I’ve Fallen in Love with Costa Rica’s Rainy Season
Why the green season may just be the best time of year.
There’s a moment that arrives most days now, typically in the early afternoon, when the sun vanishes, the wind stirs the treetops, and the sky darkens with the promise of rain. The air fills with a damp, earthy scent that I swear smells like the color green. Thunder rumbles in the distance. It's a daily, moody drama—and I love it.
This is invierno, the rainy season, or what expats affectionately call the green season in Costa Rica.
I wasn’t always so enamored with it. Before moving here, I’d read the usual warnings from travel blogs and guidebooks: it rains a lot, roads get muddy, you’ll miss the sunshine. But then I experienced it.
The first time it rained, it was like a movie. I sat on my front porch and watched as the clouds opened. The downpour was warm, wild, and brief—maybe an hour. Then, like a curtain being lifted, the sun returned. The trees glistened, the birds resumed their singing, and the air felt even more alive. The whole landscape sparkled with new color.
That’s how it usually is: sun in the morning, rain in the afternoon or evening. And in between, everything grows. Trees, shrubs, flowers—they burst into bloom. Waterfalls swell. Rivers rush. Butterflies and hummingbirds return in force.
And life, in general, slows down.
During the green season, Costa Rica feels like it belongs to its locals. Tourist crowds thin out. The beaches are quieter. Restaurants are easier to get into. You start to notice the same faces—at the mercado, in the café, on the hiking trail.
It’s when you really connect. With your neighbors. With the land. With yourself.
Of course, there are challenges. There are days when the rain doesn’t stop, and you need a good book and a sturdy roof. Potholes appear where there were none before. If you rely on solar, you’ll be extra careful with electricity. But honestly? It’s all manageable.
I used to live in Florida, where the rain could be sudden and violent—lightning cracking, roads flooding, traffic snarling. Here, the rain is more of a rhythm. Predictable. Soothing. It doesn’t feel like a disruption, it feels like a reset.
I’ve grown to look forward to it. I plan my days around it: early errands, mid-morning walks, a quiet hour with coffee just before the skies open. It's meditative. Comforting. It’s a season that asks you to go inward, to reflect, to rest.
And when the clouds lift? You get sunsets like nowhere else. Whole skies lit up in pink, orange, and gold.
Some expats leave for the green season. They fly north to avoid the rain. I used to think I would, too. Now I stay.
It’s not just about the rain. It’s about what the rain brings: peace, reflection, connection.
So no, it’s not always sunny here. But it is always beautiful.
— Bekah Bottone, IL Costa Rica Correspondent
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