Tamarindo in May: Weather, Beaches, Surf and the First Green Season Rains

The first heavy afternoon cloud of May stacks up over the hills behind Tamarindo, the air goes still and smells of wet dust, and surfers walking back along the sand glance at the sky and keep their boards under their arms. By evening the hills have a fresh green tint and the street is loud with dinner plates, geckos and frogs. May is the month the Guanacaste coast turns from dry and golden to lush, and Tamarindo is a good place to watch it happen from a beach chair.

The beach at Tamarindo at sunset in the green season · Illustration

What is the weather like in Tamarindo in May?

May in Tamarindo is hot, humid and increasingly wet: sunny mornings, then clouds building through the afternoon, with showers on many days. The dry-season heat of April eases a little, and the whole coast feels softer for it.

Month	Average high (°F)	Average low (°F)	Rain days	Sea (°F)
April	91.6	77.7	4.2	85.2
May	87.2	77.5	18.7	87.5
June	84.4	76.6	23.0	86.1

Mornings are the best part of the day. The sun is strong from early on, the light is clear and the sand is still cool enough for a long walk, so surf lessons, beach runs and breakfast on a terrace all fit before the clouds arrive. Daylight lasts a little over twelve hours in the middle of the month, which gives you a full day without needing a pre-dawn start.

The rain usually comes as an afternoon or evening downpour rather than a gray day, and it can be loud, with thunder over the hills and water running down the main street. It often clears in an hour or two, leaving the air a little fresher. Some days stay dry, and a few turn gray and wet from lunch on. Plan the outdoor things for the morning and keep the afternoon flexible.

You can eat dinner outdoors in a T-shirt because the evenings remain warm, and air conditioning or a fan counts for more than a blanket. Pack light fabrics, a rain shell you can stuff in a daypack, and sandals that dry fast. The sea stays warm all month, so the water is never a reason to skip a swim.

Can you swim in Tamarindo in May?

Yes, the sea is warm enough for a long swim, about as warm as a bath on a hot day, so you can stay in without getting chilled. What changes with the month is the waves and the sky, not the temperature.

The main beach at Tamarindo is wide and gently sloped, with surf that is often mellow in the mornings and livelier when the swell picks up, which tends to happen as the green season gets going. Beginner surf schools work the waves near the town end, while stronger surfers head to the peaks off the beach and to spots a short ride away.

Playa Langosta, just south, is quieter and good for a calmer stroll. Playa Grande, across the estuary, has bigger and more powerful surf and is more for watching or for experienced surfers.

Each year, strong rip currents claim the lives of several U.S. visitors here, and at most beaches you will find no lifeguards on duty and no posted warnings. Ask a surf school or your hotel about the day’s conditions before going in, stay near other swimmers, and stay out of the water when a storm is near.

Children and nervous swimmers do best in shallow water close to shore, with an adult within arm’s reach. A mask and snorkel are fine for rocky corners on a clear morning, but the surf makes the main beach a poor snorkeling spot.

What to do in Tamarindo in May

May begins with Labor Day on May 1, a national holiday, and the town feels it: Costa Rican families come to the coast for the long weekend, beach restaurants fill with lunch groups and the sand has more picnics than usual. It is also the month the green season starts, with the first regular afternoon rains, and that mood of the landscape waking up is the real event of the month. There is no big festival to plan around, so the pleasure is in the rhythm of the days.

A May day in Tamarindo goes in a clear order: beach and surf in the morning, a long lunch while the clouds build, something indoors or under a roof while it rains, and a walk to the water for the evening. The cooler, damp air after a storm makes the sunset walk one of the nicest moments, and the sky often turns a deep orange once the clouds break.

Surf lessons and the early session

Surfing is the reason many people come to Tamarindo, and May is a good month to try it. The water is warm, so you stay in for a long session without a wetsuit, and the swell tends to grow as the green season starts. Along the beach and the main street you will find schools that teach group and private lessons for beginners, while rentals make it simple for experienced riders to get a board.

Go early. Mornings usually bring cleaner conditions, lighter wind and the coolest air of the day, and you finish before the afternoon cloud arrives. Beginners suit the gentler waves near the town end of the beach, and experienced surfers often look further along or drive to nearby breaks. Rinse off, put on a rash guard and use sunscreen, because the tropical sun is strong even through thin cloud.

Playa Grande and Playa Langosta

Both beaches lie within a few minutes of town and make an easy half-day each. Playa Grande is long, wild and backed by trees, a favorite of surfers and a nesting beach for leatherback turtles. The nesting season is mostly a winter story, so May is not the month to plan around turtles, but the beach is still lovely for a walk, with big surf to watch and few buildings in sight.

Playa Langosta is smaller and quieter, a pocket of sand with rocks at the ends, popular for a slow morning, a late-afternoon walk and sunset. Neither beach has facilities like the main town beach, so bring water and a hat. Check the conditions before swimming, since most beaches here have no lifeguards.

Eating through the green season

The main street has beach bars, pizza places, sushi counters, taquerías and open-air restaurants, and fresh fish is the thing to order near the sea. Seek out ceviche heavy on lime, the day’s catch cooked on the grill, and casado, Costa Rica’s plate of rice, beans, salad, plantains, plus either meat or fish. Breakfast means gallo pinto, the rice and bean mix, with eggs and sometimes fried cheese.

Drinks suit the weather: coconut water from a cut green coconut, fresh fruit smoothies, and cold local beer after a surf. Mangoes and other tropical fruit are often at their best around now, and smoothie stands turn them into the easiest cool-down of the afternoon. When a downpour hits, a covered restaurant with a long lunch is the best plan, and the street usually comes back to life as soon as the sky clears.

