Playa Samara Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.88° N 85.53° W

Playa Samara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 13 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, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period with SSW 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 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. 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 1.1m 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 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 17) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Mon 13th Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 16s
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.


The Lowdown

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

It’s a slow and small start, but don’t write it off. We’ve got a solid run of clean, rideable waves lined up, especially if you’re a beginner or a longboarder. The water is sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – feels like a bath, so no wetsuit needed.

The best bet on offer is Tuesday the 14th of July. The afternoon session is a standout: glassy conditions with a 3ft swell rolling in from the SSW, and the period is a long 14 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is sitting at 511 (moderate wave energy). It’s a beach and reef setup, so that long period will wrap in nicely. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, but on a Tuesday, you’ll likely have plenty of room.

Let’s run through the week. Monday the 13th starts with a glassy 2ft SW swell (14-second period, 358 energy). It’s clean, but the scores are just okay. The afternoon turns onshore and messy. Tuesday the 15th morning is clean with a 3ft SSW swell, cross-off wind, and 436 energy – a solid session. Wednesday the 16th morning is glassy again, 2ft SW, 12-second period, 338 energy. Thursday the 17th morning has a 3ft SSW swell, cross-off breeze, and 488 energy, but the real gem is Thursday afternoon: glassy, 3ft SSW, 13-second period, 510 energy – very good stuff.

Friday the 18th morning is clean with a 2ft S swell, 14-second period, 387 energy. Saturday the 19th is a highlight: 3ft S swell, 14-second period, 631 energy in the morning (cross-off) and glassy again in the afternoon. That Sunday the 20th starts with a 3ft SW swell, 16-second period, 618 energy – that’s a long-period groundswell, clean and cross-off. Very good.

Things hold into the next week. Monday the 21st has a 3ft SW, 15-second period, 556 energy with cross-off wind. Tuesday the 22nd morning is glassy, 2ft SW, 13-second period, 278 energy – still fun. But Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th get small and ordinary, with onshore winds and poor conditions. Friday the 25th brings a jump in size to 6ft, but it’s a short-period 7-second windswell, and the wind is onshore – messy and not great for paddle surfing.

The final stretch from Saturday the 26th of July into Monday the 28th looks promising again. Sunday the 26th afternoon goes glassy with a 3ft SW, 19-second period, 594 energy – that’s a very long period groundswell, and it’s clean. Monday the 27th morning is dead calm, glassy, 3ft SW, 18-second period, 688 energy – that’s the strongest combined energy of the whole run. This is a long-range standout, so keep an eye on it, but it looks like a cracker for the point.

Overall, you’ve got plenty of small, clean days to work with. The 3ft+ days with glassy wind are the ones to circle. It’s not a big swell window, but for a beginner-friendly spot, it’s a solid run.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Thu 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
Sunday
19
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
2
2
3
1
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
3
2
2
1
3
3
3
3
Swell
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
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
0.7
SW
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
1
S
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
191
188
159
280
258
197
178
198
208
157
331
167
356
372
336
203
198
367
400
304
319
Wind (km/h)
5
NE
5
S
5
NE
10
NNE
5
W
15
NNE
10
NE
5
WSW
10
N
5
ENE
10
SW
10
NNE
10
NNE
5
SW
10
NNE
10
NE
5
SSW
5
N
10
NNE
5
S
10
NNE
Wind State
glassy
on
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
off
glassy
cross-on
off
cross-off
glassy
off
cross-off
on
off
cross-off
glassy
off
High Tide
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
6:32PM2.41m
Low Tide
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
00:41AM0.26m
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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
4
2
1
1
4
1
5
1
5
5
1
3
2
Temp °C
29
29
27
30
29
26
30
28
27
29
29
26
30
29
26
29
29
26
29
29
26
Feels °C
33
33
32
34
33
28
34
32
31
33
33
29
34
34
30
33
34
31
33
34
29
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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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