Nosara not only attracts visitors wanting to experience the award-winning beaches of Central America. Its plethora of natural, wellness, and cultural attractions guarantee a one of a kind vacation.
Vacations that often become “staycations,” as the ever-growing ex-pat population will confirm.
Yoga retreats, world-class surfing, and healthy living are the area’s biggest draws. So are the parks and nature reserves along the coastline, in the hillsides covered by dry lowland coastal forests, and around the waterfalls formed by the Nosara and Montana Rivers.
Nosara, Costa Rica, Weather
Nosara is located in Guanacaste Province, midway along the northwest Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. In general, Guanacaste is drier than the country’s remaining six provinces. With less relative humidity and precipitation.
This isn’t to say that it doesn’t rain. Climate Nosara consists of two seasons: the dry and rainy seasons. However, because of Costa Rica’s nearness to the equator, there isn’t much difference in temperature between the two. The average temperature in Nosara hovers around a mean 83.6 degrees F, or 28.7 degrees C.
The dry season, which coincides with the peak months for tourism, usually runs from December to April*. And the driest month is March, right before the first rains of April arrive.
The green season is also the “rainy” season. It begins in April and tapers off towards the end of November. Rain intensity varies from month to month, with September and October being the wettest for most of the country. July and August, on the other hand, tend to be drier than the other green season months and are a great time to visit.
See the Champion Traveler list below for a detailed weather forecast and the best months to visit Nosara.
Nosara Costa Rica monthly weather:
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in January: O% chance of rain, High 92 F, Low 70 F.
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in February: O% chance of rain, High 94 F, Low 70 F.
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in March: O% chance of rain, High 95.3 F, Low 70.4 F.
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in April: 4% chance of rain, High 96.6 F, Low 72.4 F.
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in May: 26% chance of rain, High 93.6 F, Low 73.6 F.
- Nosara Costa Rica weather in June: 36% chance of rain, High 90.6 F, Low 73.8 F.
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in July: 28% chance of rain, High 91.2 F, Low 73.5 F.
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in August: 34% chance of rain, High 91.4 F, Low 73 F.
- Nosara Costa Rica weather in September: 5O% chance of rain, High 89.8 F, Low 72.7 F.
- Nosara Costa Rica weather October is the rainiest month with up to 12 inches of rain on average and a 46% probability of daily precipitation. Daily High 88.1 F, Low 72.6.
- Nosara Costa Rica weather November: 16% chance of rain, High 89.1 F, Low 70.6 F.
- Weather in Nosara Costa Rica in December: 2% chance of rain, High 91 F, Low 69.4 F.
As you can see, monthly Nosara, Costa Rica, weather averages do fluctuate, but overall, the temperature is warm and agreeable year-round. For an updated Nosara weather forecast, check one of the world’s most reliable weather stations, weather.com. For a three day forecast, try Accu weather radar Nosara, Costa Rica.
Weather on the Caribbean side
According to climate data, *the Caribbean side, or Atlantic Coast experiences different weather than the rest of the country. As a rule of thumb, if it’s raining on the west coast, it’s likely to be dry and sunny on the east coast. The weather in October and September is the best.
Nosara History
Nosara’s laid-back, health-conscious, and one-with-nature attitude has been part of the local culture for decades. Ex-pats from the United States, Canada, and Europe began settling the area around the 1960s, intermingling with the local Costa Ricans already living in Nosara and the nearby beach towns Samara, Ostional, Tamarindo, and others.
In fact, the ex-pat community has grown steadily. The area is renowned as one of the best second home and retirement destinations in the world. Fortunately, local laws prohibit big developments or high rises along the shoreline, and Nosara has remained quaint, natural, and unassuming – despite its high-end inhabitants
Getting to Nosara
Nosara is located on Costa Rica’s northwest Pacific Coast on the Nicoya Peninsula. From San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital city, and the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), the drive is approximately 4 to 5 hours and covers roughly 240 km.
From the Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) in Liberia–also in Guanacaste Province–Nosara is a quicker 2:45 hours away over 117 km of mostly well-paved roads.
Adobe Rent a Car has 15 full-service offices located strategically throughout the country, including both the LIR and SJO airports. The closest Adobe Office to Nosara is in the beach town of Tamarindo, just two hours north (75 km).
Although it’s not 100% necessary to rent a 4WD vehicle to get to Nosara, some of the roads surrounding the town are unpaved and hilly. The extra lift and traction that a 4WD automobile provides will take the worry out of your travels and ensure your mobility even when the road conditions aren’t perfect.
Many foreigners who arrive at the San Jose Airport choose to take an in-country flight to Nosara or Tamarindo and rent a car once there. The airstrip, or Aeropuerto Nosara, Costa Rica, is located about 5 km inland near just outside of town.
Our AdobeTamarindo office is located nearby and open seven days a week.
Things to do near Nosara, Costa Rica
Nosara Costa Rica – Fotografía: GoplayaNosara offers a little something for everyone. Dominating the scene, of course, is surfing alongside yoga, wellness, and spiritual retreats. However, eco-activities such as horseback riding, ATV rentals, canopy tours, and ziplines are equally available and abundant. And there’s no shortage of waterfalls near Nosara to be explored.
