Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period, SW swell with 685 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s 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 (Jul 30) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Samara in the next 16 days are 1.3m 15s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break this down for the imperial crew.
The water’s about 85.6°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. The surf is gonna be pretty sleepy for the next few days, so don’t rush.
Thursday morning the 30th is your early clean window, with a little 3-4ft SW groundswell and a light offshore breeze from the NE. It’s small but it’s your best shot for a tidy wave. After that, a lot of onshores and stormy afternoons ruin the fun through the weekend. By Sunday afternoon the 2nd, conditions are just poor.
We get a few clean mornings from Monday the 3rd through Wednesday the 5th, but the swell is tiny—dropping from around 2-3ft down to 1-2ft. Wave energy is weak, not worth driving for.
Now, hang in there. Saturday the 8th of August is looking like the real deal. You’ll see a 3ft SSW swell, a long 16-second period, and glassy conditions Saturday afternoon. That’s a standout—clean, peeling waves on the reef. Combined energy is moderate. Sunday the 9th stays clean with a 3-4ft SW swell, and Monday the 10th has a super long-period 21-second SSW swell coming through, though it’s only about 2ft. That long period will give you some beautiful lines but might close out on the beach.
Tuesday the 11th and Thursday the 13th both have clean mornings with offshores and 2-4ft SW swells. The Tuesday morning is a true standout, with solid energy (combined energy 849). Just remember it’s a week and a half out, so keep your fingers crossed.
Crowds? Yeah, Playa Samara gets some company sometimes, especially on the clean days. The swell direction from the SW is bang on for this break.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 31°C on Wed afternoon, min 26°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 60mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 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 | SW 13 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 964 | 767 | 529 | 514 | 492 | 357 | 342 | 241 | 238 | 234 | 147 | 136 | 171 | 167 | 253 | 212 | 84 | 128 | 119 | 94 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | on | off | cross-off | on | off | cross-off | on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 6:14AM2.50m | 6:30PM2.23m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 12:29PM0.44m | 00:34AM0.41m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | |  |  | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | — | 5 | 4 | — | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 38 | — | 3 | 1 |
Temp °C | 31 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 30 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 35 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 28 | 35 | 34 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 |
| kJ | 964 | 767 | 529 | 514 | 492 | 357 | 342 | 241 | 238 | 234 | 147 | 110 | 171 | 47 | 253 | 212 | 71 | 110 | 119 | 94 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 7 | SW 11 | SSW 12 | S 7 | SSW 7 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 54 | 22 | 22 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 91 | 124 | 34 | 63 | 98 | 45 | 49 | 82 | 128 | 77 | 73 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | W 11 | S 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 15 | WNW 11 | SW 14 | WNW 10 | SW 16 | SW 13 | WNW 9 | SW 16 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 8 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 15 | 15 | 136 | 22 | 167 | 19 | 68 | 84 | 8 | 38 | 22 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 59 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 103 | 9 | 9 | 45 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 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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