Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,314 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 16s 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 9s. 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 1.6m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a long-range look at Playa Samara (Costa Rica), and the next 16 days are a real mixed bag of small, clean windows and periods you’d be better off sitting out. The good news? There’s something to chase, but patience is gonna be key.
Right now, water temps are running about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. The highlight of the whole run is shaping up to be Saturday, 29th August morning. Swell is pushing 5ft from the SW with a solid 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell, bringing heaps of energy (1136). Wind is glassy from the NNE, so the surface will be clean as a whistle. This is excellent for experienced surfers, no doubt about it. The SW direction is exactly what this exposed beach-and-reef setup wants. Just be aware, with energy that strong and a long period, it’ll be a bit more powerful than usual – a proper paddle-out.
The week leading up to that is mostly small and inconsistent. Tuesday and Wednesday (25th/26th) have tiny 2ft to 2ft swell with glassy windows in the mornings, but it’s mostly beginner-friendly stuff. Thursday 27th morning stays clean with glassy wind and 1ft swell, but energy is weak (266). Friday 28th morning sees a bump to 3ft with clean cross-off wind, but the energy is now moderate (794) – still, it’s surfable but nothing to write home about.
After the Saturday standout, Sunday 30th morning is still a decent option. 5ft swell from the SW, 14-second period, and clean cross-off wind from the east. Energy is high (945) and the waves will have good shape. Monday 31st morning drops down to 4ft, but clean cross-off wind keeps it rideable.
Then we hit a bit of a lull from Tuesday 1st September through Thursday 3rd. Swell drops to 2ft to 3ft, and most sessions are marginal with onshore or cross-on wind and risk of thunderstorms. Not worth getting excited about.
But hold on – Friday 4th September morning brings a real spike. 5ft swell from the SW, 18-second period, and absolutely dead calm, glassy conditions. Energy is through the roof (1796) – that’s strong to very strong wave energy. This is another excellent window for experienced surfers. The long period will make the waves feel meaty, and the reef here will love that direction.
Saturday 5th September morning is also a beauty: 6ft SW swell, 16-second period, glassy ENE wind, and energy at 1478. Another top-tier session. The 6th and 7th start to taper off, but mornings remain glassy with 4ft to 4ft swell – still fun for a paddle.
The last real standout is Wednesday 9th September morning. 2ft swell might sound small, but with an 18-second period, 578 energy, and clean cross-off wind from the NE, it’ll be surprisingly well-shaped and fun on the reef.
Overall, the best on offer is the Saturday 29th August morning, followed closely by the Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September mornings. Don’t sleep on the mid-week windows either – the glassy mornings punch above their weight here.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Tue morning, min 26°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | |||||||||||||||
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 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | S 7 | SW 7 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
211 | 206 | 191 | 110 | 107 | 77 | 102 | 112 | 245 | 450 | 358 | 1215 | 1017 | 1314 | 1001 | 911 | 736 | 549 | 392 | 386 | 331 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross | on | off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy |
High Tide | 12:49PM2.11m | 1:28AM2.04m | 1:35PM2.22m | 2:08AM2.20m | 2:17PM2.32m | 2:45AM2.35m | 2:55PM2.39m | 3:20AM2.48m | 3:32PM2.45m | 3:54AM2.58m | 4:09PM2.46m | 4:29AM2.63m | 4:47PM2.44m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:14PM0.58m | 7:27AM0.70m | 7:55PM0.47m | 8:10AM0.58m | 8:31PM0.38m | 8:49AM0.46m | 9:06PM0.30m | 9:27AM0.36m | 9:40PM0.25m | 10:04AM0.29m | 10:14PM0.23m | 10:42AM0.24m | 10:50PM0.24m | ||||||||
5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | |
— | 5:54 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:51 | — | |
mm | — | 11 | 1 | — | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | — | 4 | 9 |
Temp °C | 31 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 31 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 34 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 8 | SW 15 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 7 | S 6 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
53 | 51 | 191 | 39 | 66 | 77 | 102 | 54 | 245 | 450 | 358 | 1215 | 1017 | 1314 | 1001 | 911 | 736 | 549 | 392 | 386 | 331 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 8 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | S 7 | SW 15 | S 7 | SW 16 | S 7 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | S 7 |
211 | 206 | 33 | 110 | 107 | 75 | 86 | 76 | 33 | 245 | 23 | 126 | 126 | 44 | 44 | 19 | 30 | 62 | 105 | 88 | 45 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 10 | SW 19 | SW 15 | SW 18 | WSW 6 | SSW 7 | SW 14 | S 13 | — | — | S 10 | SW 6 | SW 6 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 6 |
35 | 13 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 56 | 77 | 112 | 25 | 45 | 89 | 3 | — | — | 18 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 34 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 53 | 9 | 9 | 34 | 16 | 9 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 112 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 59 | 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.











