Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 4 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,571 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s 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 (Sep 01) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. 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 1.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your board. Here’s how the next 16 days look from where I’m sitting.
We start quiet, then a sweet pulse of long-period SW groundswell lights up the real standout of the whole window around the 4th and 5th of September. The water’s at 87°F right now, which is much warmer than usual – about 4°F above what you’d expect for this time of year.
The best waves by a long shot will be at Playa Samara. On Thursday morning, September 4th, we’ve got 4ft SW at 17 seconds, combined energy at 1228 – that’s moderate-strong. The wind is glassy out of the ENE, so it’s gonna be clean and lined up. Good for experienced surfers, a bit heavy for beginners at that size. Then Saturday morning, September 5th, goes even better: 6ft SW at 16 seconds, combined energy at 1602, and dead calm glassy conditions. That’s your session. That long period can make the waves a little straight for a beach and reef setup, but with that energy and glassy surface, it’s still going to be excellent.
The first day or two are small and a bit average – Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning on the 2nd have tiny swell and onshore wind, nothing to run for. Then Thursday the 4th hits and it’s on.
After the 5th, the swell settles back to smaller, cleaner days like Wednesday the 9th morning with 3ft SW at 16 seconds and glassy wind – a nice tidy longboard day. Thursday the 10th pushes back up to 4ft SW but the wind goes cross-onshore, so a bit bumpy. Not the standout but still rideable.
Into the second week, from around the 12th it gets leaner. Mornings like the 13th and 15th have small 3ft SW swell with glassy wind – quiet, clean, but small. Afternoons in that second week mostly see onshore wind that chops it up.
Crowds can show up at Playa Samara sometimes, so for the 4th and 5th, get in early. The break is exposed to SW and the optimum is SSW, so this swell is nicely lined up.
Keep your eyes sharp for Thursday 4th and Saturday 5th September mornings. That’s the gold. The rest is clean small stuff or bumpy average fun.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 27mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 30°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 42mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | 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 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 301 | 252 | 220 | 246 | 326 | 314 | 296 | 494 | 881 | 1062 | 1415 | 1333 | 1552 | 1412 | 868 | 746 | 667 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | cross-off | on | cross | glassy | on | glassy |
High Tide | 5:26PM2.39m | 5:45AM2.61m | 6:09PM2.30m | 6:29AM2.54m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:21AM0.24m | 11:28PM0.28m | 12:04PM0.28m | 00:11AM0.36m | 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 | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — |
mm | 3 | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | — | 8 | 11 | — | 12 | 9 |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 26 |
Feels °C | 32 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | 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 |
| kJ | 301 | 252 | 220 | 241 | 238 | 187 | 239 | 494 | 881 | 1062 | 1415 | 1333 | 1552 | 1412 | 868 | 746 | 667 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | S 6 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | WNW 11 | SSW 6 |
| kJ | 43 | 53 | 53 | 26 | 326 | 314 | 144 | 174 | 133 | 138 | 133 | 15 | 25 | 14 | 30 | 22 | 29 | 27 | 24 | 69 | 18 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 6 | S 6 | SW 19 | SW 12 | W 9 | SW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | W 11 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 11 | SSW 19 | WNW 11 |
| kJ | 84 | 112 | 155 | 246 | 26 | 18 | 296 | 112 | 14 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 41 | 61 | 57 | 146 | 68 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 6 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 16 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 112 | 9 | 9 | 103 | 16 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 16 | 9 | 52 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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