Playa Samara Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.88° N 85.53° W

Playa Samara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 12 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Samara sea temperature is
30.3° C
2.0° 

Playa Samara surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Playa Samara surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 16 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period, SSW swell with 460 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 14s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Playa Samara this week:

The surf forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 13) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Playa Samara in the next 16 days are 1.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 8s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3AM (Mon 13th Jul)2ft (0.6m) 14s
Best Surf 3PM (Tue 14th Jul)2.5ft (0.8m) 14s
Most Powerful 6PM (Thu 16th Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 14s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.


Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but don’t let that fool ya. The first real session kicks off Sunday afternoon with a tiny, clean 3 ft SSW swell rolling into Playa Samara. It’s a beginner-friendly beach and reef setup, fairly consistent, and with the water feeling a touch warmer than normal at 86°, it’s like a bath out there. The combined energy is moderate (349), and with glassy conditions, it’s a nice little warm-up. Crowds can show up sometimes, but for a 3 ft wave, it’ll be mellow.

Monday morning gets a bit better. The swell shifts slightly to the SW at 2 ft, still clean with offshore wind, and the energy ticks up a notch (358). The big standout for the first week, though, has to be Tuesday afternoon. The swell holds at 3 ft from the SSW, but the combined energy jumps to 511, and it’s dead glassy. That’s the kind of afternoon where you lose track of time. The long 14-second period means the waves will have some shape, and paddling out won’t be a fight.

We roll through the rest of the week with similar small, clean conditions—mostly mornings with offshore or cross-off breezes keeping things tidy. Saturday morning (the 19th) is worth a mention. The swell bumps up to 3 ft from the south, and the energy is getting stronger at 631. Glassy conditions on Sunday afternoon make that a real contender, too.

Now, the second week starts to get interesting, but it’s a bit of a tease. Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st have some ripper conditions—3 ft SW swell with very long 16-second periods, clean and glassy, and energy levels hanging around 600-667. That’s groundswell, folks, and it’ll wrap in nicely at the reef. Keep an eye on the tides.

The real punch comes on Monday the 27th. The morning session is the standout of the whole forecast. We’re looking at a 4 ft SW swell, but the energy is a massive 1171—that’s strong, powerful stuff. The period is a very long 17 seconds, so the sets will hit hard and clean, and the offshore wind will make it perfect. This one is for the experienced crew; 4 ft from that deep a swell will have some push. The afternoon gets a bit messy with cross-onshore wind, so get out early.

Overall, the best bets are Tuesday afternoon the 14th for a glassy, fun session, and Monday morning the 27th for the real power. Keep it on your radar.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sun
19
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
3
3
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
SW
13
0.7
SW
14
0.6
S
16
0.6
S
15
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.6
SW
18
0.7
SSW
13
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.8
SSW
12
1
SSW
13
0.8
SSW
12
0.9
SSW
14
1
SSW
13
1
SSW
13
0.7
S
14
0.7
S
14
1
SSW
13
1
S
14
1
S
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
172
191
188
159
280
258
197
178
198
208
196
331
167
356
372
336
203
198
367
377
304
Wind (km/h)
10
E
10
NNE
5
WSW
10
NNE
5
NE
5
SW
15
NNE
10
NNE
5
WSW
5
N
5
NE
10
SW
10
N
10
NE
5
SSW
5
N
10
NNE
5
SSW
5
N
5
NNE
5
SSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
glassy
glassy
off
cross-off
cross-on
off
glassy
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
off
cross-on
glassy
off
glassy
High Tide
1:04AM2.24m
1:22PM2.62m
2:04AM2.39m
2:20PM2.70m
2:59AM2.54m
3:14PM2.74m
3:51AM2.66m
4:05PM2.74m
4:41AM2.72m
4:55PM2.67m
5:28AM2.72m
5:43PM2.56m
6:15AM2.66m
Low Tide
7:03AM0.40m
7:50PM0.13m
8:05AM0.29m
8:44PM0.02m
9:02AM0.21m
9:35PM-0.05m
9:56AM0.17m
10:23PM-0.05m
10:48AM0.17m
11:10PM-0.00m
11:39AM0.22m
11:56PM0.11m
12:29PM0.31m
thunderstorm
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thunderstorm
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thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
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<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:28
5:28
5:28
5:28
5:28
5:28
5:28
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:07
 mm
3
2
6
2
2
5
1
3
1
1
10
2
3
Temp °C
26
29
29
27
29
28
26
29
28
27
29
29
27
30
29
27
29
28
26
30
29
Feels °C
29
33
34
32
33
32
28
33
32
31
32
33
32
34
34
32
33
32
31
34
34
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Playa Samara Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Playa Samara provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Playa Samara can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Playa Samara surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Playa Samara) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Playa Samara may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Playa Samara is 31 km (19 miles) from Nicoya. If you plan a holiday in Golfo de Nicoya, look for hotels and other accommodation in Nicoya. Nicoya has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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