Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 17s period, SW swell with 1,567 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 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 Wednesday (Sep 02) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 12s. 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 1.7m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 6PM. 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 (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for Playa Samara over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up, starting right away. The water is a toasty 87°F, which is a good few degrees warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a proper tropical bath. The overall energy is moderate to strong, with the combined swell energy reading (514) on Wednesday morning, building nicely from there.
Wednesday morning (2nd) kicks things off with a glassy, clean 2ft southwest swell rolling in with a long 18-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, and with the wind dead calm, it’s going to be a gorgeous, easy paddle. Not huge, but perfect for the beginners this beach-and-reef setup is known for. The real standout, though, is Friday morning (4th). We’re looking at 4ft of southwest swell, still with a long 17-second period, and the combined energy jumps to (1197) – that’s moderate wave energy. The wind is glassy, making for clean, powerful lines. This is “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers” material, and if you’ve got the skills, this is the session to circle.
Saturday morning (5th) pushes into 6ft from the southwest, with energy rocketing up to (1603). That’s strong wave energy, and with glassy conditions, it’s going to be a proper show. However, that’s getting into expert-only territory, especially for a beach-and-reef break. The long period will keep it lined up, but the power is real.
We get a bit of a wind swing in the afternoons, with a cross-on or onshore breeze kicking in, so mornings are definitely the call. The swell settles down through the second week, dropping to the 2ft to 3ft range, but the wind stays light or glassy most mornings. The period stays long, mostly between 14 and 19 seconds, so the waves will have shape, even if they’re small. The combined energy dips into the low hundreds, so it’s a mellow end to the run. The 17th (Thursday morning) offers a final little pulse of 3ft with (631) energy and glassy conditions, which is a nice way to wrap it up.
All in all, the first weekend is the peak. Friday morning for the experienced crew, Saturday morning for the big-wave hunters. Get on it early.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 30°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Sat morning, min 26°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 246 | 326 | 314 | 296 | 418 | 881 | 1062 | 1415 | 1438 | 1552 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 752 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 | 249 | 227 | 302 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | off | on | glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:09PM2.30m | 6:29AM2.54m | 6:57PM2.20m | 7:20AM2.43m | 7:54PM2.09m | 8:21AM2.32m | 9:03PM2.01m | 9:33AM2.25m | 10:23PM2.02m | 10:50AM2.25m | 11:39PM2.13m | 12:02PM2.32m | 00:44AM2.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:04PM0.28m | 00:11AM0.36m | 12:51PM0.36m | 00:59AM0.46m | 1:46PM0.45m | 1:57AM0.57m | 2:52PM0.53m | 3:08AM0.66m | 4:07PM0.55m | 4:29AM0.67m | 5:21PM0.50m | 5:46AM0.59m | 6:26PM0.39m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — |
mm | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 5 | — | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 9 | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | 8 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 28 |
Feels °C | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 34 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | SSW 12 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 241 | 238 | 187 | 239 | 199 | 881 | 1062 | 1415 | 1438 | 1552 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 752 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 | 249 | 199 | 302 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 19 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | W 9 | WNW 9 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 | W 11 | WNW 11 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 246 | 326 | 314 | 144 | 418 | 105 | 107 | 91 | 14 | 26 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 41 | 63 | 69 | 246 | 227 | 114 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SW 19 | SW 15 | W 9 | SW 13 | W 8 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | W 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 |
| kJ | 27 | 25 | 18 | 296 | 215 | 14 | 28 | 12 | 24 | 25 | 13 | 23 | 13 | 23 | 22 | 46 | 146 | 155 | 68 | 66 | 77 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 6 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 41 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 113 | 9 | 9 | 178 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 16 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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