
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 17s period, SW swell with 1,567 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Samara in the next 16 days are 1.7m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty checking in with a look at the surf ahead for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got one spot on the radar: Playa Samara.
Right off the bat, the water temp here is sitting at a balmy 87°F, which is much warmer than what’s normal for this time of year – over two degrees warmer, so that’s a nice surprise for that first paddle out.
The week opens up with some very clean conditions. Thursday morning (3rd Sep) we’ve got small but clean lines rolling in at about 2ft from the SW. The period is a massive 19 seconds, so this is proper long-period groundswell, which means the waves will be shaped well and have plenty of energy – the combined energy is at 679 (moderate). With a light cross-offshore breeze, it’s going to feel smooth out there. The morning is your window; the afternoon gets a bit messy with onshore wind.
Then Friday morning (4th Sep) is a real standout. Swell pushes up to about 4ft from the SW, still a long 17-second period, and we get glassy conditions – no wind at all. The energy jumps up to 1197 (strong). This is excellent for experienced surfers but could be a little much for absolute beginners with the power in the water.
Saturday morning (5th Sep) looks even better for the stronger paddler. We’re looking at nearly 6ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, with absolute glass. Combined energy is 1602 (very strong). That's a solid step up in size. For the experienced crew, this is one of the best windows of the whole period, but it’s definitely too big for learners.
The surf starts to taper off through Sunday (6th Sep) and into the start of the following week, with morning glassy windows but smaller swell around 3ft to 5ft. The energy drops into the moderate range.
There’s another nice pulse on Thursday morning (10th Sep) – 4ft from the SW, 17-second period, and a cross-off breeze from the NE keeping things clean. The energy is back up to 1166 (strong). Again, the mornings are consistently cleaner all week. By Saturday (12th Sep) and Sunday (13th Sep) the swell drops right down – 3ft to 4ft – but still glassy in the mornings. It’s small, but fun for a longboard or a fish.
Looking further out to the second week, things hold small but clean. Tuesday (15th Sep) and Wednesday (16th Sep) mornings see 3ft to 3ft glassy SW swells. Energy is moderate. Thursday (17th Sep) and Friday (18th Sep) mornings bring back that very long-period groundswell (21 to 23 seconds) but the height is tiny, around 2ft to 2ft. It’ll be pretty and clean, but you’ll be scratching for a wave unless you’re on a log.
Overall, the first weekend is the pick of the bunch, especially Saturday morning for the confident surfer. Crowds are possible at Playa Samara, but with such consistent morning windows, you’ll find your share of waves.
Stay stoked,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 45mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 30°C on Thu morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
296 | 418 | 881 | 1062 | 1537 | 1314 | 1552 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 667 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 | 249 | 224 | 302 | 367 | 669 | 871 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 6:57PM2.20m | 7:20AM2.43m | 7:54PM2.09m | 8:21AM2.32m | 9:03PM2.01m | 9:33AM2.25m | 10:23PM2.02m | 10:50AM2.25m | 11:39PM2.13m | 12:02PM2.32m | 00:44AM2.31m | 1:04PM2.42m | 1:38AM2.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:51PM0.36m | 00:59AM0.46m | 1:46PM0.45m | 1:57AM0.57m | 2:52PM0.53m | 3:08AM0.66m | 4:07PM0.55m | 4:29AM0.67m | 5:21PM0.50m | 5:46AM0.59m | 6:26PM0.39m | 6:52AM0.46m | 7:21PM0.27m | ||||||||
5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | |
— | 5:50 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 2 | 10 | 12 | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 33 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 |
239 | 418 | 881 | 1062 | 1537 | 1314 | 1552 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 667 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 | 249 | 199 | 302 | 367 | 669 | 871 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | W 9 | S 7 | S 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | S 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WNW 11 | S 11 |
144 | 158 | 105 | 107 | 103 | 89 | 25 | 34 | 31 | 43 | 41 | 45 | 30 | 33 | 19 | 246 | 224 | 114 | 147 | 40 | 37 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 15 | W 9 | SW 13 | SSW 11 | W 9 | SSW 11 | W 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | SW 6 | SW 19 | SW 18 | W 11 | WNW 11 | W 12 | SW 19 | SW 20 | WNW 11 |
296 | 215 | 14 | 28 | 24 | 15 | 25 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 95 | 155 | 86 | 38 | 101 | 234 | 134 | 40 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 7 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 103 | 9 | 9 | 45 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 19 | 9 | 45 | 16 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 46 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










