December splits in two. The first three weeks give you dry season weather over a still-green landscape at reasonable rates. From around the 20th, Tamarindo becomes the most expensive place on this calendar. Here is how to use the first half.
What You Should Know
- December is when dry season properly returns. Northern Guanacaste is among the driest and sunniest parts of Costa Rica this month, with total rainfall typically under 25mm and daytime temperatures around 31 to 34°C.
- The forest is still green. Tropical dry forest lags the weather by months, so December gives you dry season skies over a landscape that has not yet browned off. That combination ends by February.
- Prices split the month in half. Early December sits close to November levels, then Christmas and New Year rates jump 50 to 80%, with mid-range rooms running $280 to $350. Some Tamarindo hotels sell out for that week as early as August.
- The Papagayo winds return in December and run through April. They build through the month rather than arriving at once, so early December is calm and late December starts showing the chop and cold upwelling that define January and February.
Tamarindo in December: Overview
⭐ Best December window: December 1 to 18. You get full dry season weather, a still-green landscape, calm water before the Papagayo winds build, and rates that have not yet made the holiday jump. In our view it is the best three weeks of the entire Tamarindo year, and it ends abruptly.
| Factor | December Rating |
|---|---|
| Weather | 10/10: dry, sunny and reliable all month |
| Crowds | 5/10: quiet to mid-month, then the year's busiest week |
| Prices | 4/10: reasonable early, the calendar's highest from the 20th |
| Beaches | 9/10: sunny and warm, calmest early in the month |
| Surf | 8/10: offshore winds returning and starting to groom the waves |
| Snorkeling | 7/10: good early, declining as the winds build |
| Wildlife | 8/10: forest still green, the last strong month until May |
| Waterfalls | 8/10: still running on green season rain |
| Families | 7/10: excellent conditions, at holiday prices if you travel late |
| Couples | 8/10: outstanding early December, crowded and pricey after |
💰 Average December hotel prices (Tamarindo town, mid-range):
December 1 to 18: ~$150–210/night · December 19 to 31: ~$280–350/night
Rough mid-range estimates; rates vary widely by property, location and booking lead time.
December is two months wearing one name. Through the first three weeks, Tamarindo delivers everything the dry season is sold on: total rainfall under 25mm, sunshine every day, warm calm water, and temperatures around 31 to 34°C. The landscape has not caught up yet, so the forest is still green from six months of rain, and rates have not caught up either.
Then Christmas arrives. From roughly the 20th, mid-range rooms jump 50 to 80% to around $280 to $350, the beaches fill, and restaurants need booking. Some Tamarindo hotels sell out for that week as early as August, which tells you how much of this is locked in long before anyone checks a forecast.
Our take: the first eighteen days of December are the best value the Tamarindo calendar offers, and the last eleven are the worst. Most people don't realize the dry season is fully established weeks before the price rise, which means the same weather costs half as much on the 15th as it does on the 22nd.
Tamarindo Weather in December
| Metric | December |
|---|---|
| Avg High | 32°C (90°F) |
| Avg Low | 22°C (72°F) |
| Water Temp | ~28°C (82°F), cooling late month |
| Rainfall | Under 25mm for the month |
| Humidity | Falling through the month |
| Wind | Light early, Papagayo building late |
| Rain Risk | Very low, dry season established |
Temperature and Humidity
Daytime temperatures run 31 to 34°C (88 to 93°F) with nights around 22°C (72°F), and humidity falls steadily as the dry season sets in. December is warmer than November by day but keeps November's comfortable nights, which is about as good as the combination gets here. The oppressive humidity of September and October is gone.
Rain Pattern
Effectively none. Northern Guanacaste is among the driest and sunniest parts of Costa Rica in December, with total monthly rainfall typically under 25mm. The green season is over, afternoon showers have stopped, and outdoor plans no longer need a contingency. The transition that began in late November is complete by the first week or two of December.
