Five Reasons To Spend Christmas in Costa Rica

In the second installment of our “Five Reasons to Visit Central America at Christmas” series, discover five reasons why Costa Rica offers a perfect blend of festive traditions and tropical adventure during the holiday season.

Costa Rica has long been Central America’s tourism powerhouse, and for good reason. After all, you can’t go wrong with tropical beaches, nature, and beautiful scenery can you? But during Christmas, this already magical country transforms into something even more special, combining Catholic traditions with hot sunny weather and that famous pura vida spirit. Here are five reasons to consider spending your holidays in Costa Rica.

1. Perfect Weather

December marks the start of Costa Rica’s dry season, bringing with it what locals call verano (summer). Think consistent sunshine, cooling breezes, and temperatures hovering around the mid-70s to mid-80s Fahrenheit. While your friends back home deal with snow and freezing temperatures, you’ll be enjoying warm, sunny days perfect for any outdoor activity. This timing is ideal because you’re getting Costa Rica at its absolute best, when the rainy season has just ended leaving everything lush and green, but the skies stay consistently clear and blue. Put it this way – Mother Nature just seems to cooperate during this special time of year.

In fact, this perfect weather window is one of the main reasons so many travelers choose Costa Rica for their holiday escape, meaning that advance booking for Christmas in Costa Rica is pretty much essential.

2. Festive Tico Traditions

Costa Rica doesn’t just celebrate Christmas – it throws a month-long party. The season kicks off with the spectacular Festival de la Luz in San José, where illuminated floats and marching bands parade through the capital’s streets. Then comes the famous Tope Nacional on December 26, where cowboys show off their horses in elaborate parades. Add in the Carnival Nacional on December 27, and you’ve got yourself a festival trifecta that few other countries can match.

The celebrations extend beyond just parades. Every town and village puts up elaborate nativity scenes called portales, and families go “portal hopping” to admire each other’s displays. It’s a time when the whole country seems to operate on holiday mode – helped by the fact that most Costa Ricans receive their aguinaldo (Christmas bonus) this time of year.

3. Costa Rican Holiday Cuisine

Like everywhere else in the region, Christmas in Costa Rica is tamale time! These special treats have a base of corn masa filled with rice, chicken or pork, and vegetables, all wrapped in banana leaves. Each region adds its own surprises – you might find garbanzo beans, capers, or olives inside. Making tamales is a major family event, with mom or grandma preparing the masa while children help in a production line.

The pierna de cerdo (pork roast) is another holiday star, marinated for days before being served on Christmas or New Year’s Eve with vegetables, white rice or potatoes, and sweet buns. Many families also host barbecues during the season, grilling meat over coals or open flames and serving it with tortillas and chimichurri – it’s not just a meal, it’s a festive event. If you’re at the beach over the Holidays, you’ll find plenty of people grilling between swimming, surfing, and sunning.

Finally, no Costa Rican Christmas is complete without rompope, a creamy cold drink made with rum, eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon – think of it as tropical eggnog. And don’t forget the New Year’s tradition of eating twelve grapes at midnight for good luck!

Adventure Opportunities

For those seeking adventure during the holiday season, Costa Rica offers a plethora of outdoor activities. No other country in Central America offers more than Costa Rica in this regard. The perfect timing means ideal conditions for surfing along the country’s famous beaches. Volcano visits become spectacular with clearer visibility, while jungle tours proceed without the usual weather interruptions. Nature adds its own special touches – it’s whale watching season along the coast, and you might catch sea turtles nesting on the beaches. This combination of relaxation and adventure makes for a memorable holiday experience.

Easy Access and Great Infrastructure

When traveling over the Holidays, the last thing anyone wants is difficult connections and few flights. Holiday travel should be as easy as possible. Luckily, getting to Costa Rica during the holidays is straightforward, with frequent flights from most major US, Canadian, and European cities. There are two distinct international airports to fly into and plenty of airline options. Costa Rica really is one of the most connected countries in the region.

And once here, you’ll find tourist infrastructure that’s well-developed and prepared for holiday visitors. The country offers accommodations for every budget and style, from luxury resorts to charming boutique hotels. This variety, combined with Costa Rica’s family-friendly atmosphere, makes it an ideal destination for all types of holiday travelers.

A Christmas in Costa Rica Caveat

That wraps up our five top reasons for coming to Costa Rica at Christmas. There’s no doubt this country offers everything you need for an unforgettable festive experience. But booking in advance is key. That’s the caveat. The other Central American countries get busy over the Holidays, but nothing on the scale of Costa Rica. So you might need to start thinking now about December 2026 in order to really make the most of things. That way, you’ll have something to look forward to for the next year!

James Dyde is the editor of centralamerica.com. He lives in Escazu, Costa Rica.