March is the hottest stretch of Jacó's dry season and the month of Semana Santa, when much of Costa Rica heads for the beach. The first half of the month is calm and steady; Holy Week, 21 to 28 March 2027, is the busiest and dearest week. Here is how to choose your dates and what to book.
What You Should Know
- March is still firmly dry season: Quepos records about 5 rain days and Puntarenas about 3, the sea reaches 29°C, and highs run near 32°C. It is the last full month before the first showers of April.
- Semana Santa falls on 21 to 28 March in 2027, with Holy Thursday (25 March) and Good Friday (26 March) as public holidays. It is the week Costa Ricans go to the beach, and Jacó, closest to San José, fills first.
- In our hotel sample, Saturday 20 March, the eve of Palm Sunday, was the dearest night at about $248, against about $162 on early-March weeknights, and fewer hotels had rooms to quote at all on the peak nights.
- The rest of March is easy. From 1 to 14 March weeknights held near $162 in our sample, and the weather is as dry as February. If the 2027 school year starts on a similar date to 2026 (23 February), early March falls in term time.
March in Jacó: The Honest Picture
⭐ Best March window: 1 to 14 March, midweek. In our hotel sample, weeknights cost about $162 and Saturdays about $180 in the first half of the month, before rates climb in the run-up to Holy Week. Easter Sunday (28 March) to 31 March is a second calm window, as holiday visitors head home.
| Factor | March Rating |
|---|---|
| Weather | 9/10: dry and sunny; the hottest weeks of the year |
| Crowds | 5/10 early March · 1/10 during Holy Week |
| Prices | 5/10 early March · 2/10 during Holy Week |
| Beach & Swimming | 7/10: warmest water; packed and riskier in Holy Week |
| Surf (Beginners) | 8/10: small morning waves; crowded line-up at Easter |
| Tortuga Island & Boat Trips | 8/10: calm seas; whales rarely reported now |
| Wildlife (Tárcoles & Forest) | 9/10: low river, many crocodiles and birds |
| Families | 8/10: easy weather; avoid Holy Week if you dislike crowds |
| Couples | 8/10: early March is calm, warm and steady |
💰 March hotel prices in our sample (Jacó, 3 to 4 star, room for two):
1 to 14 March: ~$162/weeknight, ~$180/Saturday · Saturday 20 March (Palm Sunday eve): ~$248 · Good Friday 26 March: ~$203 · Easter Sunday 28 March: ~$161
Median of 11 to 17 Jacó hotels that returned a March 2027 rate, checked 20 October 2026. Fewer hotels quoted on the peak nights, and the eight hotels that priced every date were 10 to 15% dearer during Holy Week than in early March. Treat the pattern as more reliable than the exact figures.
Planning Jacó for March 2027? March is two months in one. For most of it, Jacó is as dry and sunny as February, hotel rates are steady and the town is calm on weekdays. Then Semana Santa arrives: Holy Week, 21 to 28 March in 2027, is when Costa Ricans take their main beach holiday of the year, and the closest big beach to San José takes the full force of it. The weather numbers here are long-term normals from the nearest official stations; the prices and schedules are what we found for March 2027.
The biggest difference between the two halves of the month is people, not weather. Early March is one of the most relaxed times of the dry season. Holy Week brings full hotels, a packed beach, long lines of traffic from the Central Valley and, in 2027, two public holidays on Thursday and Friday. It is also lively and very Costa Rican, which some visitors enjoy.
We'd lean toward the first half of March for almost everyone, and we'd only book Holy Week if your dates are fixed or you actively want the holiday atmosphere. In that case, book lodging and tours early and plan your beach time for the mornings.
Who March suits best:
- Wildlife and birding: the late dry season is an excellent time for the Tárcoles River, with crocodiles basking on the banks and river birds in view.
- Heat lovers and swimmers: the sea is at its warmest, near 29°C, and rain is rare.
- Travelers with flexible dates: early March offers dry-season weather at the same flat rates as February.
- Quiet getaways during Holy Week: less ideal. Choose early March, or a different beach farther from San José.
