In August, Jaco wakes to a hazy, silvery morning over the dark sand, with pelicans skimming the first swells and surfers already paddling out before the clouds build. By afternoon the sky darkens over the hills behind town, a warm rain drums on the tin roofs along the main strip, and the bars fill with people waiting it out over a cold Imperial. This is Jaco in the green season: lush, steamy and relaxed, with a beach town that keeps its easy rhythm, and a good month for surf, rainforest greens and slow evenings.
What is the weather like in Jaco in August?
August in Jaco is hot, humid and rainy, with warm mornings, showers on most days and nights that never really cool off.
| Month | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain days | Sea (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July | 81.4 | 75.8 | 30.2 | 85.4 |
| August | 81.4 | 75.7 | 30.3 | 85.7 |
| September | 81.2 | 75.4 | 29.7 | 86.1 |
Rain is the thing to plan around. Nearly every day this month sees rain, and on some of them you get a genuine soaking instead of a brief shower.
The pattern many visitors describe is a brighter morning, clouds stacking up over the mountains by midday, and rain arriving in the afternoon or evening, sometimes lasting into the night. Some days stay gray from start to finish, so treat the morning as your best window for anything outdoors.
Temperatures hardly move between day and night. Afternoons feel sticky even under cloud, and evenings are warm enough for shorts and sandals, so a light layer is only useful against air conditioning. Clothes dry slowly in this humidity, which is worth remembering if you plan to hang a swimsuit on the balcony.
The light is soft and often filtered through cloud, with the hills behind town wrapped in mist after a storm. Daylight lasts about twelve and a half hours in mid-August, so the days are long enough to fit a morning outing, a rest through the heaviest rain and an evening walk on the beach. When the clouds break near sunset, the sky over the water turns orange and pink, and it makes a good reason to stay out a little later.
Can you swim in Jaco in August?
The water is warm enough in August for a long swim, sitting in the mid-80s per the marine data, but how long you stay in depends on the waves and currents.
Jaco is a surf beach first. The long dark-sand strip takes steady swells, and in the green season the water is often lively, with breaking waves along much of the shore. That suits surfers and bodyboarders, but it does not make the shore break safe for swimming.
Rip currents are very dangerous in Costa Rica and cause several drownings of U.S. tourists each year, and most beaches lack lifeguards and warnings about unsafe conditions. Ask your hotel or a surf school where the current is running that day, obey any flags, and always swim with a buddy. Bring a rash guard for sun and sunscreen for the hazy hours when it is easy to burn, plus a bag to keep your phone dry when a shower hits.
What to do in Jaco in August
The month opens with one of the great national moments of Costa Rica. On August 2, hundreds of thousands of Costa Ricans walk on pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Cartago. Jaco is not on the route, but you will notice the day in the news, in conversations and in the devotion of local families, and it gives the month a spiritual undertone you do not find in other places at this time.
August 15 is Mother’s Day, a national holiday, and it is one of the days when Costa Rican families gather around a long table. Costa Rican families often mark the holiday by gathering around the table, with mothers and grandmothers at the center. It is a pleasant day to be in a place where Ticos celebrate rather than just a tourist stop, so plan your meal early or look for a quieter spot.
Surfing and the beach in the green season
Surfing is the reason many people come to Jaco, and the rainy months bring steady swells that keep the lineup busy. Mornings are usually the best time to paddle out, when the wind tends to be lighter and the sea less choppy before afternoon storms roll in. Beginners can practice in gentler white water before moving to breaking waves.
If you prefer to stay on the sand, walk the beach at low energy hours, watch the surfers from a shaded bar and let the afternoon rain decide when to move. The dark sand gets hot at midday, so sandals are useful. Surf lessons suit teenagers and adults who are comfortable in the water, and a short beginner session is a good way to learn how the waves break before you swim on your own.
Rainforest, waterfalls and wildlife
The hills behind Jaco are bright green in August, and the rain makes the forest loud with frogs, birds and dripping leaves. Guided walks are the way most visitors see animals, and you may spot monkeys, birds or a sloth, but these are chances and never promises. Early starts help, because the forest is quieter and cooler before the afternoon rain, and trails can be muddy and slippery after storms.
Rivers and waterfalls run fuller in the green season and look their best, though rain upstream can change conditions quickly, so follow your guide’s advice and stay out of swollen water. Wear shoes with grip, carry a light rain jacket and keep your camera in a dry bag. Because park rules and access may shift, look at the official page for the park before you head out.
Eating and drinking in town
Jaco is a place for long, easy meals. Begin with a casado, the Costa Rican plate that brings rice, beans, plantain and salad alongside your pick of fish, chicken or beef, then at breakfast have gallo pinto (rice and beans fried together) with eggs and a cup of local coffee. Ceviche is a good order near the coast, served with crackers and a squeeze of lime.
Rainy afternoons are made for open-air restaurants with a roof, where you can watch the street flood and clear while you eat. Fresh fruit juices, cold beer and coconut water are the right answer to the humidity. In the evening, the bars along the main road come alive with music, so choose a table a little back from the street if you want conversation.