Visitors attracted to Costa Rica’s renowned biodiversity can choose from plenty of informative outdoor excursions. Guided hikes, kayaking, boat tours, and snorkeling are great ways to immerse oneself in the natural environment while having little to no environmental impact.
On the northern end of Nosara Beach lies the Ostional Wildlife Refuge. The park, designated to protect the breeding and nesting grounds of Olive Ridley and Leatherback sea turtles, encompasses approximately 85 km2 of marine and terrestrial habitats. It is the largest Olive Ridley turtle nesting site in the world.
The Nosara and Montana Rivers both empty into the Pacific near Nosara. Their quiet estuaries and nutrient-filled waters make the area a popular destination for sport fishing. Excellent offshore fishing is also available. Chartered excursions can be booked at any of the several tour providers around town.
If you’re looking for exhilarating nightlife, head north along the coast to Tamarindo, the beachfront village is often jam-packed with tourists due to its proximity to the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste Province.
Tamarindo is also a well-known mecca for surfers and hosts several international competitions annually. Tamarindo Costa Rica, weather is similar to Nosara, but surf conditions will vary due to the topography of the coastline.
Visit the Adobe Rent a Car Tamarindo office for all of your transportation needs.
Things to do in Nosara
The local school, pharmacies, supermarkets, clinics, and the likes are mostly found in the town of Nosara, about 5 km inland from the beach. While the ex-pat and tourist attractions, like hotels, cafes, restaurants, and shopping, are clustered along the shoreline of the area’s main beaches.
Surfing Nosara
The best times to visit Costa Rica is when the swells are at their highest. In Nosara, the wind speed also plays a role, helping to push easterly swells towards the Pacific coastline. Nosara’s popular Playa Guiones is considered one of the country’s best beaches for beginner surfers for its long and flat beach break.
At low tide, consistent waves roll in for a good 50 meters, and there are very few rocks. This makes learning to surf not only fun but a safe endeavor as well. For in-depth information on the surf conditions in the area check out the Nosara Costa Rica surf report
It’s a good idea to check Nosara beach Costa Rica weather before heading out. An excellent resource for avid surfers, sailors, and kiteboarders, is the wind, waves & weather forecast for Nosara. They update their predictions four times per day based on the international GFS model.
A stunning Pacific coastline
Nosara, the “tourist destination’ is much more than its namesake town. The area comprises a stretch of four pristine beaches interspersed with boutique hotels, surf shops, local and ex-pat residences, retreat centers, restaurants, and shopping.
National Geographic listed Nosara as one of the top 15 surf destinations in the world for winning the Ecological Blue Flag status at its four main beaches, Garza, Guiones, Pelada, and Nosara. An Ecological Blue Flag signifies that the water, beach, and surrounding environment maintains the highest level of cleanliness and ecological health.
Playa Guiones, Nosara
Playa Guiones is a 6 km stretch of sparkling white sand beach and world-famous waves. In fact, Guiones draws international attention for having the most consecutive days of prime surf conditions throughout the year. The beach’s long and flat break at low tide makes it a perfect place for beginning surfers, and several surf schools are available. For excellent Nosara surfing, this is the place to be.
The beach is bordered by Punta Nosara to the north and Punta Guiones to the south. While walking the shore, beachgoers will find several tide pools and wild areas to explore as well as dazzling sunsets.
Playa Nosara
Intermediate and expert surfers mostly visit Playa Nosara due to its shallow rock-reef break and powerful swells. The volcanic black sand beach butts up to the Ostional Wildlife Refuge and the Nosara River mouth, where a calm mangrove swamp is an excellent place for animal and bird sightings.
Nosara’s Playa Pelada
Playa Pelada is a small and quiet beach of seashells and rocky outcroppings located between Playa Nosara and Playa Guiones. Its offshore reef and calm waters make it a popular place for swimmers. A blowhole among the rock outcroppings delights voyeurs as the tide rises and falls.
Playa Ostional
Ostional is most famous for the Olive Ridley and Leatherback turtles that arrive at its warm sands in the hundreds to lay their eggs. The event is known locally as the “Arribada” and attracts scores of naturalists, scientists, and sightseers to witness the momentous occasion. Nesting season reaches its height in September and October.
Playa Ostional also offers excellent surf conditions. Its black volcanic sands, stunning scenery, and consistent swells make it accessible for vacationers throughout the year.
Yoga in Nosara
Nosara today is one of Costa Rica’s most important yoga and wellness retreat destinations. The Nosara Yoga Institute and the Blue Spirit Retreat Nosara center, among numerous others, are two of the world’s foremost yoga and meditation centers in the world.
Devotees arrive from far and wide to receive teacher training, healings, and to practice the ancient arts among other like-minded travelers.
Visit the Community Facebook page for Nosara, Costa Rica, upcoming events, and exciting activities.
