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: Saturday 5 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,552 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s 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 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. 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 1.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 6AM. 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+) | 3AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's coming up for Playa Samara over the next couple of weeks.
The opening stretch is pretty quiet, but we've got a solid pulse of energy building toward the end of the first week that should make it worth paddling out. The water is a toasty 87°F, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, so you'll be in for a warm one.
The first real standout comes on Friday, September 4th for the morning session. Playa Samara is seeing a nice 4ft SW groundswell rolling in with a period of 17 seconds. That's proper energy (1228) and it's pairing with a light ENE cross-offshore breeze. That combo is going to produce some excellent, clean lines for experienced surfers. The swell direction is matching the optimum from the southwest, so it's going to be lining up well. This is the pick of the week.
The following morning, Saturday, September 5th, is also a cracker. We've got a slightly bigger 6ft SW swell, still with a solid 16-second period (1470). The wind is glassy from the SSE. That's a lot of power, over the 5ft mark, so it's getting a bit too much for beginners, but for the crew that's got their reads dialed, the conditions are going to be excellent.
There's a bit of a pattern here: the mornings are offering clean, glassy conditions with that long-period groundswell, but the afternoons are getting a cross-onshore or onshore breeze and a risk of thunderstorms, which messes up the surface. So you want to be an early bird.
The next week, starting Monday, September 7th, the swell settles back a bit. We're looking at 4ft to 4ft SW swells in the mornings with glassy conditions, which is still great for a fun, cruisy session. The energy drops into the moderate range (around 500-1100), but the consistency and clean wind make it worthwhile.
From Thursday, September 10th, the swell kicks back up. The morning of the 10th has a 4ft SW swell, 17-second period (1140), and glassy conditions – another excellent window for experienced surfers. The 11th also has a clean morning with a 4ft SW swell and cross-offshore wind. The energy is dropping off a bit from the 12th onward, returning to a more fun, smaller scale.
The very end of the run, around Tuesday, September 15th and Wednesday, September 16th, has small 3ft SW swells with glassy mornings. It's not a standout, but it's still surfable for a longboard or a funboard.
Overall, the best of the best is that Friday morning, September 4th, and the Saturday morning, September 5th. They're the clear winners. The mornings are your friend, the afternoons are a write-off.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 30°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat morning, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | 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 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
220 | 246 | 326 | 314 | 296 | 494 | 881 | 1062 | 1415 | 1314 | 1552 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 667 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy |
High Tide | 5:45AM2.61m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:28PM0.28m | 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 | |||||||
— | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | 3 | 5 | — | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | — | 4 | 11 | 1 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 31 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | 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 |
220 | 241 | 238 | 187 | 239 | 494 | 881 | 1062 | 1415 | 1314 | 1552 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 667 | 521 | 500 | 357 | 286 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | WNW 9 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 |
50 | 246 | 326 | 314 | 144 | 199 | 103 | 107 | 91 | 88 | 26 | 21 | 22 | 31 | 32 | 45 | 29 | 38 | 26 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SW 19 | SW 15 | W 9 | SW 13 | SSW 11 | W 9 | SSW 11 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | W 11 | SW 18 |
155 | 27 | 25 | 18 | 296 | 174 | 14 | 28 | 24 | 14 | 25 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 23 | 23 | 36 | 61 | 155 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 52 | 9 | 9 | 112 | 9 | 9 | 112 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 252 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 158 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











