
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,347 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 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 (Jul 28) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 11s. 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 9PM. 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 28th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks at Playa Samara.
The long-range forecast is a bit of a slow burner, but we’ve got a solid window of clean, manageable swell coming in right out of the gate. The water’s sitting at 86°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so you’ll be comfortable in boardshorts or a spring suit if you run cold.
The real standout is Tuesday morning, July 28th. We’ve got a clean 5ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 18-second period. The wind is glassy out of the NE at just 3 mph, which means the surface will be like a mirror. The combined wave energy is strong (1491), and the conditions are set up for experienced surfers. This is the best session on offer—clean, powerful, and lined up. The swell direction is right on the money for Playa Samara’s optimum.
Wednesday morning, July 29th, is another excellent call. Similar story: 5ft SW swell with a 16-second period, glassy NE wind at 3 mph, and strong energy (1250). The consistency is fairly consistent here, so expect sets to roll through with plenty of power. This is a top pick for the week.
By Thursday, July 30th, the swell drops a touch to 4ft, but the morning is still clean with a cross-offshore breeze. The energy drops to moderate (545), and the period shortens up to 14 seconds, so the waves will be a bit less punchy.
Friday, August 1st, kicks off the weekend with a glassy 3ft SW swell, but the energy is getting weaker (399). It’s surfable, but not a standout.
Then we hit a slump. From Saturday, August 2nd through to Wednesday, August 6th, the swell drops below 3ft, and the conditions get mixed with onshore winds and afternoon storm risks. The energy is mostly weak (150-300 range). There are a few clean windows in the mornings, like Monday, August 3rd with a glassy 3ft SW swell, but it’s not enough to get excited about.
Thursday, August 7th, shows a little bump with a 3ft SSW swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds—that’s windswell, not groundswell—so it’ll be choppy and weak. The morning is clean with a cross-offshore, but it’s not great.
Friday, August 8th, morning sees a return to 2ft SW swell with a 13-second period and clean conditions, but the energy is still moderate (280).
Saturday, August 9th, is a mixed bag. The morning is clean with 2ft SW swell, but the afternoon glass-off with a 3ft SW swell and 15-second period is actually a nice little window. The energy is moderate (478), and the glassy wind makes it clean. Not a standout, but a decent session.
The second week is a bit of a guessing game. Monday, August 11th, morning has a clean 3ft SSW swell, but the energy is fading (356). Tuesday, August 12th, morning is clean with 2ft SW swell, but the period is a very long 20 seconds. That’s a groundswell, but at this size, it’ll be hard to get a wave at a beach-and-reef setup like this. It’ll be pretty straight and closey.
The final call is Wednesday, August 13th, morning: clean 2ft SW swell with an 18-second period, decent energy (554), and glassy conditions. Worth a paddle if you’re keen, but it’s not the power of the first week.
Overall, if you’re in the area, make the most of Tuesday and Wednesday mornings this week. The rest is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Wed morning, min 25°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 30°C on Fri afternoon, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1663 | 1225 | 1194 | 964 | 767 | 529 | 514 | 492 | 357 | 342 | 241 | 238 | 193 | 147 | 136 | 171 | 167 | 253 | 212 | 91 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | off | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | on | cross-off | glassy | on | on | cross-off | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 2:37AM2.13m | 2:42PM2.33m | 3:16AM2.24m | 3:21PM2.38m | 3:52AM2.34m | 3:58PM2.40m | 4:27AM2.42m | 4:35PM2.40m | 5:02AM2.47m | 5:11PM2.36m | 5:37AM2.50m | 5:49PM2.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:24PM0.43m | 8:33AM0.61m | 9:03PM0.36m | 9:14AM0.54m | 9:38PM0.31m | 9:53AM0.49m | 10:12PM0.28m | 10:31AM0.45m | 10:45PM0.29m | 11:09AM0.43m | 11:19PM0.31m | 11:47AM0.42m | 11:55PM0.36m | |||||||
— | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | |
6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 8 | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 15 | S 7 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 7 |
1663 | 1225 | 1194 | 964 | 767 | 529 | 514 | 492 | 357 | 342 | 241 | 238 | 193 | 147 | 110 | 171 | 52 | 253 | 212 | 91 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 7 | S 7 | S 10 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 7 | S 7 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 11 | SW 14 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 13 |
25 | 61 | 56 | 54 | 23 | 22 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 27 | 18 | 17 | 91 | 124 | 136 | 85 | 167 | 48 | 48 | 84 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | — | — | S 10 | S 10 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | S 7 | S 7 | S 11 | S 6 | SSW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | SW 13 |
25 | — | — | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 25 | 27 | 24 | 43 | 17 | 15 | 63 | 21 | 98 | 39 | 22 | 82 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 52 | 9 | 9 | 45 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 112 | 19 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 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.










