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Destinations · Head-to-head

Guanacaste vs Malé Atolls

Guanacaste 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.

Guanacaste guide · Malé Atolls guide · How we score

By the numbers

GuanacasteMalé 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'), seriously wet September–OctoberMay–November (southwest monsoon), wettest September–November
Sweet spotDecember–April, bone-dryJanuary–March
Best forNature + beach in one trip; reliable winter sunFirst Maldives trips, shorter stays, red-eye arrivals

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 Guanacaste resorts
Guanacaste
Map of Malé Atolls resorts
Malé Atolls

Weather, month by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Guanacaste — high °F919293939188888887868789
Malé Atolls — high °F868788888786868686868686
Guanacaste — 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 Papagayo / Guanacaste and Malé — planning guidance, not a forecast.

Where you'd actually stay

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

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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