Jacó Weather in March
| Metric | March |
|---|---|
| Avg High | 32°C (90°F) |
| Avg Low | 23°C (73°F) |
| Water Temp | 29°C (84°F) |
| Rain Days | ~3–5 |
| Humidity | Moderate |
| Wind | Low to moderate |
| Rain Level | Low (late dry season) |
Temperature and Humidity
March is the hottest stretch of the year around Jacó, with highs near 32°C (90°F) and warmer nights of about 23°C (73°F). As in other months, we read Jacó between the nearest long-term stations: Quepos to the south averages 32.4°C in March and Puntarenas, across the Gulf of Nicoya, 34.0°C. One March reviewer on the Tárcoles River described walking in 91°F heat. The UV index reaches 11. Sunrise moves earlier through the month, from 05:53 to 05:37, while sunset stays near 17:49.
Rain Pattern
Rain is still scarce. Quepos averages 40 mm over 5.4 rain days in March and Puntarenas 4.9 mm over 2.9 days, so expect a few showers at most, more likely late in the month. The real change comes in April, when Quepos jumps to about 157 mm and 12 rain days as the wet season approaches.
Sea and Outdoor Conditions
The Pacific warms to about 29°C (84°F), the warmest it gets. Morning surf is generally small and clean, though the beginner zone is crowded at Easter. Puntarenas averages about nine hours of sunshine a day in March, the sunniest month there. Trails in the hills stay dry and dusty, and after months without much rain the waterfalls carry less water than in the green season.
March in Jacó: Crowds and Prices Week by Week
March splits cleanly into a calm first half, a busy build-up and Holy Week itself.
- 1 to 14 March (settled dry season): in our sample, weeknights held near $162 and Saturdays near $180, the same as February. The calmest, best-value weeks of the month.
- 15 to 20 March (build-up): rates start climbing. Wednesday 17 March was about $207 in our sample and Saturday 20 March, the start of the holiday weekend, about $248, the dearest night we found after New Year.
- 21 to 28 March (Semana Santa): Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. Holy Thursday and Good Friday (25 and 26 March) are public holidays, and Good Friday was about $203 in our sample. Fewer hotels returned prices at all on the peak nights, a sign that rooms were already selling. In 2023, Costa Rica's hotel chamber reported Central Pacific hotels, which includes Jacó and Quepos, at 81% occupancy for Semana Santa, with 93% expected.
- 28 to 31 March (after Easter): Costa Rican visitors head home on Easter Sunday. In our sample, 28 March fell back to about $161 and 31 March to about $166.
Tour prices do not rise for Holy Week; availability does the work instead. In our check, the Tortuga Island catamaran already showed 18 and 22 March as unavailable, and the Jacó food walk showed 16 March as unavailable.
Late Dry Season on the Tárcoles River: Crocodiles, Birds and the Tide
March's signature draw near Jacó is the Tárcoles River, 20 km north, where the late dry season and the river's resident American crocodiles combine for some of the easiest wildlife viewing in Costa Rica.
Why March Works
Late in the dry season the river runs low, and March reviewers describe crocodiles basking on the banks and in the shallows, including some of the river's largest, alongside iguanas, basilisk lizards and howler monkeys. It is also one of the tour's busiest months: 42 of the 312 reviews of Jungle Crocodile Safari we read were posted in March, tied with April for the most of any month.
River Birds Up Close
The boats run through the mangroves at the river mouth beside Carara National Park. Guests describe spoonbills, herons and kingfishers, and the guides hand out a numbered bird chart; one spring group said they saw almost every species on it. Scarlet macaws are often seen around Carara and the river.
Mind the Tide and the Hour
One spring guest passed on that fewer crocodiles seem to show at high tide, so it is worth asking the operator which departure suits the tide on your date. The 08:30 boat is the coolest; one March guest reported that the 13:30 boat carried six people and the 15:30 about 25, so the time you choose matters for crowding too.
Choose an Operator That Does Not Feed the Crocodiles
Feeding or touching crocodiles is prohibited under Costa Rica's wildlife law, but some boats on the river still do it. Our Tárcoles River crocodile tour guide marks which tours feed them and which do not; our March pick below is one of those that do not.
