In August, La Fortuna wakes to mist caught on the slopes above town, and the first thing you hear is the dripping of wet leaves and the clatter of a soda kitchen starting the day’s gallo pinto. The pastures are intensely green, the rivers run full, and steam rises off the hot springs as the afternoon clouds close in. It is the heart of the green season at the foot of Arenal Volcano, a month for soaking, rainforest walks and slow meals, when the area belongs a little more to the locals.
What is the weather like in La Fortuna in August?
Rain falls most days in La Fortuna in August, and the weather is hot, muggy and soaked, so expect showers instead of trying to avoid them.
| Month | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|
| July | 79.4 | 70.2 | 25.2 |
| August | 80.3 | 70.3 | 24.6 |
| September | 81.0 | 70.2 | 25.8 |
The days are pleasantly warm rather than hot, the kind of weather where a light shirt works at midday and you only feel sticky when the clouds sit low and the air stops moving. Evenings stay mild, so dinner on a covered terrace needs no jacket, though a thin layer helps once the rain has cooled things down. Daylight lasts about twelve and a half hours in mid-month, which gives you a full day outdoors.
The rain here comes in many forms. Some days begin clear or hazy and turn to a steady afternoon downpour, others start with a soft drizzle that lingers on the hills, and now and then a gray day settles in for hours.
Heavy, all-day soakings are less common than repeated showers, but the ground is never really dry, and trails are muddy. Over the month the total adds up to a lot of water, which is exactly why the waterfalls and the rivers look so full.
What this changes for you is the timing. Mornings are usually the best bet for a view of the volcano and for walks, though clouds often cover the summit and nothing is guaranteed. Afternoons suit hot springs, long lunches and museums or workshops under a roof. Bring waterproof shoes with good grip, and keep your camera and phone in a dry bag.
What to do in La Fortuna in August
The calendar gives the month two touchstones. On August 2, hundreds of thousands of Costa Ricans walk on pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Cartago, and even far from there you notice it in the churches, in the conversations and in the news. On August 15, Mother’s Day is a national holiday, and Costa Rican families spend the day together over a long meal or an outing, so restaurants and popular spots can feel lively and full of three generations at one table.
For everything else, August suits activities that do not mind water: soaking in warm pools while it rains, walking under the canopy, and watching the lake and the volcano change with the clouds. Between outings, eat where the locals eat.
At a soda run by a family, the usual midday meal is a casado, which comes with rice, beans, plantain, salad and whichever meat or fish you pick, plus a fresh fruit refresco on the side. Look for chorreadas, sweet corn pancakes often served with sour cream, and for the local cheese the northern lowlands are known for.
Hot springs in the rain
The volcano heats the springs, and that is the claim to fame for the Arenal region, yet August could be when they shine brightest. Sitting in a warm pool while a shower patters on the leaves around you is a very different experience from a sunny afternoon, and the cooler air makes the heat feel even better. Options range from basic neighborhood pools to sprawling resort properties offering multiple pools of varying warmth, including some with swim-up bars and others tucked into gardens along curving walkways.
Simple local pools suit a quiet, inexpensive soak, while the big resorts suit a long half day with children or a group, with food and changing rooms on site. Evenings are a nice time to go, when the lights come on among the plants and the steam rises into cooler air. Bring flip-flops and a towel if your lodging does not lend one, and leave jewelry in your room.
The waterfall and rainforest trails
August is the month when La Fortuna Waterfall, the natural landmark people in town know best, shows its greatest force as a broad sheet of water drops into a pool of deep green. You reach the viewpoints by a stepped path through the forest, and the steps can be slippery when wet, so shoes with a good sole matter more than anything else you pack. Early morning is the better moment, before tour groups arrive and before the afternoon rain sets in.
Rainforest paths around Arenal are lively in the green season. Frogs call from the undergrowth, birds feed in the fruiting trees, and with luck a guide may point out a sloth or a troop of monkeys, though nothing is promised. Most visitors see wildlife on guided walks, since guides carry spotting scopes and know where to look. Wear long, quick-drying pants and keep insect repellent handy, since mosquitoes love wet weather.
Hanging bridges and the lake
The hanging bridges are a good fit for a showery month. You walk in the canopy, high above the forest floor, and the mist drifting between the trees is part of the show. Rain adds sound and atmosphere, and the trails tend to be quiet when the clouds are low. Waterproof jackets are better than umbrellas, because you will want both hands free for the railings and the binoculars.
Beside the volcano, the big reservoir called Lake Arenal makes for a more relaxed excursion. Its shores are good for a picnic, a drive between cattle pastures and small villages, and views that change by the minute as the cloud lifts and falls.
When the summit clears, even for a few minutes, the cone appears with startling suddenness, so keep your camera close and be patient. On a gray day the lake is still lovely, soft and silvery under the rain.
A two-day itinerary for La Fortuna in August
You begin Day 1 early with gallo pinto, eggs and fresh fruit for breakfast at a little soda in town, then head to the waterfall ahead of the crowds and ahead of thickening clouds. Walking down and back up takes the morning, so you will want a late lunch of a casado or a grilled fish plate nearby. The sky is often clearest at the start of the day, which makes this the right order for the most weather-dependent sight.
