Nicoya weather by month & the best time to visit
Costa Rica · beach resort · tropical — wet & dry seasons climate
The best time to visit Nicoya is January — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 93/100), with December and February close behind. Nicoya averages about 2,604 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 32°C / 90°F and roughly 7 mm of rain in January.
When is the best time to visit Nicoya?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Nicoya is January, then December and February. The dullest month is May (67/100, 220 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Nicoya?
Nicoya gets a lot of sun: around 2,604 hours a year. January (93/100) is noticeably better than May (67). Nicoya is the sunniest of the 8 destinations tracked in Costa Rica. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around September, carries about 50% of the annual 1,725 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 93 | 32° / 90°F | 24° / 75°F | 7 mm | 11 | 30° / 86°F |
| February | 84 | 33° / 91°F | 25° / 77°F | 4 mm | 12 | 30° / 86°F |
| March | 75 | 34° / 93°F | 25° / 77°F | 5 mm | 13 | 31° / 88°F |
| April | 70 | 34° / 93°F | 26° / 79°F | 38 mm | 12 | 30° / 86°F |
| May | 67 | 31° / 88°F | 26° / 79°F | 220 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| June | 67 | 29° / 84°F | 26° / 79°F | 227 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| July | 67 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 182 mm | 9 | 29° / 84°F |
| August | 67 | 30° / 86°F | 26° / 79°F | 227 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| September | 67 | 29° / 84°F | 26° / 79°F | 303 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| October | 67 | 28° / 82°F | 25° / 77°F | 337 mm | 9 | 29° / 84°F |
| November | 67 | 29° / 84°F | 25° / 77°F | 151 mm | 9 | 28° / 82°F |
| December | 90 | 30° / 86°F | 24° / 75°F | 24 mm | 10 | 28° / 82°F |
Sea temperature in Nicoya by month
The sea off Nicoya is warmest in March at around 31°C / 88°F, and coolest in November at 28°C / 82°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly all year round. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Nicoya: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Nicoya?
Nicoya is a beach resort in Costa Rica with a tropical — wet & dry seasons climate — the sea reaches 31°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Nicoya get a year?
Nicoya gets about 2,604 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around January.
When is the best time to visit Nicoya?
The sunniest time to visit Nicoya is January, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 93/100 (with December and February close behind). Expect daytime highs around 32°C / 90°F.
What is the least sunny month in Nicoya?
May is the least sunny month in Nicoya, scoring 67/100 with about 220 mm of rain.
Is Nicoya the sunniest place in Costa Rica?
Yes — with about 2,604 hours of sunshine a year, Nicoya has the most annual sunshine of the 8 Costa Rica destinations tracked by Sunshine Atlas.
What is the sea temperature in Nicoya?
The sea in Nicoya ranges from about 28°C (November) to 31°C (March). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Nicoya?
The typical midday UV index in Nicoya peaks around 13 (extreme) in March, easing to about 9 (very high) in July. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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