And Whales?
Not really. Only 2 of 198 Costa Cat Tortuga Island reviews posted in March mention whales, against 11 in January. Book a boat in March for the island and the sea, not for whales.
Semana Santa in Jacó: When to Avoid It and How to Handle It
Holy Week is the one part of March that needs real planning.
What Holy Week Means in Jacó
In 2027, Semana Santa runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to Easter Sunday, 28 March. Holy Thursday (25 March) and Good Friday (26 March) are national public holidays, and Costa Rican schools normally break for the whole week. Jacó, a little under two hours from San José, is the default destination for families from the Central Valley, so the beach, restaurants and roads are at their busiest of the year.
Traffic
Expect heavy traffic toward the coast at the start of Holy Week and before the Thursday holiday, and back toward San José on Easter Sunday. The Tárcoles River bridge is a known bottleneck: even a March guest outside Holy Week described a huge delay there. If you are driving from the airport, travel early in the morning and avoid Easter Sunday afternoon.
Beach Safety
Holy Week is one of the riskiest times of the year on Costa Rica's beaches. Research from Costa Rica's National University found that most rip-current drownings happen at beaches close to San José on weekends and holidays, and in Holy Week 2021 alone the Red Cross reported about 5,500 preventive interventions on the country's beaches. Jacó has strong rip currents in every season. Swim near the municipal lifeguard towers, stay out of darker, foamy channels flowing out to sea, and if you are caught, swim parallel to the shore and raise an arm. The emergency number is 911.
If You Are Coming in Holy Week Anyway
Book lodging as early as possible, reserve tours before you arrive, and do the beach before about 10:00, when it is cooler and calmer. The quieter alternatives are the hills, where the ATV, zipline and horseback tours take you away from the sand, and Herradura Bay to the north for a gentler swim.
Where to Stay on a March Trip to Jacó
Book furthest ahead for Holy Week (21 to 28 March 2027), when Jacó fills with Costa Rican families and rates in our sample were the highest of the month. The first half of March is easier.
Most visitors stay in the center, near Avenida Pastor Díaz, within walking distance of the beach, restaurants and tour pickups. The south end of Jacó Beach is quieter, and Los Sueños on Playa Herradura, about 10 minutes north, is the resort-and-marina choice and the departure point for the Tortuga Island catamarans.
Compare Live Jacó Hotel Prices for March
Live rates from our hotel reservation system for a sample three-night stay in March for two adults, so you can see what a March trip costs before you pick tours.
Change the dates at checkout to match your own trip, and book with instant email confirmation.
- Priced for March
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- Free cancellation on selected rates
Croc's Resort & Casino
One of the largest resorts in Jacó, on the beach at the north end of town, with pools, four restaurants and a casino. Guests praise the clean, spacious rooms; food and casino drinks are pricey.
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort
The luxury option on Playa Herradura, about 10 minutes north of Jacó, beside the Los Sueños marina where the Tortuga Island catamarans leave. Beach, golf course, spa and kids' club; extras add up.
Club del Mar Oceanfront
Oceanfront rooms and apartments at the quiet south end of Jacó Beach, with a pool, restaurant and bar. Guests rate the location and staff highly; it is a short taxi ride to the center.
Best Western Jaco Beach All Inclusive Resort
Jacó's big beachfront all-inclusive in the center of town, with pools and children's activities. Guests like the staff and the kids' program; rooms are dated and the sea out front is rough.
Apartotel Girasol
Beachfront apartments with kitchens, a pool and a garden gate onto the sand, a short walk from the restaurants on the main strip. The highest guest score in this list.
Hotel Mar de Luz
A quiet garden hotel in the center, a few minutes' walk from the beach, with pools, a hot tub and rooms with kitchenettes. Guests praise the breakfast and staff; there is no restaurant or bar.
Indicative nightly rate for 3 nights, Mar 15 – 18, 2027, 2 adults. Live pricing at checkout.Room only. Local taxes and fees are added at checkout and can add roughly 20%.
