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Destinations · Head-to-head

Costa Rica vs Malaysia

Costa Rica and Malaysia, 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.

Costa Rica guide · Malaysia guide · How we score

By the numbers

Costa Rica compared with Malaysia
Costa RicaMeasureMalaysia
Level 2: Exercise Increased CautionU.S. travel advisoryLevel 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
7Resorts in our catalog1
★ 4.4 (better)Average guest rating★ 4.2
$119–$289/night ppNightly rates–
1 of 7Adults-only resorts0 of 1
Low hurricane riskHurricane exposureNo hurricane season
May–November ('green season'), with September–October seriously wetRainy seasonApril–October, wettest September–October
December–April, bone-dry in GuanacasteSweet spotDecember–March
Spanish (English common in tourist areas)LanguageMalay (English widely spoken)
Costa Rican colón – USD widely acceptedCurrencyMalaysian ringgit (RM/MYR); cards common in cities
120V, Type A/B plugs (same as the US)Power240V, Type G plugs (UK-style; bring an adapter)
On the rightDrivingOn the left
Liberia – Daniel Oduber (LIR)Main airportKota Kinabalu International (BKI)
~3.5–5.5h from the US (nonstops to Liberia)Flight time~22–26h from the US with one or two stops

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

On the map

Map of Costa Rica resorts
Costa Rica
Map of Malaysia resorts
Malaysia

Weather, month by month

Month-by-month average high temperature and rainfall for Costa Rica and Malaysia
MeasureJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Costa Rica · high °F919293939188888887868789
Malaysia · high °F909191918988888887878788
Costa Rica · rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5
Malaysia · rain (in)1.42.04.17.49.17.07.88.512.813.59.23.5

Approximate climate normals for Guanacaste / Papagayo and Langkawi: planning guidance, not a forecast. Deeper gold = hotter; deeper teal = wetter.

Where you'd actually stay

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