Quieter ways to spend a May day include yoga classes, a massage, a pool afternoon, souvenir shopping along the main street and watching the surf from a beach bar. Mornings suit horseback or hiking outings in the hills nearby, and the greener scenery makes them look their best. Ask about a guided outing if you hope to see monkeys or birds, since guided walks are how most visitors spot wildlife, and remember they are chances, not promises.

A two-day itinerary for Tamarindo in May

Day 1 is the town and its main beach. Start early with coffee and a plate of gallo pinto on a terrace, then take a surf lesson or a long beach walk while the sand is cool and the sun still low. By late morning the heat builds, so retreat to a pool or a shaded table for a lunch of ceviche and fresh fruit.

The afternoon is when the clouds usually gather, so keep it light: a nap, a browse of the surf shops and craft stalls along the main street, or a smoothie while the rain passes. When it clears, walk to the water for the evening, since the air is fresher and the sky often glows. Dinner is on the main street, from grilled fish to pizza, and the night is warm enough to stay outside.

Day 2 heads out to the beaches around town. Go to Playa Grande in the morning, when the light is clear and the surf is something to watch from the sand or to ride if you are experienced. Take water, a hat and sunscreen, and plan to leave before the midday heat and the clouds.

Have a late lunch back in town, then spend the afternoon at Playa Langosta, which is a calmer place for a walk, a few photos and a last swim if conditions look right. Stay for sunset there, then finish with dinner at a restaurant you did not try the day before. If the rain turns steady, spend the day under cover instead: a long lunch, a massage or yoga class, a visit to a café with a view and an early night, and go back to the beach when the sky opens.

Is Tamarindo busy in May?

Tamarindo is moderately busy in May, with a lively start around Labor Day and a quieter feel through the rest of the month as the rains settle in. The long dry-season crowds have thinned, but the town never empties, because surfers and beach lovers keep coming.

The long weekend around May 1 is the busiest stretch, with Costa Rican families filling beach restaurants and rooms, so book early if you want to be here then. Later in the month, rooms are generally easier to find and restaurants rarely need much planning, though popular dinner spots can still fill on a weekend evening. Rental cars and shuttles are also simpler to arrange once the holiday week passes.

The main street stays lively in the evening, the surf schools keep working and the beach bars are open, but the pace is easier than in the heart of the season, when rain arrives as short showers or a wetter spell. If you are traveling with a group or want a specific hotel, book early as a habit.

If you are flexible, you can wait until closer to the date and still find good options. No special park or trail reservations come into play for a simple beach trip, though if you plan a national park visit nearby, check the park’s official page for current rules.

What to pack for Tamarindo in May

Pack for heat, humidity and a regular afternoon shower, with light layers and things that dry quickly.

A light rain jacket or poncho, because afternoon downpours are common and can be heavy.
Quick-dry clothes and swimsuits, since nothing dries fast in the humid air.
Sunscreen and a hat, as the morning sun is strong even through thin cloud.
Sandals with grip, for wet streets and sandy paths after the rain.
For surf lessons and long stretches in the water, pack a rash guard.
Insect repellent, as evenings are damp and mosquitoes like the green season.

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.

Short downpours and a couple of soggier stretches arrive with May, and fires are a common sight in Guanacaste and the northern region until the month ends, so smoke or charred hillsides may greet you during the first weeks. Labor Day on May 1 is a national holiday, so expect a busier coast and some local closures that day.

Getting around town is easy on foot, while the airport at Liberia is about an hour away by road, and afternoon rain can slow the drive. Bring a passport valid for your whole stay and a return or onward ticket.

Tamarindo in May vs April and June

Moving the trip earlier to April gives you a hotter, much drier town, with sunny days from morning to night and almost no rain. The sea is a little cooler, the hills are brown and golden rather than green, and the dry season crowds are still in place. It suits beach lovers who want sun every hour and do not mind a landscape that looks parched.

Going later to June brings the green season in full: rain on nearly every day, a lusher countryside and a slightly cooler air. The sea remains warm, the surf can be bigger and the town feels calmer, which suits surfers, budget-minded travelers and anyone who likes the damp, green look of the tropics. The trade-off is that afternoons are more likely to be wet and plans need to be flexible.

May sits between the two. Choose April if dry afternoons matter most, such as for a wedding or a day of boat trips. Choose June if you want the greenest scenery and a quieter town. Stay with May if you want a bit of both, with sunny mornings, warm water and the first lively showers.

Is May a good time to visit Tamarindo?

Yes, May is a good time for surfers, beach lovers and anyone who enjoys sunny mornings, warm water and a town that is starting to quiet down. It suits flexible travelers who do not mind an afternoon shower and who like seeing the hills turn green.

It is less ideal for anyone who needs dry weather every afternoon, such as for an outdoor event, or who dislikes humidity.

On arrival, head to the beach first, get a feel for the surf and ask a local surf school or your hotel how the water is behaving that day. Then settle into the rhythm of the month, with mornings outdoors and afternoons under cover. May in Tamarindo is the moment the dry coast exhales, when the first rain of the year smells of warm earth and the evening sky over the Pacific turns orange behind the clouds.

Sources

Open-Meteo / ECMWF ERA5, normals 1991-2020 computed for the grid cell at 10.2993N 85.8371W, 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
U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Information, Entry and exit requirements (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/CostaRica.html), checked October 8, 2026