Search all resorts & dates →Jungle Crocodile Safari: Tarcoles River Crocodile Tour
The outing we'd book first in March. The late dry season puts the Tárcoles crocodiles on the banks and the river birds in plain view, the tour is short enough to fit before the heat or before Holy Week traffic builds, and at $40 it is the best-value nature trip near Jacó. Guests single out this operator for not feeding the crocodiles, and it runs four times a day, every day, all month.
Book NowThe Best Things to Do in Jacó This March
Every tour we cover around Jacó runs in March. The one to check is the Playa Fantasia catamaran: it ran last dry season, but its 2027 dry-season dates were not yet bookable in October 2026. The table rates each activity for the month; during Holy Week, book everything ahead.
| Activity | March Rating | Best Time of Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tárcoles Crocodile Tour | 10/10 | 08:30 | Low river, many crocodiles and birds; from $40 |
| Tortuga Island Tour | 9/10 | Full day from 07:15 | Warmest water; Holy Week dates go early |
| Surf Lessons | 8/10 | Early morning | Small waves; crowded beginner zone at Easter |
| ATV Tour | 9/10 | 09:00 | Dry, dusty trails; escapes the Holy Week beach |
| Zipline | 8/10 | Morning | Clear views; two hours from $75 |
| Horseback Riding | 8/10 | 07:00 or 16:00 | Hot midday; ride at the cool ends of the day |
| Waterfall Hike | 7/10 | 08:00 | Less water late in the dry season; pools still swimmable |
| Food Tour | 8/10 | Late afternoon | Sunset stop near 17:49; book ahead for Holy Week |
| Boat Tours | 6/10 | Morning | Playa Fantasia dry-season dates not yet published; private boats run |
Best in March
The Tárcoles crocodile tour is the standout, because the low river suits it so well. We like this for families in particular: it is short, cheap and shaded enough for young children, and the March reviews include groups with children from three to ten. The Tortuga Island trip is the best day on the water while the sea is at its warmest.
Escaping the Holy Week Beach
If you are in Jacó during Semana Santa, the hills are your friend. The ATV ride, the zipline and the horseback ride take you away from the packed sand for a morning. The waterfall hike is still worth doing, but in our view it is less impressive now than in the green season, because the falls carry less water late in the dry season.
More March Activities Worth Knowing About
Most of these March-friendly experiences do not have their own guides on this site yet.
Carara National Park
Carara sits beside the Tárcoles River and is the area's best-known place for scarlet macaws. An early walk there combines naturally with the 08:30 crocodile boat on the same morning, before the March heat sets in. Our Carara National Park tour guide compares six guided walks, from $35.
Holy Week Processions
Semana Santa is a religious holiday first, and Catholic parishes across Costa Rica hold processions, especially on Good Friday. Ask at your hotel about times at the local church if you would like to see one.
Playa Hermosa
Five minutes south of Jacó, Playa Hermosa is a powerful beach break for experienced surfers only. It is worth a late-afternoon visit to watch the experienced surfers from the sand.
Herradura Bay
The bay beside the Los Sueños marina, about 20 minutes north, is more sheltered than open Jacó Beach, which makes it the better swimming spot for small children on a busy holiday weekend.
Our Take
Decide first whether you want Holy Week or want to avoid it, because in March that single choice moves the price of your room by around half and turns a calm beach town into Costa Rica's busiest; the weather is the same either way.
Tips for a March Trip to Jacó
- Pick early March if your dates are flexible: in our sample, 1 to 14 March cost about $162 a weeknight against about $248 on Saturday 20 March.
- Book Holy Week lodging and tours now: fewer hotels had rooms to quote on the peak nights, and the Tortuga Island catamaran already had unavailable dates in March.
- Avoid the roads at the holiday peaks: head to the coast early on Saturday 20 March and leave either before or well after Easter Sunday afternoon.
- Ask about the tide for the crocodile tour: one guest noted that fewer crocodiles seem to show at high tide. The 08:30 boat is also the coolest.
- Swim near a lifeguard tower, especially in Holy Week: busy holiday beaches near San José see the most rip-current emergencies.
- Plan the middle of the day indoors or in shade: March is the hottest stretch of the year and the UV index reaches 11.