The Papagayo Winds Return
This is the one thing that changes within the month rather than staying steady. The Papagayo winds run from December through April, and December is where they restart. They build rather than arrive: early December is calm, and by the final week the chop and the first cold upwelling of the season start showing up offshore.
At their peak in January and February these winds are strong enough to reach gusts well beyond anything comfortable on open water, but December sees only the front edge of that. The practical effect is that early December has the calmest, warmest water you will get until May, and late December starts down the slope toward February's cold, choppy conditions. If a snorkeling or catamaran day matters to you, book it in the first half.
Crowds and Prices in Tamarindo in December
No month on this calendar has a sharper internal divide, and the line falls around the 19th or 20th.
December 1 to 18: the last of the value
Mid-range rooms sit around $150 to $210 a night, up from November but nothing like what follows. The town is quiet, tours book at a few days' notice, and restaurants take walk-ins. What you get for that money is full dry season weather with a green landscape, which is a combination the rest of the dry season cannot offer.
December 19 to 31: the Christmas peak
Rates jump 50 to 80% to roughly $280 to $350 for the same mid-range rooms. Tamarindo, Playa Conchal and the Papagayo Peninsula resorts fill completely for Christmas and New Year, and some popular mid-range hotels sell out for that week as early as August.
This is not a window you can work around on arrival. If your dates are fixed over Christmas, book accommodation months ahead, reserve restaurants, and book any tour with limited capacity well in advance. Our Tamarindo in January guide covers the tail of this same peak, which runs through about January 7.
The honest comparison
Against late November: December is drier and more reliable, the landscape is comparably green, and you pay somewhat more. For most people that is a fair trade.
Against January and February: early December has the same dry weather at lower prices, a green rather than browning landscape, and calmer, warmer water before the Papagayo winds establish. We'd give early December the edge over any month in the first quarter, and it is not close.
We'd only choose the Christmas window itself if the dates are fixed for you. The weather on December 15 and December 27 is effectively identical, and the price is not.
The Last Green Month: What December Has That February Does Not
December closes a window that does not reopen until May, and it is worth understanding what is about to disappear.
The landscape
Tropical dry forest drops its leaves through the dry season, but slowly. Six months of rain from May to October keep the forest in leaf well past the last shower, so December still looks green under dry season skies. By February the skies are identical and the forest is brown and bare. If you want photographs of a lush Guanacaste with reliable weather, December is the last month that combination exists.
Wildlife
Animal activity is still strong in December, and it declines sharply through January and February as the leaves drop and water sources shrink. We rated wildlife 3 to 5 out of 10 across the first quarter of the year for exactly that reason. December is the last month before that slide, which makes it a far better time for a sloth or forest tour than anything in the new year.
Rivers and waterfalls
Still carrying green season water, though declining. Waterfall trips and the river sections of adventure tours are noticeably better in December than they will be by March, when the same rivers are at their lowest.
Water conditions
Early December gives you the last of the calm, warm sea. Once the Papagayo winds establish in January the upwelling begins, and by early February sea temperature hits its annual minimum. For snorkeling and catamaran days, the first half of December is the closing of a window that ran from May.
Turtles
Leatherback nesting at Playa Grande, which opened in October, runs through April, so December sits comfortably inside the season. Demand is low in the first half of the month and high over the holidays. Our Tamarindo turtle tour guide covers the operators and the season.
Best Things to Do in Tamarindo in December
December rates well almost across the board, which is unusual on this calendar. Dry weather returns without the landscape having browned off yet, and the winds that undermine the water tours in January and February have only just begun.
