A region covering most of the Northern pacific territory of Costa Rica, Gunanacaste is a popular destination for visitors due to its abundance of choice hotels and resorts, great climate and family friendly attractions and activities. Though some of the resorts and hotels here are more on the expensive side compared to the majority of Central America, they are still considerably cheaper than their equivalents in the United States and Europe.
Home to some pretty impressive beaches, you’ll find lots of different ones to choose from, however the most popular seem to be in Tamarindo and Smara. If you’re traveling with a family in tow, you’ll want to head over to Carrillo. In addition to beautiful beaches, visitors will also find volcanoes to explore, cloud forests, jungles, rivers and waterfalls, making it so that there is something for everyone.
| Population | 354,154 |
| Timezone | UTC-6 |
| Currency | Costa Rica colon |
| Airports | Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) |
Through there are several touristy places to eat and drink in the area, prices are pretty low here. If you speak the local language, Spanish, and venture over to more of the local eateries, you’ll find even better prices.
| Budget breakfast | Most of the hotels include breakfast with their nightly rate. If yours doesn't, you'll find lots of great dining options around the region. | $2.60 - $5.20 |
| Budget lunch | If you're craving American food, you'll find staples all over the place. You'll also find some authentic local food as well, giving you plenty of options to choose from. | $4.83 - $7.43 |
| Budget dinner | If you love pizza, you're in luck as that seems to be the most popular food item for both locals and visitors to the area. Lots of resturants offer various pizza selections, meaning that you'll have the option to try something new. | $7.25 - $13.00 |
| Beer (.33l bottle) | In Costa Rica, dinner time means lots of drink options, including both local and imported beers. | $2.04 - $3.34 |
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 92 | 69 | .1 |
| February | 94 | 70 | .1 |
| March | 96 | 71 | 0.2 |
| April | 97 | 73 | 0.9 |
| May | 93 | 74 | 7.6 |
| June | 90 | 74 | 9.7 |
| July | 90 | 73 | 6.0 |
| August | 90 | 73 | 8.2 |
| September | 88 | 72 | 13.6 |
| October | 88 | 72 | 12.2 |
| November | 89 | 71 | 3.9 |
| December | 91 | 70 | 0.5 |
Located in the northern region of Costa Rica, you’ll be surprised to find out that the weather is a bit more agreeable than that of the central and southern regions. That’s because in Guanacaste you’ll find the weather promotes a drier and more arid climate, making it a bit easier to handle compared to the intense humidly of the south.
If you’re looking to experience as much lushness as possible, then you’ll want to travel here during the wet season, which runs from May through November. That’s because the rain brings the trees into bloom, creating quite a show. During the dry season you’ll find days full of sunshine.
| 21 Mar | 5:45am | 5:52pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:21am | 6:06pm |
| 21 Sep | 5:30am | 5:38pm |
| 21 Dec | 5:54am | 5:25pm |
Because of the strong change between seasons, you can easily predict what hotel prices will be. The high season here runs from December to April, with peak times surrounding major holidays like Christmas and New Years. If you are planning to visit during this time frame, you’ll want to go ahead and reserve your hotel room prior to your arrival in the country. This is because rooms fill up rather quickly during the high season, even though nightly rates are noticeably higher.
The off season, running from May through November, is when you’ll see a sharp decrease in hotel rates. This is because of the rainy weather. If you don’t mind some rain during your stay, then you’ll want to take advantage of the lower nightly rates available.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 40.00 - 60.00 |
| 45.00 - 91.00 |
| 132.00 - 199.00 |
| 199.00 - 199.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | - |