Playa Samara Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.88° N 85.53° W

Playa Samara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 14 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Samara sea temperature is
30.4°C
2.4° 

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 14 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 14 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s period, SW swell with 686 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 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 Monday (Sep 14) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 8s. 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 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Mon 14th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 18s
Best Surf 6PM (Mon 14th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 18s
Most Powerful 9AM (Mon 21st Sep)3.5ft (1.1m) 18s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s cooking for Playa Samara over the next couple of weeks. This stretch of beach and reef is exposed to the south-west, so we’re waiting on some tropical pulses to line up right.

Right off the bat, we’ve got some decent vibes. The water is sitting at a warm 87°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – you won’t need a spring suit, that’s for sure.

Monday morning, the 14th, we’re seeing a small but clean 2ft SW groundswell rolling in with a very long 19-second period. The combined energy is moderate (338), and with a light cross-off breeze, it’s looking clean. It’s small, sure, but the quality is there for a longboard or a funboard. Crowds are *sometimes* an issue, so you might have some company on the peak.

Tuesday morning, the 15th, is a real standout. It’s totally glassy – zero wind – with a 2ft SW swell and an 18-second period. The energy has built to a moderate 563. This is as clean as it gets for small waves. Get out there early before the afternoon risk of thunderstorms messes with the wind.

Wednesday the 16th keeps the theme going. Another glassy morning with a 3ft SW swell (16-second period) and moderate energy (665). The consistency is good, and the shape should be fun on the reef sections.

We do have a bit of a lull in quality after that first week. Thursday the 17th through to Monday the 22nd sees the wind getting more onshore and the swell hanging around 3ft to 4ft, but the surface gets bumpy. Tuesday the 22nd is a write-off with moderate rain and 15 mph cross-onshore winds – that’s a beach day, not a surf day.

Then we hit a bigger pulse around the 26th of September. Swell jumps to 7ft from the WSW, but the period drops to a short 9 seconds, and the wind is howling cross-onshore at 15 mph. The combined energy is strong (1130), but it’s a choppy, blown-out mess. This would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. This one is only for experienced chargers willing to battle the mess.

The real long-range highlight pops up on Sunday, the 27th of September, in the afternoon. The wind goes glassy again, with a 4ft WSW swell and a 10-second period. The energy is still strong (798), and it finally cleans up. That’s a promising window but it’s over a week away, so keep an eye on it.

Overall, the first half of the window is your clean, small-wave playground. The second week offers a bigger but wind-affected bump, with a possible glass-off at the tail end. The surf doesn't tend to stay poor for long here, and the forecasts can switch up.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 30°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
Saturday
19
Sunday
20
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
3
3
2
3
3
2
3
3
1
3
2
0
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SW
19
0.6
SW
18
0.8
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.9
SW
17
0.9
SW
16
1
SW
16
1
SW
16
1
SW
15
1
SW
14
1
SW
14
0.9
SW
14
0.8
SW
13
0.8
SW
13
0.6
SW
19
0.6
SW
19
0.6
SW
18
0.7
SW
18
0.9
SW
19
0.9
SW
19
0.8
SW
18
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
173
246
379
249
499
427
502
471
418
407
401
276
205
205
236
227
199
328
621
614
437
Wind (km/h)
5
NNE
10
SW
5
NNE
0
E
10
S
5
NE
5
NNE
10
S
5
N
5
ENE
15
S
0
N
5
NE
10
SW
5
NNW
0
NE
10
WSW
0
N
5
ESE
10
S
15
ESE
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
off
glassy
on
cross-off
glassy
on
off
cross-off
on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
off
glassy
cross
glassy
cross
on
cross-on
High Tide
4:50PM2.49m
5:06AM2.62m
5:29PM2.37m
5:44AM2.49m
6:08PM2.22m
6:23AM2.33m
6:51PM2.06m
7:06AM2.18m
7:39PM1.92m
7:56AM2.04m
8:38PM1.80m
8:58AM1.94m
9:50PM1.76m
Low Tide
10:43AM0.14m
10:53PM0.24m
11:23AM0.22m
11:31PM0.36m
12:02PM0.35m
00:10AM0.50m
12:44PM0.49m
00:52AM0.65m
1:31PM0.63m
1:39AM0.79m
2:27PM0.75m
2:38AM0.91m
3:34PM0.82m
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
mod rain
thunderstorm
cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:43
5:42
5:42
5:40
5:39
5:39
5:38
 mm
2
1
1
8
6
3
1
6
8
3
5
10
Temp °C
30
28
27
29
29
27
28
28
27
29
29
27
30
29
28
30
29
28
29
29
27
Feels °C
33
32
31
34
33
32
32
31
32
32
31
32
33
32
33
34
33
33
33
33
30
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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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