On wet days, a cooking class, a coffee tasting or a long lunch fills the hours better than waiting for the sky to clear. Souvenir shops along the strip sell hammocks, wooden crafts and local coffee, and they make a good stop between showers.
A two-day itinerary for Jaco in August
Day 1 begins early, because the morning is when the weather is kindest. Have a coffee and a plate of gallo pinto at a local breakfast spot, then take a surf lesson or a walk along the beach while the air is still fresh and the clouds have not built. By late morning, move to a shaded spot for a fruit juice and a look at the shops and craft stalls along the main road.
At midday, order fresh fish or a casado at a covered spot to eat, then brace yourself for an afternoon downpour. Use the heaviest part of the afternoon for a rest, a nap or a swim in a hotel pool.
When the rain eases, walk to the beach near sunset, since daylight lasts about twelve and a half hours and the sky often clears for a short, colorful finish. Dinner can be grilled seafood and a cold drink at a beachfront table.
Day 2 is for the green hills. Morning is the time to start, since the woods are cooler and the wildlife is busier, so pick a canopy tour, a trip to a waterfall or a nature walk with a guide. Bring shoes with grip and a rain jacket, and ask your guide how the river levels and trails are running.
Return to town for lunch, then spend the afternoon on a rain card: a coffee shop, a cooking class, a spa or a long lunch while the storm passes. If the sky clears, take a short walk by the water and watch the surfers. End the day with a relaxed dinner and live music at a bar, where the rhythm of the town carries you into the evening.
Is Jaco busy in August?
Jaco is moderately lively in August, with a steady flow of surfers, families and weekend visitors, but the crowds are lighter than in the dry months.
The green season brings a different mix of travelers: surfers who love the swells, nature lovers who enjoy the rainforest at its greenest and travelers who prefer a calmer, less packed beach town. Weekends feel busier, as Costa Ricans head to the coast, and the mid-August holiday weekend around Mother’s Day may bring more domestic visitors and fuller restaurants.
Rooms are usually easier to find than in the dry months, and you can often choose among more options on shorter notice. Even so, it is wise to book early for the Mother’s Day weekend and for any stay that includes a Friday or Saturday night.
Rental cars and popular restaurant tables are also easier to arrange early, especially if you want a specific time for dinner. Check current availability and weather conditions directly with tour operators and surf schools.
What to pack for Jaco in August
Bring clothes that dry quickly plus a small bag to keep the essentials dry, since heat, humidity and sudden rain are all part of the deal.
- A light rain jacket or poncho, for the afternoon downpours.
- Quick-dry clothes and a swimsuit, since humidity keeps things damp.
- Sandals and shoes with grip, for the hot sand and muddy trails.
- Sunscreen and a hat, because hazy skies still burn.
- A dry bag for your phone and wallet, useful on the beach and in sudden rain.
- Insect repellent, for the evenings and the forest.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Costa Rica Level 2, ‘Exercise increased caution,’ due to crime; it says petty crime is common throughout Costa Rica and that violent crime also affects tourists, including armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault.
August is part of Jaco’s rainy green season, and visitors should expect frequent rain. Since August 15 brings the national holiday of Mother’s Day, expect some shops and offices to shut and buses and roads to get busier at that time. Getting to Jaco from San Jose usually means roughly two hours behind the wheel, but wet weather may stretch that out, so start your journey in the morning and build in a cushion.
Jaco in August vs July and September
July looks almost the same as August, with similar heat, near-daily rain and a sea in the mid-80s. The difference is in the calendar: August brings the pilgrimage of August 2 and Mother’s Day on August 15, which give the month a little more local character.
September is a touch warmer in the sea and a little less rainy in total, though it is still a wet, green month with showers most days. The surf stays active and the beach town keeps its relaxed pace, so the change from August is gentle rather than dramatic.
Choose July or August if you want the holiday atmosphere of the green season, with national celebrations nearby. Choose September if you want to shave a little rain off the total and do not mind missing the August holidays. Travelers who prefer a steady, predictable climate may find all three months similar, so the festivals and your own schedule are better guides than the weather.
Is August a good time to visit Jaco?
For travelers who enjoy surfing, lush scenery and a laid-back beach town, and who don’t mind that rain will show up on most days, August is indeed a fine time to visit Jaco.
Surfers, nature lovers and travelers who enjoy a lively but not crowded atmosphere will find a lot to like. Those who want dry, sunny days for sunbathing or long, uninterrupted beach hours may be happier in another month. On arrival, ask your hotel or a surf school how the water looks that day, and plan your outdoor time for the morning.
What makes August special here is the mix of a warm sea, a deep green landscape and the national feeling of the month, with the pilgrimage to Cartago at the start and Mother’s Day families around the tables in the middle, all set against the sound of afternoon rain on the roofs of a surf town.
Sources
- Open-Meteo / ECMWF ERA5, normals 1991-2020 computed for the grid cell at 9.6145N 84.6285W, checked October 8, 2026
- Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked October 8, 2026
- sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked October 8, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Information, Safety and security (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/CostaRica.html), checked October 8, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Advisory, issued April 1, 2026 (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/costa-rica-travel-advisory.html), read via the State Department open data API on October 8, 2026