| Activity | December Rating | Best Time of Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sloth and inland wildlife trips | 9/10 | Morning | The last strong wildlife month until May. Declines sharply through January and February. |
| Catamaran and snorkel days | 8/10 | Any, first half | Calmest warmest water until May, but book early in the month before the winds build. |
| Zipline and volcano combos | 9/10 | Morning | Rivers still carrying green season water, with fully reliable weather. |
| Waterfall trips | 8/10 | Any | Still running well, and noticeably better than they will be by March. |
| Beach days | 9/10 | Any | Sunny and warm. Calmest in the first half before the Papagayo establishes. |
| ATV and buggy tours | 9/10 | Morning | Firm tracks after the rains, green landscape, and none of the late dry-season dust yet. |
| Surf | 8/10 | Morning | Offshore winds returning and beginning to clean up the waves. |
| Turtle tours, Playa Grande | 8/10 | After dark | Season running. Quiet early in the month, busy over the holidays. Outside the comparison set. |
| Estuary boat safari | 8/10 | Early morning | Reliable, sheltered, and unaffected by the returning winds. |
| Rio Celeste day trip | 8/10 | Early start | Recovering strongly as upstream rain stops. Best from late December onward. |
Why the sloth and forest day is our December pick
We chose this same tour for May, and the two arguments are opposite ends of the same phenomenon. In May it won because the forest was coming back to life after four bare months. In December it wins because the forest is about to lose it again.
This is the last month with a green, dense, active forest under reliable dry-season weather. By February the same trip runs through a brown, leafless landscape with animals scarce and hard to find, which is why we rated wildlife 3 to 5 out of 10 across the first quarter. December is the closing of that window, and it does not reopen until May.
It is also entirely inland, which matters more as the month goes on. The Papagayo winds start building from late December, and anything on open water begins to feel them. A forest day does not.
The honest tradeoffs are unchanged from May: a long inland drive from the coast, and a private format at $145 sitting at the higher end of the tours here. Our Tamarindo sloth tour guide compares the wildlife options.
The rest of the shortlist
Book catamaran and snorkel days in the first half of the month, while the water is still calm and warm. The Guachipelin volcano combo keeps most of November's advantage, with rivers still carrying green season water. And Rio Celeste finally returns to form as the upstream rain stops, making late December the start of its best stretch of the year.
Other Things to Do in Tamarindo in December
Additions worth making to a December itinerary that have no dedicated guide:
- A Playa Grande leatherback tour. Season is running and the first half of December is still quiet, so groups stay small before the holiday demand arrives.
- Playa Conchal and Las Catalinas early in the month. The last calm, clear water before the Papagayo winds establish. After mid-January this is a different proposition entirely.
- Waterfalls before they drop. Llanos de Cortes and the regional falls are still carrying green season water and decline steadily from here to March.
- Rincon de la Vieja National Park. Firm trails after the rains, with the surrounding forest still green. One of the best months of the year for the park.
- Sunsets in the first three weeks. Reliable dry-season evenings without the Christmas crowd on the beach.
- Book Christmas dinner early. If you are here over the holidays, restaurant reservations matter as much as tour bookings. Walk-ins stop working from around the 20th.
Our Take
The single most valuable thing on this page is the date. December 15 and December 27 have effectively identical weather, and the second costs roughly double. If your dates have any flexibility at all, the first three weeks of December are the best purchase on the Tamarindo calendar.
Tips for Visiting Tamarindo in December
- Travel before December 19 if you possibly can: Rates jump 50 to 80% for Christmas and New Year with no change in conditions. This is the largest price step on the calendar.
- If your dates are fixed over Christmas, book months ahead: Some Tamarindo hotels sell out for that week as early as August. Accommodation first, then tours, then restaurants.
- Do the water activities in the first half: The Papagayo winds build through December. Early in the month gives you the calmest, warmest sea you will find until May.
- Prioritise wildlife now: This is the last month with a green, active forest. By February the landscape is bare and animals are genuinely hard to find.
- See the waterfalls before they drop: Rivers are still carrying green season water and decline steadily from here through March.
- Expect the landscape to change under you on a longer stay: Early and late December look similar, but the difference between December and February is total. The green you see now does not last.
- Late December is when Rio Celeste comes good: As upstream rain stops, the river returns to its blue. It is the one tour on this page that improves as the month goes on.
- Watch for the first cold water: The season's early upwelling can show up in the final week. A rash guard is worth packing if you are here late in the month.
