Quick answer: December is the first month of the dry season in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Expect sunny days of 31–33 °C (88–91 °F), nights around 22–24 °C (72–75 °F), one or two brief showers at most, breezy afternoons from the Papagayo winds and sunsets at about 5:25 pm. It is also the start of Costa Rica's high season: the busiest weeks are December 20 to January 5. Book flights, lodging and the one or two activities you care most about before you land.
This guide is written by the team at Skyline Canopy Tour, a zipline park 25 minutes from Tamarindo, inside the protected forest that shades the Nimboyores aquifer. We work every day of the holiday season, so what follows is what we actually see in December: the weather, the crowds, the forest and the best way to plan around all three.
Key takeaways
- Dry season (what Costa Ricans call verano) begins in mid-November. December is the first fully dry month on the Guanacaste coast.
- Typical December day in Tamarindo: high 32 °C, low 23 °C, 11.5 hours of daylight, sunset at 5:25 pm.
- High season runs from mid-December to April. Christmas and New Year's (December 20 to January 5) and Easter week are the two peaks.
- Costa Rican schools close from late December to early February, so local families travel to Guanacaste at the same time as international visitors.
- Morning and sunset are the best times to zipline in December: cooler, calmer and the best light.
- Book 1–2 weeks ahead for Christmas week. The Zipline at Sunset is the first departure to fill.
👉 See live December availability and book online — free cancellation up to 48 hours before your tour.
What is the weather like in Guanacaste in December?
Guanacaste is the driest, sunniest region of Costa Rica, and December is when that reputation kicks in. The rains of October and November stop almost on cue in the second half of November, the sky clears for weeks at a time and the humidity drops. The coast around Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal and Playa Grande gets about 11.5 hours of daylight, with the sun rising near 5:45 am and setting near 5:25 pm.
Here is what a typical dry-season month looks like on the Tamarindo coast (long-term averages, rounded):
| Month | Daytime high | Night low | Rainy days | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 32 °C / 90 °F | 23 °C / 73 °F | 1–2 | Sunny, breezy, forest still green |
| January | 32 °C / 90 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 0–1 | Driest and windiest weeks |
| February | 33 °C / 91 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 0–1 | Dry, trees start dropping leaves |
| March | 34 °C / 93 °F | 23 °C / 73 °F | 0–1 | Hottest month, yellow and pink blooms |
| April | 34 °C / 93 °F | 24 °C / 75 °F | 2–4 | Hot, first showers late in the month |
Two things surprise visitors. First, December is not the hottest month: March and April are. December and January are the most comfortable weeks of the whole dry season. Second, the ocean stays warm all winter, around 27–28 °C (81–82 °F), so swimming at 7 am on Christmas morning is completely normal here.
The forest is at its greenest in December, right after the rains end.
Does it rain in Guanacaste at Christmas?
Almost never. Tamarindo averages well under 10 mm of rain in the entire month of December, usually from one short shower in the first days of the month. The Guanacaste mountain range blocks the Caribbean weather, so even when the rest of Costa Rica is wet, the Pacific side of Guanacaste stays dry. If you are comparing destinations for a Christmas trip, this is the single biggest reason people choose the Gold Coast over the Caribbean or the central valley in December.
What about ziplining in rain? It is not a December problem. Our tours run in light rain the rest of the year, and if weather ever compromises safety we reschedule at no cost, but in 10 Decembers you would be lucky to see one wet afternoon.
What are the Papagayo winds?
The Papagayo winds are trade winds that funnel across northern Costa Rica from the Caribbean to the Pacific. They blow from December to March and are strongest from late December to February. On the coast they feel like a steady 20–30 km/h breeze with afternoon gusts, which is why Bahía Salinas and Playa Grande fill with kite and wind surfers in winter.
For a zipline the winds are a feature, not a problem. Under the canopy the breeze feels like natural air conditioning, mornings are the calmest part of the day, and our guides check conditions on every platform. The practical tip: if you want the stillest air and the most monkey sightings, book the first departure of the morning.
When is high season in Costa Rica, and what does it mean for your trip?
Costa Rica's high season runs from mid-December to the end of April, matching the dry season. Inside it there are two peaks:
- Christmas and New Year's: December 20 to January 5. Liberia airport (LIR) sees its busiest arrivals of the year, rental cars and beachfront hotels in Tamarindo sell out, and the best restaurants take reservations days ahead.
- Easter week (Semana Santa). The same pattern, concentrated into one week.
What makes Christmas different from a normal busy week is that Costa Ricans are on vacation too. Public schools close from the last week of December until early February, workers receive their aguinaldo (a mandatory year-end bonus) in December, and families from San José drive four hours to Guanacaste for the holidays. Expect full beaches, lively towns and tours that are booked by a mix of international and local families.
For planning, that means:
- Fly into Liberia (LIR), not San José, if you can. It is 1 hour 15 minutes from Tamarindo versus 4 to 5 hours.
- Reserve a rental car or a shuttle at the same time as your flight.
- Lock in your two or three must-do activities 1–2 weeks before Christmas week. The rest can be spontaneous.
- Plan beach days around the heat: beach early, activity mid-morning, pool or siesta at midday, sunset back at the beach.
Christmas week is family week: grandparents, parents and kids from age 2 fly together.
What is Christmas like in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica celebrates Christmas on the night of December 24 (Nochebuena) with a family dinner of tamales, pork leg, rompope (a local eggnog) and queque navideño. December 25 itself is quiet, and many businesses close early on the 24th and reopen on the 26th. In Guanacaste the holidays stretch into January with topes (horse parades), rodeo-style fiestas cívicas in towns like Santa Cruz, live marimba music and fireworks on the beach in Tamarindo on New Year's Eve.
