Purple Rain: Six Sneaky Reasons To Hit Central America in September and October
And our picks for the best wet season spots to stay
We can thank the North American monsoon for the rainy season, which brings a seasonal reversal of wind affecting Central America. A shift in wind direction brings warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean, leading to increased rainfall in Mexico, San Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua. Mornings are usually clear, but afternoon storms bring the heaviest rainfall of the year in September and October. If that sounds like a bummer, it ain’t, completely. For a surfer, it’s a mixed blessing, but there are some sneaky exceptions where you can score diamonds in the rough, without the crowds, and at a lower cost. Here are six reasons to travel in the rainy season, and six resorts to best make the most of it.
The Waves
Way, way off in the distance, low-pressure systems that form just to the east of New Zealand provide swells to the Pacific Coast. The waves aren’t any worse off for their 12,000km journey. In fact, as the swell is pushed off the weather system’s leading edge and gets pushed in a clockwise rotation as they move east, it provides the SW direction that the pointbreaks, beaches, and reefs prefer. There’s more wind, and the rain does cause havoc in some locations, but with consistent swell, you can find spots that deal with all these factors.
Fewer crowds
The tourist boards, to their credit, have tried to rebrand the wet season as the “green season,” but non-surfers still tend to dislike holidays where precipitation is guaranteed. That means the beaches, bars, and restaurants are less crowded, and there are more chill vibes. There are also fewer surfers, many who prefer the smaller swells of the dry season.
Cheaper flights and hotels
While it’s peak season for waves, the hotels and airlines call it off season, and there are discounts on accommodation and a significant drop in the price of flights compared to the USA winter months.
Nature at its best
There’s a reason why a country’s tourism board has moved from calling it the rainy season to the green season. During this time of year, the landscape turns a lush green, the jungles pop with sounds and colours, and the waterfalls up their game. If nothing else, it’s way better for the Instagram pics.
Bring The Binoculars
Linked to the above, fauna lovers will be stoked to know that the wet season brings out the best in Central America’s animal kingdom. In Costa Rica, green sea turtles can be seen on the coastline of the Tortuguero National Park. The whale watching season also begins, and for the twitchers out there, the bird watching goes XL. In the interests of balance, some unwelcome flying friends are mosquitoes, which love this time of year.
Cooler weather and warm water
This time of year brings lower temperatures, and the cooler weather can be a lovely respite from the heat and humidity at the peak of the dry season. Now, there’s no need to pack the winter coat, and the water temp doesn’t budge from its normal 80 Fahrenheit, but the slighter cooler day temps make life even more comfortable.
Hotel Los Mangos, located near El Cuco in El Salvador.
The pointbreak of Punta Mango shines during the rainy season. It’s a notoriously wind-sensitive wave, but the cooler air temps and consistent cloud cover during the rainy months help keep onshore winds at bay. It’s not uncommon to get light or glassy conditions all day, giving guests staying right on the point a shot at uncrowded sessions at one of El Salvador’s best waves.
Infinity Surf Resorts, Playa el Mojon, Mexico.
Take advantage of the cheap flights and affordable accommodation at Playa el Mojon, Mexico. The Gap Winds that can hammer the southern points near Salina Cruz don’t usually reach as far north as Huatulco. Waves like Mojon, Barra, Faro, and San Diego are more protected, making Infinity Surf Resort a solid late-season pick for surfers who want to sample some sand bottom right points.
Encanta La Vida, Matapalo, Costa Rica
The all-inclusive beachfront lodge in Matapalo, Costa Rica, is a gateway to one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. In the nearby rainforest, you can spot 1000s of bird species and marvel at the local sloths. Backwash Bay and Pan Dulce Point are located inside the peninsula, offering great wind protection. Mornings often blow offshore, before it swings during the afternoon. However, you can usually count on clean conditions no matter what the weather at these quality waves.