- Visiting at a different time of year? Our Tamarindo in November guide covers the month before, with a green landscape and green-season rates, and our Tamarindo in January guide covers the tail of this holiday peak and the first full month of the Papagayo winds.
How We Built This December Guide
December is the sharpest within-month split on this calendar, and we built the guide around the date rather than the month. The first eighteen days deliver full dry season weather over a still-green landscape at rates close to November's. From around the 19th, the same weather costs 50 to 80% more. Publishing a single set of price and crowd ratings for December would have concealed the most useful fact about it, so the scorecard and the price box both show the halves separately. Two seasonal transitions run through the month and we have tracked both. The Papagayo winds restart in December and build rather than arrive, which is why we recommend booking water activities in the first half and flag that the season's first cold upwelling can show up in the final week. And the tropical dry forest is still green, because it lags the weather by months, which makes December the last strong wildlife month until May. That second point drove the tour pick. The standout is the same wildlife day we chose for May, and the reasoning is the mirror image: in May the forest was coming back after four bare months, and in December it is about to lose it again. We have said so explicitly rather than presenting it as a fresh recommendation. Tour selection came from the eight most-reviewed tours across our existing Tamarindo guides, ranked by review volume rather than preference. Ratings reflect where each tour sits against its own annual range, which is why Rio Celeste improves through December while snorkeling begins to decline. On sourcing: temperature, rainfall, wind and sea-temperature figures come from published climate and surf datasets, given as ranges where sources disagree. Holiday pricing and sell-out patterns come from regional accommodation sources and are described as typical rather than fixed. Turtle seasonality comes from park sources. Prices and review counts come from operators and platform listings as of September 2026. Hotel figures are rough mid-range estimates rather than quoted rates. Nobody on our team was in Tamarindo this December, and we have not written as though we were.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tamarindo good in December?+
Very, especially in the first three weeks. Dry season returns with total rainfall under 25mm, the forest is still green from the wet season, and the water is calm before the Papagayo winds establish. From around the 19th, Christmas and New Year rates jump 50 to 80% with no change in conditions.
What is the weather like in Tamarindo in December?+
Dry, sunny and warm. Daytime temperatures run 31 to 34°C (88 to 93°F) with nights near 22°C (72°F), and humidity falls steadily through the month. Northern Guanacaste is among the driest and sunniest parts of Costa Rica in December, with total rainfall typically under 25mm.
How expensive is Christmas in Tamarindo?+
Mid-range rooms jump 50 to 80% from early-December levels, to roughly $280 to $350 a night from around December 19. Tamarindo, Playa Conchal and the Papagayo Peninsula resorts fill completely for Christmas and New Year, and some popular hotels sell out for that week as early as August.
What is the best week to visit Tamarindo in December?+
Any week before December 19. You get full dry season weather, a still-green landscape, calm warm water before the Papagayo winds build, and rates around half what the holiday period costs. In our view the first three weeks of December are the best value on the whole Tamarindo calendar.
Do the Papagayo winds start in December?+
Yes. The Papagayo winds run from December through April and December is where they restart, building through the month rather than arriving at once. Early December is calm, while the final week starts showing the chop and first cold upwelling that define January and February. Book water activities in the first half.
Is the landscape green in Tamarindo in December?+
Yes, and this is the last month it is. Tropical dry forest lags the weather, so six months of wet-season rain keep the forest in leaf well past the last shower. By February the skies are identical but the landscape is brown and bare, which is why December is the final strong month for wildlife until May.
What activities are best in Tamarindo in December?+
Wildlife and inland trips, because the forest is still green and this is the last month before it strips back. Catamaran and snorkel days are excellent in the first half while the water is calm. ATV tours rate well with firm tracks and no dry-season dust yet, and Rio Celeste improves through the month as upstream rain stops.
Is December or November better in Tamarindo?+
December for reliability, November for price. Early December is drier and more certain than November, with a comparably green landscape, at somewhat higher rates. Late November still carries a small chance of rain but costs 30 to 40% less than January. Both are far better value than the Christmas period or the first quarter.
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