Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy 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★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 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 (Aug 27) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 15s is also forecast. 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 1.6m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 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
Hey everyone, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the surf coming up for Playa Samara.
Overall, we’ve got a sweet little run of building swells from the southwest, all of it groundswell with periods that really hum – mostly in the 14 to 18-second range. That kind of long period means the waves will have some real push, but at a beach-and-reef setup like this, they might stand up a bit too quick and barrel hard. Still, for the experienced crew, it’s going to be a fun window.
The real standout is Saturday, August 29th, in the morning. We’ve got a solid 5 ft SW groundswell pumping, with a very long period of 16 seconds and strong energy (combined energy of 1106). The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the northeast, which will keep the faces clean. This is for the experienced surfer – it’s got power and it’s well-shaped. The water here is a touch warmer than normal at 86°F, so it’s a nice tropical lap.
Before that, we start small. Thursday morning, August 27th, is tiny with 1 ft SW and a super long 18-second period – that’s a lot of wait between sets. The wind is offshore, so it’s rideable for beginners, but not much push. Friday morning, August 28th, builds a little with 3 ft SW at 19 seconds and clean cross-offshore wind – a nice intro to the weekend.
Sunday, August 30th, has a glassy morning with 5 ft SW, period dropping to 14 seconds, and again that offshore flow – very good, but the energy is a notch down (combined energy of 991).
The next big window is Friday, September 4th. Morning surf shows 4 ft SW groundswell, 17-second period, with glassy conditions off an east-southeast breeze – excellent for experienced surfers again. The combined energy is strong (1173). Then Saturday, September 5th, repeats the trick: 5 ft SW, 16-second period, glassy morning, and combined energy of 1183. Both these mornings are the other real standouts in the second week. The period is dropping through the week though, so the quality is a little less certain far out.
There’s a gap of a few days after the 11th of September with no clear winners, but with swells this consistent, it won’t be flat for long.
Crowds? Playa Samara can get busy, especially on the good days, so plan your paddle accordingly.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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 18 | 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 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 112 | 112 | 245 | 531 | 358 | 1215 | 1017 | 1314 | 1001 | 911 | 821 | 549 | 392 | 386 | 331 | 301 | 252 | 220 | 246 | 326 | 314 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross-off | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | off | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 5:06AM2.65m | 5:26PM2.39m | 5:45AM2.61m | 6:09PM2.30m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 11:21AM0.24m | 11:28PM0.28m | 12:04PM0.28m | 00:11AM0.36m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | |  | |
 | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:50 | — |
mm | — | 5 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | — | 5 | 7 | — | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 7 | — | 33 | 20 |
Temp °C | 31 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 25 |
Feels °C | 35 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SSW 7 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SSW 6 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 6 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 7 | SSW 7 | S 7 | S 7 |
| kJ | 56 | 60 | 245 | 531 | 59 | 1215 | 1017 | 1314 | 1001 | 911 | 821 | 549 | 132 | 125 | 88 | 301 | 252 | 77 | 82 | 66 | 61 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | S 7 | SSW 7 | SW 19 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | S 7 | SW 6 | S 10 | S 7 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 6 | S 7 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 77 | 76 | 34 | 47 | 358 | 79 | 68 | 82 | 32 | 32 | 45 | 34 | 392 | 386 | 331 | 64 | 72 | 220 | 241 | 196 | 314 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | S 11 | S 11 | — | WSW 6 | S 10 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 112 | 112 | 14 | 123 | 89 | 38 | 21 | — | 26 | 48 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 84 | 112 | 112 | 246 | 326 | 147 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 7 | — | — | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 63 | — | — | 8 | 7 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 29 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 9 | 16 | 9 | 28 | 16 | 19 | 16 |
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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