— GUIDE · BEST TIME TO VISIT · COSTALEGRE, MEXICO
The Casa Papelillo Guides
Updated October 2026 · 6 min read · By Casa Papelillo
The best time to visit the Costalegre is November to April. It is the dry season, with sunny days, low humidity, humpback whales offshore (November to February) and polo in Careyes. May to October is the green season: hotter, more humid and much quieter, with the warmest sea, sea-turtle nesting and the lowest rates of the year.
Nov–Apr
Dry season
28 °C
Average high all year
Jul–Dec
Turtle season
For dry, settled weather, come between November and April. Almost no rain falls in these months, days reach about 28 °C (low 80s °F), and evenings are cool enough for dinner outside. December to March is the most reliable stretch for a beach holiday, a celebration or an outdoor event.
Each half of the year has its own appeal:
Temperatures barely change on this coast. The year-round average is about 25 °C, and the warmest and coolest months are less than 5 °C apart. What changes is the rain. Almost all of it falls between mid-June and October.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Sea | Rainy days | What’s on | Season at Casa Papelillo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28 °C / 83 °F | 20 °C / 68 °F | 27 °C / 81 °F | 1 | Whales, polo | High to 5 Jan, then Mid |
| February | 28 °C / 82 °F | 20 °C / 67 °F | 26 °C / 80 °F | 1 | Whales, polo | Mid; High at Chinese New Year |
| March | 28 °C / 82 °F | 19 °C / 67 °F | 25 °C / 78 °F | 0 | Polo, driest month | Mid; High in Easter week |
| April | 29 °C / 83 °F | 20 °C / 69 °F | 26 °C / 78 °F | 0 | Polo | Mid; High in Easter week |
| May | 30 °C / 85 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 27 °C / 80 °F | 2 | Hottest and quietest | Low |
| June | 29 °C / 84 °F | 24 °C / 75 °F | 29 °C / 83 °F | 13 | Rains begin; the forest turns green | Low |
| July | 29 °C / 84 °F | 24 °C / 76 °F | 30 °C / 86 °F | 16 | Turtle nesting begins | Low |
| August | 29 °C / 84 °F | 24 °C / 76 °F | 30 °C / 86 °F | 17 | Turtles; warmest sea | Low |
| September | 28 °C / 83 °F | 24 °C / 75 °F | 30 °C / 86 °F | 18 | Turtles; wettest month | Low |
| October | 29 °C / 83 °F | 24 °C / 75 °F | 30 °C / 85 °F | 13 | Turtle hatchlings; rains ease | Low |
| November | 29 °C / 84 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 29 °C / 84 °F | 3 | Whales arrive, polo starts, Ondalinda | Mid; High in Ondalinda week |
| December | 28 °C / 83 °F | 21 °C / 69 °F | 28 °C / 82 °F | 1 | Whales, turtles, polo, Christmas | Mid; High from 20 Dec |
Air and sea temperatures and rainy days: Manzanillo, the nearest long-term climate record, 1991–2021 (climate-data.org). Chamela Bay is drier than Manzanillo, averaging about 780 mm of rain a year (UNAM Chamela Biological Station).
The eastern Pacific hurricane season officially runs from 15 May to 30 November. Most storms form between late June and early October, and activity peaks in late August. Most storms stay out at sea, but a stay in August, September or early October should allow for a day or two of heavy rain.
From November to May there is effectively no hurricane risk. For a wedding or outdoor event between June and October, plan a tent or an indoor fallback. Our weddings and retreats guide covers this.
The tropical dry forest of the Chamela–Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve changes with the seasons. It is bare and silver-grey in the dry months and turns green within days of the first rains in June.
Four periods book up first, often a year ahead:
These are high season at Casa Papelillo, with a five-night minimum stay. At all other times the minimum is two nights. If your dates are fixed around one of these weeks, reserve early.
May to October is low season, with the lowest nightly rates of the year and a two-night minimum. It is also when the coast is at its quietest. You may have a whole beach to yourself, and the sea is at its warmest for swimming and snorkelling.
The trade-off is heat, humidity and afternoon storms, mostly from July to October. The villa has air conditioning in every suite, fans throughout and Starlink Wi-Fi for rainy afternoons. May and early June, before the rains, and late October, once they ease, are the sweet spots. Use the Reserve button below to see rates and available dates. Travelling from abroad? See how to get to Careyes.
Plan your season at Casa Papelillo: 12 guests, fully staffed, on Chamela Bay.
For dry weather and whales, January and February. They are sunny, dry and warm, with humpbacks offshore and polo in Careyes. March is the driest month of all, though by then the whales have usually left. For the warmest sea and the fewest visitors, choose late October or early November, just after the rains.
The rainy season runs from mid-June to October, and August and September are the wettest months. Rain usually comes as afternoon or evening storms, and mornings are often clear. From November to May it barely rains.
Summer days reach about 29–30 °C (mid 80s °F), but the humidity makes them feel hotter. Most guests swim in the morning, rest in the afternoon and eat outside in the evening. Every suite at Casa Papelillo is air-conditioned.
Yes. The sea stays between about 25 °C (78 °F) in March and 30 °C (86 °F) in August. Chamela Bay is sheltered by islands, so the water in front of the villa is usually calm. There are no lifeguards, so swim with care.
Humpback whales pass the Costalegre from November to February. They are often visible from the shore and the villa’s terraces. Boat trips with a licensed captain can be arranged through the butler.
Whale watching in Costalegre
When the humpback whales arrive, how boat trips work and the rules that protect them.
What is the Costalegre?
Where the Costalegre is, its best beaches, the biosphere reserve and where to stay.
