Playa Samara Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.88° N 85.53° W

Playa Samara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 11 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Samara sea temperature is
30.2° C
2.0° 

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 12 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,123 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s. 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 1.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 12AM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Wed 12th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 16s
Best Surf 6PM (Fri 14th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 18s
Most Powerful 6AM (Sat 15th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s get into it. The ocean’s been pretty quiet, but there’s a solid pulse of clean, lined-up swell building through the first week. We’re looking at a period that starts slow on Wednesday morning with a touch of knee-high swell, but the real story is the run from Friday through the following Tuesday. That’s where we find our standout conditions.

First up, the water is sitting right around average for this time of year, so no surprises there. For the first few days, we’re dealing with small SW swell around 2ft with a long 16-second period. The energy is weak, reading 403 on the combined scale, but it’s clean. Wednesday morning at Playa Samara has that slight off-NNE breeze, making it glassy and clean. Afternoon turns onshore, so morning is definitely the call.

Thursday morning keeps it small at 2ft, but that NE cross-off breeze keeps the surface tidy. The energy is still weak, only 344, but there’s a little push. The period drops to 15 seconds. It’s not going to blow you away, but a longboard will be your best friend.

Now, Friday morning is where things start to get interesting. The swell jumps to 4ft from the SW with an 18-second period. The energy reading bumps up to a moderate 919. Combined with that light cross-off NNE wind, Playa Samara is looking clean and organized. This is a proper taste of what’s to come.

The standout of the whole run is Saturday morning. We’ve got 5ft of SW groundswell, still holding that long 16-second period. The energy reading is strong at 1246. It’s clean, the wind is barely a whisper out of the NE, and it’s holding that cross-off angle. For experienced surfers, this is the best session on offer. The power is there, the lines are clean, and it’s got that proper push to it. Just be mindful that at this size, it’s a little much for beginners.

Saturday afternoon stays solid but the wind swings cross-on with a risk of storms, so the surface gets a bit more textured. Still fun, but the morning is the clear winner.

Sunday morning keeps the quality high with 4ft of SW swell and a light NE cross-off breeze. Energy is strong at 917, and it’s clean. Sunday afternoon actually looks pretty fun too, with a stronger NNE breeze at 9 mph keeping it cross-off and clean. The energy backs off a touch to 797, but it’s still a solid session.

Monday and Tuesday keep things consistent. Swell holds around 4ft, period settles back to 14 seconds, and the wind stays light and cross-off, mostly out of the NE. Mornings are clean, afternoons get a little more iffy with the risk of storms and a cross-on breeze. Energy is in the moderate range, around 550. These are fun, user-friendly days.

The long period here is worth noting. With 18 and 19 second swells, the waves have real push and travel, but it also means longer lulls between sets. At Playa Samara, being a beach and reef mix, those long period groundswells can sometimes jack up and break a bit too straight on the beach sections, so keep an eye on the reef for the better lines. Paddling out will be easier with the longer gaps.

After Tuesday, we go through a bit of a lull. The energy drops off mid-week, with swell back down to 2ft and the period dropping. The winds get lighter and glassier, but the surf just isn’t there. The 20th and 21st see us in an energy slump, with readings down in the 200s to low 300s. It’s small, but those glassy mornings with light winds will still offer the occasional knee-high cleanup if you’re desperate.

Then, around the 23rd and 24th, there’s another pulse. It’s small, around 2-2ft, but the period kicks back up to 19 seconds. It’s a long-period, low-energy swell. It’ll be clean and glassy, but don’t expect much power. Towards the very end of the window, on the 27th, we see a slight bump back to 3ft with that 18-second period. Still small, but it shows the ocean isn't completely done. It’s promising, but it’s far out and less certain.

Overall, the main event is this coming Saturday morning. If you can get out then, that’s your best chance for a proper wave. The week after that is looking pretty flat, so grab it while you can.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 31°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 30°C on Sat morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Saturday
15
Sunday
16
Monday
17
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
1
2
2
1
3
3
2
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
SW
13
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
15
0.6
SW
15
0.8
SW
14
0.7
SW
19
1.1
SW
18
1.1
SW
18
1.3
SW
17
1.5
SW
16
1.3
SW
16
1.4
SW
16
1.3
SW
15
1.2
SW
15
1.2
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
212
211
163
181
176
251
369
804
777
1050
1109
897
942
677
606
598
428
434
416
Wind (km/h)
10
NNE
5
NNE
5
S
10
NNE
10
NE
10
SSW
10
NNE
5
NNE
10
SW
10
NNE
5
NE
5
SSE
10
NE
5
NE
15
NNE
5
ESE
10
NE
10
NE
10
NNE
Wind State
cross-off
off
on
cross-off
cross-off
on
off
cross-off
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
1:53AM2.42m
2:09PM2.61m
2:45AM2.59m
3:01PM2.68m
3:33AM2.72m
3:49PM2.69m
4:17AM2.77m
4:34PM2.64m
5:00AM2.76m
5:18PM2.54m
5:41AM2.67m
6:00PM2.40m
Low Tide
7:57AM0.32m
8:29PM0.08m
8:51AM0.21m
9:16PM0.01m
9:41AM0.14m
10:01PM0.00m
10:28AM0.13m
10:44PM0.05m
11:13AM0.17m
11:25PM0.16m
11:57AM0.25m
00:06AM0.30m
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
thunderstorm
clear
rain showers
mod rain
mod rain
cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:00
6:00
6:00
6:00
5:59
5:59
 mm
3
1
1
1
7
10
3
1
Temp °C
28
31
30
27
31
30
28
30
29
27
30
28
27
28
26
25
25
26
25
Feels °C
33
34
34
31
34
33
33
33
32
31
33
33
31
30
28
28
29
29
27
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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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