Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 21s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 17s period, SW swell with 1,682 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 24s 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 24s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 3PM. 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+) | 6AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 24s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for us over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a solid run of swell on the way, starting right now. The forecast is for a consistent SW groundswell, and the water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises when you get in.
The standout window is definitely the back half of the first week. The best of the best is shaping up to be Monday July 27th right through to Wednesday July 30th. The pick of the bunch is Playa Samara (beach and reef). It’s a fairly consistent spot, exposed to the swell, and the optimum direction is SSW. The swell is coming from the SW, which is a good match. The combined energy is strong, hitting 1529 on Tuesday the 28th, and you’ll be looking at head-high waves, around 5ft. The wind is forecast to be glassy on those mornings, with a light ENE breeze on Monday and Tuesday, and a dead calm on Wednesday. That’s going to give you some absolutely pristine, clean conditions. The wave period is around 16-18 seconds, so it’s a proper long-period groundswell with heaps of energy. That means the waves will be well-shaped, but at a beach break, it might be a bit straight and fat. Still, for the experienced surfer, this is the best on offer. Heads up, though – the afternoons look sketchy with a risk of thunderstorms and onshore wind, so get your sessions in early.
Before that, we’ve got a good warm-up. Saturday July 25th and Sunday July 26th are also looking clean in the mornings. Saturday morning has some offshore wind and 3ft swell, and Sunday morning bumps up to 4ft with a light offshore breeze. The energy is solid, but the period is a bit shorter, around 19 seconds.
We hit a bit of a lull after the first week. From Thursday July 31st onwards, the swell drops off. We’re looking at smaller, weaker surf for a solid five days, from the 31st right through to August 4th. The mornings will still be glassy or clean, but the waves are smaller, around 2ft to 3ft, and the energy is way down. It’s not terrible, but it’s nothing to get excited about.
The second week picks up a little bit. Saturday August 8th looks like the best of the late run. The morning is clean and glassy, with a 2ft swell from the SSW and a period of 15 seconds. The energy is moderate (395), and the conditions should be fun for a small-wave board. It’s a promising sign, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Fri night. Warm (max 29°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Mon night. Warm (max 29°C on Mon morning, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 102 | 563 | 271 | 898 | 658 | 563 | 1210 | 920 | 996 | 1185 | 800 | 808 | 1465 | 1213 | 1682 | 1225 | 1194 | 964 | 856 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | on | cross-on | off | cross-on | off | off | cross | cross-off | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 10:06PM1.85m | 10:26AM2.09m | 11:10PM1.81m | 11:26AM2.07m | 00:12AM1.84m | 12:23PM2.11m | 1:07AM1.91m | 1:14PM2.18m | 1:55AM2.01m | 2:00PM2.26m | 2:37AM2.13m | 2:42PM2.33m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:05AM0.82m | 5:03PM0.71m | 5:06AM0.85m | 6:02PM0.68m | 6:06AM0.83m | 6:56PM0.61m | 7:01AM0.77m | 7:43PM0.52m | 7:49AM0.69m | 8:24PM0.43m | 8:33AM0.61m | 9:03PM0.36m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  | |  | | |  | | | |  | |  | | | | |
 | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — |
mm | 1 | — | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 26 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SW 8 | WSW 8 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 62 | 110 | 80 | 898 | 658 | 563 | 1210 | 920 | 996 | 1185 | 546 | 808 | 1465 | 1213 | 1682 | 1225 | 1194 | 964 | 856 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 8 | SW 24 | S 7 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | SW 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 19 | SW 15 | S 9 | SW 13 | S 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 6 | S 6 |
| kJ | 102 | 563 | 52 | 56 | 39 | 142 | 114 | 100 | 98 | 71 | 800 | 492 | 41 | 253 | 25 | 61 | 83 | 27 | 17 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 24 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SSW 11 | — | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 |
| kJ | 47 | 55 | 271 | 57 | 29 | 45 | 103 | 58 | 41 | 29 | 68 | 67 | 28 | 63 | 25 | — | 5 | 1 | 8 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 45 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 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.
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