The Grand Escape
Destinations · Head-to-head

Guanacaste vs Thailand

Guanacaste and Thailand, 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 · Thailand guide · How we score

By the numbers

GuanacasteThailand
U.S. travel advisoryLevel 2: Exercise Increased CautionLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Resorts in our catalog51
Average guest rating★ 4.4★ 4.7
Nightly rates$800+$300–$800/night
Adults-only resorts1 of 50 of 1
Hurricane exposureLow hurricane riskLow hurricane risk
Rainy seasonMay–November ('green season'), seriously wet September–OctoberMay–October, wettest September–October
Sweet spotDecember–April, bone-dryNovember–April (the Gulf side — Koh Samui — runs on a different clock, wettest October–December)

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
Guanacaste — high °F919293939188888887868789
Thailand — high °F899091918988888887878788
Guanacaste — rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5
Thailand — rain (in)1.41.22.34.313.58.710.210.515.512.17.13.0

Approximate climate normals for Papagayo / Guanacaste and Phuket / Andaman coast — 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 Thailand

  1. 1.Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket — Karon Beach, Phuket, Thailand · ★ 4.7

Chains here: Centara Grand

Full Thailand guide

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