The Grand Escape
Destinations · Head-to-head

Aruba vs Guanacaste

Aruba and Guanacaste, side by side: live travel advisories, our resort catalog's real guest data, and each destination's honest weather picture — everything you need to break the tie.

Aruba guide · Guanacaste guide · How we score

By the numbers

ArubaGuanacaste
U.S. travel advisoryLevel 1: Exercise Normal PrecautionsLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Resorts in our catalog105
Average guest rating★ 4.4★ 4.4
Nightly ratesUnder $300–$500/night$800+
Adults-only resorts2 of 101 of 5
Hurricane exposureOutside the hurricane beltLow hurricane risk
Rainy seasonOctober–December, and 'rainy' is generous — this is one of the driest islands in the CaribbeanMay–November ('green season'), seriously wet September–October
Sweet spotYear-round; January–March is peak season and priced like itDecember–April, bone-dry

Advisory levels sync from travel.state.gov; catalog figures reflect the resorts we've researched, not every hotel in the country.

Weather, month by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aruba — high °F858586878889899090898785
Guanacaste — high °F919293939188888887868789
Aruba — rain (in)1.50.80.40.50.60.71.31.01.83.03.73.2
Guanacaste — rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5

Approximate climate normals for Palm Beach / Eagle Beach and Papagayo / Guanacaste — planning guidance, not a forecast.

Where you'd actually stay

Best of Aruba

  1. 1.Barceló Aruba - All Inclusive — · ★ 4.5
  2. 2.Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort — · ★ 4.5
  3. 3.Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusive — · ★ 4.5

Chains here: Divi Resorts · RIU Hotels & Resorts · Barceló

Full Aruba guide

Best of Guanacaste

  1. 1.The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa — · ★ 4.5
  2. 2.Planet Hollywood Costa Rica by Royalton, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort — · ★ 4.4
  3. 3.Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica — · ★ 4.4

Chains here: Westin · Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts · Secrets Resorts & Spas

Full Guanacaste guide

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