrounding rainforest before having drinks and snacks while enjoying the waterfall’s experience. We returned to the resort and decided to relax by sitting in the hot water geyser. In the evening we walked around in the natural environment of the tropical forest and gardens.

 After staying two full days at Manoa Resorts we moved to Manuel Antonio and stayed at Si Como No Resort & Spa. The hotel is located at the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The view was awe inspiring . We arrived here in pouring rain. After the bus ride we wanted to rest in our own rooms and have dinner as well. Surprisingly we learned about Indian Restaurants, Namaste India and Hola India in the neighborhood. We ordered dinner from Hola India and got it delivered to our room. Getting Indian food in Costa Rica was satisfying and heartfilling. We honestly enjoyed the freshly cooked Dal Tadka and Gobhi along with Nan and rice.

Suspended bridge, beach, biodiversity and open spaces

Next morning while walking down from the room to the hotel restaurant for breakfast we saw iguanas crossing the sidewalks. Then we noticed a mango tree just outside our room. The hotel employees collected the mangoes and offered us to enjoy the taste of mangoes straight from the tree. It reminded us of India where we used to eat mangoes picked directly from the trees.

After eating breakfast we went for another hike and explored Manuel Antonio National Park, the smallest national park in Costa Rica. This park is listed by Forbes as one of the world's 12 most beautiful national parks. This unique destination combines natural rainforest with beautiful beaches. This was an informative hike through the park, helping us to spot wildlife including three of Costa Rica's four monkey species (White-faced Capuchin, red-backed squirrel, and howler monkeys), sloths, coatis, agoutis, colorful land crabs, and numerous bird species. We learned about the area's history, flora, and fauna while enjoying the stunning natural surroundings. Costa Rica is also very famous for its banana plantations and coffee. Therefore, I did not forget to buy some Costa Rican coffee and chocolate to bring to the United States.

Sushma Malhotra

On the last day of our tour we stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites located near the San José CR International Airport, offering convenient accommodation for our last night in the country. We stayed there for one night and the next morning we took our flight back to the United States. 

Before concluding my travelogue, I would like to include that the Costa Rican people affectionately refer to themselves as Ticos. This term is rooted in how they play with the Spanish language and can also carry an affectionate or ‘cute’ meaning. Pura vida" is a Costa Rican phrase that translates to "pure life" or "simple life" in English. This wonderful quality lays at the root of their peaceful and kind nature. The locals go out of their way to propagate their environmental ethos by helping visitors appreciate the natural beauty of their land and wildlife. During this trip I was astonished to learn that Costa Rica does not have an army. After a brief civil war in 1949 Costa Rica was constitutionally prohibited from maintaining a standing military. However they do have a Public Force, which is a paramilitary police force responsible for maintaining internal security and border control.

This was my first tour ever in the tropical forests where I hiked through the rain forests, suspended bridges, beaches on the Pacific and experienced the humid climate. This trip fulfilled 

my desire of walking in a Tropical Rain Forest surrounded by a varied form of biodiversity and a firsthand experience of a country with two seasons only.

Reference: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Costa_Rica#/media/File:Costa_Rica_map.png

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Setu, August 2025