In the afternoon, when showers are most likely, go to the hot springs. Choose a resort pool for a long soak, or a simple local one if you prefer something quieter. Remain until nightfall, eat at a restaurant close to the springs or back in town, and go to bed early. If the day is very wet, the waterfall can wait and the springs can take the whole afternoon.
Day 2 belongs to the canopy and the lake. Begin with a guided walk or the hanging bridges while the forest is still quiet and the animals are active, then head to Lake Arenal for a slow drive and a lunch with views, or a picnic by the shore if the sky allows. The cloud on the volcano often lifts a little around midday, though it is only a chance.
For the afternoon rain card, choose a covered activity: a chocolate or coffee tour, a cooking class or a long coffee in town with a book. Finish the evening in the town’s central park, where families gather after dark and the cafés and ice cream stands stay busy. Dinner can be a simple plate of grilled meat or a bowl of soup at a sodas where everyone knows each other.
Is La Fortuna busy in August?
La Fortuna is moderately busy in August, with fewer international visitors than in the dry months but a steady flow of families and Costa Rican travelers.
The mid-year school break brings U.S. families, and the Mother’s Day holiday on August 15 sends Costa Rican families to the hot springs and to the restaurants for the long weekend around it. Those are the days when pools fill, tables take longer and the best rooms go first. Outside that stretch, the town feels relaxed, the trails are calm and you can often walk into a restaurant without waiting.
Rooms are generally easier to find than in the wetter months, when August rain often arrives as short afternoon showers or a wetter spell, and you can expect some choice, but good places near the springs still fill when a holiday week approaches. As a habit, book early for the weeks around Mother’s Day and for anything you have your heart set on, and later for quiet midweek days. Rental cars are easiest to arrange ahead of time as well, especially if you want a vehicle for the lake.
Guided walks, canopy bridges and hot spring evenings are best arranged a day or two ahead, so that you can pick the clearer morning. Because the weather moves, keep one slot in your plan flexible. The reward is a town that has a calmer rhythm than at the peak of the busy season, with rain arriving as short showers or a wetter spell, locals at the counters and lots of space at the viewpoints.
What to pack for La Fortuna in August
Pack for warm, wet days and cool, damp evenings, and assume that something will get wet at some point.
- A light, packable rain jacket, because showers arrive suddenly and umbrellas are awkward on trails.
- Shoes with a good grip and a spare pair of socks, since paths and steps are slick after rain.
- Quick-drying clothes, which dry overnight, unlike cotton in humid air.
- A swimsuit and a light towel for the hot springs, with flip-flops for the changing areas.
- Insect repellent and sunscreen, as mosquitoes and the tropical sun both show up on the same day.
- A dry bag or zip bags for your phone, camera and documents.
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 the green season, so the key is flexibility: keep the first part of the day for the outdoor sights and leave the afternoon open for the springs or a covered activity.
La Fortuna in August vs July and September
Going a month earlier gives you almost the same weather. July is just as wet and just as warm, and the school-break crowds are a little more present, since it is the peak of the mid-year vacation for many families. The Mother’s Day holiday and the Cartago pilgrimage are specific to August, so July lacks that local flavor and those busy days around the middle of the month.
A month later, September is a bit warmer and just as rainy, with a touch more cloud and a quieter mood once the school year has restarted. Rooms are easier to find, trails are emptier and the pace slows further, which suits people who like to have the place to themselves and do not mind gray days. You lose the August holiday atmosphere but gain calm.
Choose July if your schedule is tied to school vacations and you want the liveliest family atmosphere. Choose August if you want the holiday on the fifteenth and a balance between activity and quiet. Choose September if you prefer the stillest weeks, and expect the same rain and the same green hills.
Is August a good time to visit La Fortuna?
Travelers who like hot springs, rainforest walks and lush scenery, and who are fine with rain being part of the plan, will find that August is a good time.
It will suit soakers, photographers who like moody skies, birders, families who can work around the showers and anyone who prefers a calmer town. It suits less well those visitors who want the volcano plainly in sight daily, or who expect to pass many hours uncovered on open terraces and lake shores. If that describes you, a month in the drier season may serve you better.
On arrival, start with the most weather-dependent sight, the waterfall or a guided walk, on the first clear morning, and keep the springs for the afternoon. Then settle into the town’s rhythm: an early breakfast, a late lunch, a long soak in warm water while the rain falls on the leaves. What makes August special in La Fortuna is that sound and that steam, with the volcano appearing and disappearing in the clouds above the greenest hills of the year.
Sources
- Open-Meteo / ECMWF ERA5, normals 1991-2020 computed for the grid cell at 10.4679N 84.6427W, 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 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
To plan your stay
- Things to Do in La Fortuna: Arenal Volcano, Hot Springs, the Waterfall and Day Trips
- Where to Stay in La Fortuna: Town Center, Volcano Road, Hot Springs Strip and Lake Arenal
- La Fortuna vs Monteverde: Hot Springs, Cloud Forest, Weather and Which to Choose
- Day Trips from La Fortuna: Rio Celeste, Arenal Volcano Park, Monteverde and Hot Springs