The Grand Escape
Destinations · Head-to-head

Costa Rica vs Malé Atolls

Costa Rica and Malé Atolls, 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 · Malé Atolls guide · How we score

By the numbers

Costa RicaMalé Atolls
U.S. travel advisoryLevel 2: Exercise Increased CautionLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Resorts in our catalog55
Average guest rating★ 4.4★ 4.7
Nightly rates$800+$500–$800+/night
Adults-only resorts1 of 50 of 5
Hurricane exposureLow hurricane riskNo hurricane season
Rainy seasonMay–November ('green season'), with September–October seriously wetMay–November (southwest monsoon), wettest September–November
Sweet spotDecember–April, bone-dry in GuanacasteJanuary–March

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 Malé Atolls resorts
Malé Atolls

Weather, month by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Costa Rica — high °F919293939188888887868789
Malé Atolls — high °F868788888786868686868686
Costa Rica — rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5
Malé Atolls — rain (in)4.52.02.95.28.56.55.86.99.68.79.19.0

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

Where you'd actually stay

Best of Costa Rica

  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 Costa Rica guide

Best of Malé Atolls

  1. 1.Club Med Kani — North Malé Atoll, Maldives · ★ 4.8
  2. 2.Gili Lankanfushi — North Malé Atoll, Maldives · ★ 4.8
  3. 3.Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort — South Malé Atoll, Maldives · ★ 4.7

Chains here: Club Med · Gili Lankanfushi · Anantara

Full Malé Atolls guide

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