For visitors, the practical version is simple: book your Christmas Eve dinner ahead, expect a slow Christmas morning, and use December 26 to 31 for activities, because that is when every family in the country is out doing the same thing.
What is the forest like in December?
Our ziplines cross a tropical dry forest, one of the rarest forest types in Central America. December is its best-looking month: the rains have just ended, so the canopy is still fully green and the creeks still run, but the sky above it is already blue. By February the big trees drop their leaves, which actually makes wildlife easier to spot, and in March the yellow cortez amarillo and pink roble de sabana trees bloom across Guanacaste.
What you can expect to see from the platforms in December:
- Howler monkeys, loudest at dawn and dusk
- White-throated magpie-jays, the blue-and-white bird that follows every tour
- Iguanas sunning on the big Guanacaste tree branches
- Motmots, trogons and parakeets moving through the canopy
- Occasionally white-faced capuchins and coatis on the forest floor
This forest exists because it protects the Nimboyores aquifer, the underground water that supplies the coast. You can read the whole story here.
The cables run through living forest: birds use them as perches between tours.
What is the best time of day to zipline in December?
| Departure | Temperature | Wind | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning (first departures) | 24–28 °C | Calmest | Monkeys and birds most active, coolest air, best for toddlers |
| Midday | 30–33 °C | Breezy | Fits between beach and lunch; bring water and a hat |
| Sunset | 26–29 °C | Moderate | Golden light, the forest changing shifts, sky over the Pacific |
In December the sun sets at about 5:25 pm, so the Zipline at Sunset starts in the late afternoon and finishes the last cables with headlamps as the sky goes orange over the Pacific. It runs once a day with small groups, which is why it is the first departure to sell out between Christmas and New Year's. If sunset is your priority, book it before anything else.
December sunsets: the clearest skies of the year, about 5:25 pm.
How far in advance should you book tours in high season?
Our honest rules of thumb, based on what our booking calendar looks like every year:
- December 20 to January 5: book 1–2 weeks ahead, and the sunset tour as early as you can. Family groups of 6 or more should book even earlier so everyone flies together.
- Rest of high season (January to April): 3–5 days ahead is usually enough, except Easter week.
- Hotel pickup from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Potrero or Conchal: add it when you book so our reservations team can confirm your pickup time.
- Plans change? Every booking has free rescheduling or cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour, so booking early costs you nothing.
We run tours throughout the holiday season, including Christmas week and New Year's. The live calendar on each tour page shows exactly which departures still have space.
What should you pack for Guanacaste in December?
- Light, breathable clothes, plus one light layer for the sunset breeze
- Closed-toe shoes or sport sandals with a heel strap (flip-flops do not fly)
- Sunscreen SPF 50, a hat and sunglasses: the December sun is strong even at 8 am
- A refillable water bottle
- Insect repellent, although the dry season has far fewer mosquitoes than the green season
- Swimwear and a change of clothes if you plan the beach after the forest
Our full checklist is in what to wear on a canopy tour.
A 4-day Christmas itinerary in Tamarindo
- Day 1: arrive at Liberia, drive to Tamarindo, sunset on Playa Tamarindo.
- Day 2: Zipline Family Tour in the morning, lunch in town, afternoon at Playa Conchal.
- Day 3: ATV or UTV adventure in the morning, Christmas Eve dinner booked for the evening.
- Day 4: slow Christmas morning at the beach, Zipline at Sunset to close the trip.
Looking for more ideas? See our local guide to things to do in Tamarindo.
The off-road trails are dusty and fast in the dry season, with creek crossings still running in December.
Frequently asked questions
Is December a good time to visit Guanacaste? Yes. December combines the start of the dry season (sunny, almost no rain, 32 °C days) with a forest that is still green from the rainy season. The only trade-off is high-season crowds and prices between December 20 and January 5.
How hot is Tamarindo in December? Daytime highs are around 32 °C (90 °F) and nights cool to about 23 °C (73 °F). It is warm but less hot than March and April, and the Papagayo breeze makes afternoons comfortable.
Is Christmas week crowded in Tamarindo? Yes, it is the busiest week of the year. International visitors and Costa Rican families on school vacation arrive at the same time. Book lodging, rental cars and your top activities 1–2 weeks ahead.
Are tours open on December 25 and January 1? We operate throughout the holiday season. Check the live calendar on the tour page for your exact date; departures with space show up there in real time.
Can the Papagayo winds cancel a zipline tour? It is very rare. The winds are strongest in the afternoon and in open areas; our cables run through a forested valley and guides monitor conditions on every platform. If conditions were ever unsafe, we would reschedule at no cost.
Is December good for seeing wildlife in Guanacaste? Yes. Howler monkeys, magpie-jays, iguanas and motmots are active year-round, and in December the forest is still green and the creeks still flow. From February on, falling leaves make animals even easier to spot.
What is the ocean temperature in December? About 27–28 °C (81–82 °F). Swimming is comfortable all winter.
Do I need a rain jacket in Guanacaste in December? No. A light layer for the breeze at sunset is more useful than a rain jacket.
Plan your Christmas visit
- Book online in minutes on the Zipline Family Tour or Zipline at Sunset page and pay securely with Visa, Mastercard, Amex or Discover.
- Free rescheduling or cancellation up to 48 hours before your tour.
- Questions first? Write to info@skylinecanopytour.com or WhatsApp +506 6012-1414. We answer in English and Spanish, every day of the holidays.
Clear skies, a green forest and a family that flies together. Reserve your December flight now.
Ready to live it, not just read it?
Ziplines, ATVs, sunset flights and family adventures in one protected forest. Spots sell out in high season.