I have 2 week off Aug 14-28, and will be traveling with wife and daughter. We are interested in Belize or CR, but are concerned about the weather/rain this time of year. First- which is better to visit this time of year (Belize or CR). Second- when we travel we enjoy adventure activities (raft, kayak, zip line, hikes, snorkel)..but do like taking a day or two doing nothing except the beach. So my question is -is the rain really a big deal? If it is we can maybe go at a better time in 2011/12. If it is too rainey any other vacation suggestions (we have already been too South America, Croatia, Hawaii) to have any active vacation with good weather this time of year- THANKS

This is a complete change of pace, but the Katahdin/Baxter St. Park region in Maine is gorgeous in Maine. We were there last year, and rafted the Penobscot, and we've also hiked in the area (the Appalachian Trail ends at Mt. Katahdin).

The beaches in Maine don't compare to Hawaii's, of course.

The Yucatan Peninsula is another good option--all of the activities except rafting, plus Mayan ruins.

www.visitcostarica.com

Costa Rica for adventure

www.desafiocostarica.com

www.tabacon.com

then for beach

www.reservaconchal.com

PM rain can be an issue in green season usually do most

tours in the AM...

www.brazilbeaches.org Guadeloupe or Nevis good alternatives.

http://costa-rica-guide.com/Weather/WeatherMap.html is a good map to show the general weather patterns by month. Just mouse over the areas you're interested in.

We went in June to both places and found the weather about the same (some rain but nothing to worry about). However, we found it to be hotter (maybe just the year we went?) in Belize. Both are great and think you'll be pleased either way. If snorkeling or diving are a high priority then Belize is your answer. For white water rafting, zip lining, etc, Costa Rica's the place. Enjoy!

We've visited Belize for 3-4 weeks twice (July/August 2003 and August 2009) and had great weather both times; it was hotter in 2003. Both times it rained almost exclusively at night.

If you're interested in snorkeling, choose Belize. If you're interested in an amazing variety of contempory culture and gorgeous ancient Maya ruins, choose Belize. My photos and detailed travelogues are linked below. Happy trails!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

I totally agree with SiteC; if you're looking for rafting, ziplining, and hiking, Costa Rica would be my choice. For snorkeling, Belize is hard to beat. Each one has their strong points.