- Visiting at a different time of year? Our Jacó in February guide covers the driest weeks of the year with steady prices and no holiday spike, and our Jacó in April guide covers the quiet weeks after Easter, the best month to learn to surf and the first rains.
- Not sure what to book? Our best things to do in Jacó guide ranks the top nine experiences year-round and covers the free ones, from the beach to the crocodile bridge.
- Where to stay. Our best hotels in Jacó guide ranks 12 hotels by guest score, from $66 a night in our sample.
How We Put This Guide Together
Jacó has no long-running official weather station of its own, so the weather figures are World Meteorological Organization normals for the two nearest stations, Quepos (1984 to 2003) and Puntarenas, with Jacó placed between them; sea temperature is a long-term average from published sea-temperature records, and sunrise and sunset are calculated for Jacó's coordinates. These are normals, not a forecast for March 2027. Hotel prices are the median nightly rate for a room for two at 3 to 4 star Jacó hotels that returned a price for each March 2027 date when we checked on 20 October 2026; only 11 to 17 hotels quoted, so treat them as a pattern. Tour prices, start times, cancellation terms and March availability were checked live on 20 October 2026. The crocodile, tide, traffic and whale notes come from reading every review of the featured Tárcoles tour and Costa Cat's Tortuga Island trip and sorting them by the month they were posted. Holy Week dates follow Easter Sunday on 28 March 2027; occupancy figures come from Costa Rica's hotel chamber (2023), and beach-safety facts from a National University study on rip currents and Red Cross reporting. Ratings in the tables are our editorial judgment of how March suits each activity, not guest scores.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jacó good in March?+
Yes, especially in the first half of the month. March is still dry season, with highs near 32°C (90°F), a sea near 29°C and only a few showers. The catch is Semana Santa, 21 to 28 March in 2027, when Jacó is at its busiest and most expensive; from 1 to 14 March, our hotel sample showed steady February-level rates.
What is the weather like in Jacó in March?+
Hot, sunny and mostly dry. Expect highs around 32°C (90°F), lows near 23°C (73°F) and about 3 to 5 rain days, judging by the nearest long-term stations at Quepos and Puntarenas. It is the hottest stretch of the year, and the UV index reaches 11.
When is Semana Santa in Jacó in 2027?+
Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to Easter Sunday, 28 March 2027. Holy Thursday (25 March) and Good Friday (26 March) are public holidays in Costa Rica. Expect full hotels, a crowded beach and heavy traffic from San José, especially on the Saturday before and on Easter Sunday.
Does it rain in Jacó in March?+
Not much. Quepos averages 40 mm over about 5 rain days in March and Puntarenas under 5 mm over about 3 days, with Jacó in between. Showers become more likely late in the month, and April brings the first real change toward the wet season.
Is March expensive in Jacó?+
Only around Holy Week. In our sample of Jacó hotels for March 2027, weeknights from 1 to 14 March cost about $162 and Saturdays about $180, but Saturday 20 March rose to about $248 and Good Friday to about $203. Rates fell back to about $161 on Easter Sunday.
What is the best week to visit Jacó in March?+
The first two weeks, 1 to 14 March, ideally midweek. The weather is as dry as February, rates are steady, and Costa Rican schools are likely to be back in session (the 2027 start date had not been announced as of October 2026). The days after Easter Sunday (28 to 31 March) are a good second choice.
What are the best things to do in Jacó in March?+
The Tárcoles River crocodile tour is at its best in the late dry season, and the Tortuga Island trip enjoys the warmest water of the year. ATV, zipline and horseback tours in the hills are a good escape from the Holy Week beach crowds. The Playa Fantasia catamarans ran last dry season, but their dry-season 2027 dates had not been published as of October 2026.
Is it safe to swim in Jacó during Semana Santa?+
It can be, with extra care. Holy Week is one of the riskiest times of the year on Costa Rican beaches, and Jacó has rip currents in every season. Swim near the municipal lifeguard towers, avoid dark, foamy channels flowing out to sea, and if you are caught, swim parallel to the shore and signal for help. The emergency number is 911.
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