Playa Samara Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.88° N 85.53° W

Playa Samara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 05 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Samara sea temperature is
30.2°C
2.1° 

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 5 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SW swell with 1,087 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. 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 1.3m 18s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Sat 5th Sep)5ft (1.5m) 16s
Best Surf 6PM (Sat 5th Sep)5ft (1.5m) 16s
Most Powerful 6AM (Thu 10th Sep)4.5ft (1.3m) 18s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water is cooking at 86°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year. That's pretty wild.

The action kicks off this Saturday morning, September 5th. Playa Samara is the only spot in the game, and it's a beach and reef setup that's fairly consistent. Saturday morning we're looking at a solid 6 ft SW groundswell with a long 16-second period. The combined energy is strong (1459), so there's plenty of push. The wind is a light cross-off from the NNE at 3 mph, which will keep things clean. The wave comment says it's excellent for experienced surfers, and with that size, it's definitely too big for beginners. The direction is right on the money for the spot's optimum. This is a standout.

Saturday afternoon the wind swings onshore from the S, and the conditions get messy. Don't bother.

Sunday morning, September 6th, is a real gem. The swell drops a touch to 5 ft, still a long 14-second period, but the wind goes dead calm – glassy. The combined energy is moderate (869). This is the best of the weekend for a wider range of surfers, as it's a bit more manageable.

Monday the 7th is a write-off with strong SE cross-onshore winds. Skip it.

Tuesday morning the 8th brings glassy conditions again, but the swell is down to 3 ft. It's surfable, but small.

The next real standout is Thursday morning, September 10th. The swell picks back up to 4 ft from the SW with a very long 17-second period, and the combined energy jumps back up to strong (1145). The wind is glassy from the NE at 3 mph. The wave comment flags it as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a groundswell with a long period, so at a beach and reef break, it might wall up a bit, but the conditions are pristine.

After that, the surf slowly fades. There's a week-long stretch of small, mostly marginal surf with onshore winds in the afternoons. Mornings are often glassy, but the waves are just too small to get excited about.

The morning of Monday the 14th has a tiny 2 ft swell with a very long 19-second period, but it's a clean 2 ft. Not one to get out of bed for, but it's there.

Finally, on Sunday, September 20th, the last day of the outlook, we see a little pulse of 2 ft swell with a 19-second period and a clean cross-off wind from the NW. It's a promising little sign, but it's a long way off, so don't book your flights.

Bottom line: Saturday the 5th morning and Thursday the 10th morning are the big-ticket items for the experienced crew. Sunday the 6th morning is the pick for the rest of us. The rest is a long stretch of small, clean mornings that are more for the log or a cruise.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 58mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 30°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
3
3
2
3
0
2
2
3
1
2
3
1
3
4
1
3
3
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SW
16
1.7
SW
16
1.4
SW
15
1.4
SW
14
1.3
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1
SW
14
0.9
SW
13
0.9
SW
13
0.8
SW
13
0.8
SW
16
0.9
SW
16
0.9
SW
16
1.2
SW
18
1.3
SW
17
1.2
SW
16
1.2
SW
16
1.2
SW
16
1.1
SW
15
1.1
SW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1420
1412
868
833
667
521
434
357
286
249
227
302
367
381
871
1074
728
719
701
485
459
Wind (km/h)
5
NNE
10
S
0
SE
0
N
10
SW
5
W
20
SE
10
SE
5
NNW
5
N
5
SSW
5
NNE
5
E
10
SSW
10
NNE
5
NE
10
S
5
NNE
5
ENE
10
SSW
5
E
Wind State
cross-off
on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
glassy
glassy
on
off
glassy
on
off
glassy
on
cross
High Tide
9:03PM2.01m
9:33AM2.25m
10:23PM2.02m
10:50AM2.25m
11:39PM2.13m
12:02PM2.32m
00:44AM2.31m
1:04PM2.42m
1:38AM2.49m
1:57PM2.52m
2:25AM2.64m
2:45PM2.58m
Low Tide
2:52PM0.53m
3:08AM0.66m
4:07PM0.55m
4:29AM0.67m
5:21PM0.50m
5:46AM0.59m
6:26PM0.39m
6:52AM0.46m
7:21PM0.27m
7:48AM0.31m
8:09PM0.17m
8:37AM0.19m
8:54PM0.12m
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
mod rain
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
thunderstorm
clear
<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>
5:47
5:47
5:46
5:46
5:45
5:45
5:45
 mm
6
7
3
14
28
3
6
2
3
Temp °C
30
29
27
29
28
27
27
27
26
28
29
27
29
29
27
29
30
27
30
29
27
Feels °C
33
33
32
33
32
32
30
30
30
33
33
31
34
33
31
32
33
32
33
33
31
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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