Playa Samara Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.88° N 85.53° W

Playa Samara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 28 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 28 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore 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★+): Friday 28 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s 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 Friday (Aug 28) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. 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 cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Fri 28th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 18s
Best Surf12AM (Sat 29th Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 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, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what we’ve got coming up at Playa Samara.

First thing to note: the water’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 86°, so it’s already feeling like a warm bath when you paddle out.

Right off the bat, Friday morning the 28th kicks things off with a clean, 3ft SW groundswell running at a long 19 seconds. Winds are light and cross-off from the NE. The wave energy is moderate (793), but with that long period, expect nice shape and clean lines. It’s a good start for the beginner-friendly beach and reef setup here. Friday afternoon, though, the wind swings onshore and things get marginal, so mornings are your window.

Saturday the 29th morning brings a jump in size to 5ft SW with a 16-second period. That’s getting a bit punchy for beginners, but more experienced surfers will find excellent conditions. The wave energy is strong (1208), and the cross-off wind keeps it clean. It’s a standout morning. Throw in a risk of thunderstorms later in the day, and the afternoon gets messy.

Sunday the 30th holds onto similar size at 5ft, but the period drops a bit to 14 seconds. Still clean in the morning with light cross-off winds. The energy sits at moderate (944). Afternoon storms and onshore wind kill it again.

Monday the 31st brings a drop in swell to 4ft, but the wind goes glassy both morning and afternoon. That means silky conditions for smaller, cleaner waves. The period is 13 seconds, so there’s still some push. A good day for logging some easy rides.

From Tuesday the 1st of September into Wednesday the 2nd, the swell drops further to around 2ft to 3ft. Not much power, but Wednesday morning has a clean cross-off wind and a long 18-second period that’ll make the most of what’s there. Still, this is a lull.

Thursday the 3rd stays small at 2ft, but the morning is glassy with a long 19-second swell. That’s about the best you can hope for on a flat day – clean, even if small.

The real standout lands on Friday the 4th of September morning. A clean 4ft SW swell with a 17-second period, wave energy pumping at 1230, and light cross-off winds. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers. Saturday the 5th morning is even bigger at 6ft SW, glassy, with energy at 1477 – that’s a serious groundswell. The period is 16 seconds. This one is for the advanced crew only, but it’s the best wave of the whole period.

After that, the swell settles into the 4ft to 5ft range through the second week. Mornings continue to score glassy or clean conditions, with solid SW groundswell in the 15-16 second range. Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th mornings both offer glassy 4ft to 5ft surf. Friday the 11th morning is another excellent shout with glassy conditions and a 16-second period, energy over 1000 (1022).

Overall, the pattern is clear: mornings are the only game in town, and the best moments are Saturday the 29th morning for intermediate riders, and Saturday the 5th of September morning for experts. That 5th of September morning is the standout – big, clean, and powerful.

Stay stoked, Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
4
4
3
4
3
1
3
2
2
2
1
0
0
3
2
3
3
1
4
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
19
0.7
SW
19
1.4
SW
18
1.5
SW
16
1.6
SW
16
1.5
SW
15
1.5
SW
14
1.4
SW
14
1.3
SW
14
1.1
SW
13
1.1
SW
13
1
SW
13
0.9
SW
12
0.9
SW
12
0.9
SW
12
0.9
SW
13
0.8
SW
16
0.8
SW
16
0.6
SW
19
0.8
SW
19
1.2
SW
18
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
450
358
1215
1123
1314
1001
911
821
621
451
386
331
256
220
220
246
326
314
296
418
881
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
10
SSE
10
NNE
5
NE
10
SSW
10
NNE
10
ENE
10
S
5
NNW
5
NNE
5
SSW
5
ENE
5
ESE
10
S
20
ESE
10
NNW
10
SW
0
WSW
0
NE
10
SW
5
N
Wind State
cross-off
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
off
cross-off
on
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
off
High Tide
2:55PM2.39m
3:20AM2.48m
3:32PM2.45m
3:54AM2.58m
4:09PM2.46m
4:29AM2.63m
4:47PM2.44m
5:06AM2.65m
5:26PM2.39m
5:45AM2.61m
6:09PM2.30m
6:29AM2.54m
6:57PM2.20m
Low Tide
9:06PM0.30m
9:27AM0.36m
9:40PM0.25m
10:04AM0.29m
10:14PM0.23m
10:42AM0.24m
10:50PM0.24m
11:21AM0.24m
11:28PM0.28m
12:04PM0.28m
00:11AM0.36m
12:51PM0.36m
00:59AM0.46m
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
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thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:31
5:31
5:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:51
5:51
5:50
5:50
 mm
4
1
2
5
4
3
4
1
3
1
1
4
Temp °C
31
30
28
30
29
27
30
29
26
30
29
27
28
26
26
30
29
27
29
28
27
Feels °C
34
34
33
33
33
31
34
33
31
33
34
32
32
29
29
35
32
31
34
32
32
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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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