Sámara, Costa Rica

In Guanacaste Province · Costa Rica · Sámara on Google Maps · Map of the spots

Palm trees at Samara beach - panoramio
Playa samara. Photo: Paul IJpelaar, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Sámara

Sámara is a town in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. From Sámara you can reach 7 surf spots. The nearest is Playa samara, a surf spot 1.2 km from the centre. Overture lists 81 places to stay within 2 km of the centre, 2 of them campsites. The nearest airport is NOB, 17 km away.

Pick your dates and start point to see a trip here scored, planned and costed: plan a surf trip to Costa Rica.

Staying in Sámara

  • 81 places to stay within 2 km of the centre, 2 of them campsites (Overture places)
  • Nearest airports: NOB, 17 km, LIR, 79 km, FON, 123 km

Stay in SámaraAd

Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

See all places to stay in Sámara (ad) on Booking.com →

Where it is

Each place is ringed by its best day this week, a surf spot for intermediates: green on a good day. The dashed circle is 20 km from Sámara.

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surf within 20 km

The next 7 days. Each day's wave height, green on a good day for intermediate surfers. A spot that does not suit them is tagged with the level it suits and never goes green for them. The best of the spots that stay in Sámara each day wears a ★ Best badge, only on a Good day. 5 spots stay in another town: within your drive, they count for Sámara too.

Wave height in feet, the wave energy in kJ under it.GoodBest spot that day for intermediatesUnder each day, the wind in knots: the arrow points where it blows to.

Surf spots within 20 km of Sámara: Mon 19 Oct to Sun 25 Oct
SpotMon 19Tue 20Wed 21Thu 22Fri 23Sat 24Sun 25
Camaronal10 kmabout 20 min by carStays in Islita, 5 km4 ft446 kJwind from the south-south-west, 5 knots, good4 ft380 kJwind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore, good4 ft355 kJwind from the north, 5 knots, offshore, good4 ft355 kJwind from the east, 3 knots, good3 ft242 kJwind from the south-east, 3 knots, good3 ft258 kJwind from the north-east, 1 knot, offshore, good3 ft214 kJwind from the south-south-west, 1 knot, good
All readings for Camaronal: score, swell, energy, wind and temperature each day
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Camaronal, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct59, good4 ft12 ssoft446kJwind from the south-south-west, 5 knots28°C
Tue 20Oct72, good4 ft12 ssoft380kJwind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore28°C
Wed 21Oct67, good4 ft12 ssoft355kJwind from the north, 5 knots, offshore31°C
Thu 22Oct68, good4 ft11 ssoft355kJwind from the east, 3 knots29°C
Fri 23Oct59, good3 ft11 ssoft242kJwind from the south-east, 3 knots26°C
Sat 24Oct64, good3 ft11 ssoft258kJwind from the north-east, 1 knot, offshore25°C
Sun 25Oct60, good3 ft10 ssoft214kJwind from the south-south-west, 1 knot26°C
Playa samara1.2 kmabout 5 min by car4 ft460 kJwind from the south-south-west, 5 knots, fair4 ft390 kJwind from the west-south-west, 1 knot, good, best spot that day4 ft364 kJwind from the north-west, 4 knots, good, best spot that day4 ft358 kJwind from the east, 3 knots, good, best spot that day3 ft254 kJwind from the east-south-east, 4 knots, good, best spot that day3 ft246 kJwind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, good, best spot that day3 ft192 kJwind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore, good, best spot that day
All readings for Playa samara: score, swell, energy, wind and temperature each day
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Playa samara, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct44, fair4 ft12 shollow460kJwind from the south-south-west, 5 knots29°C
Tue 20Oct72, good4 ft12 shollow390kJwind from the west-south-west, 1 knot29°C
Wed 21Oct65, good4 ft12 shollow364kJwind from the north-west, 4 knots30°C
Thu 22Oct69, good4 ft11 shollow358kJwind from the east, 3 knots30°C
Fri 23Oct60, good3 ft11 shollow254kJwind from the east-south-east, 4 knots27°C
Sat 24Oct61, good3 ft11 shollow246kJwind from the east-north-east, 3 knots26°C
Sun 25Oct57, good3 ft10 shollow192kJwind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore27°C
Olgas17.9 kmabout 35 min by carStays in Nosara, 4 km4 ft468 kJwind from the south-south-west, 6 knots, fair4 ft397 kJwind from the north-west, 4 knots, good4 ft361 kJwind from the west-north-west, 6 knots, good4 ft380 kJwind from the east-south-east, 3 knots, offshore, good4 ft311 kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore, good3 ft227 kJwind from the east, 5 knots, offshore, good3 ft176 kJwind from the south-south-east, 1 knot, good
All readings for Olgas: score, swell, energy, wind and temperature each day
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Olgas, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct41, fair4 ft12 smushy468kJwind from the south-south-west, 6 knots29°C
Tue 20Oct69, good4 ft12 scrumbling397kJwind from the north-west, 4 knots28°C
Wed 21Oct57, good4 ft12 smushy361kJwind from the west-north-west, 6 knots28°C
Thu 22Oct72, good4 ft12 scrumbling380kJwind from the east-south-east, 3 knots, offshore29°C
Fri 23Oct68, good4 ft11 scrumbling311kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore27°C
Sat 24Oct54, good3 ft11 scrumbling227kJwind from the east, 5 knots, offshore27°C
Sun 25Oct49, good3 ft10 scrumbling176kJwind from the south-south-east, 1 knot27°C
Pelada18.1 kmabout 35 min by carStays in Nosara, 4 km4 ft468 kJwind from the south-south-west, 6 knots, fair4 ft397 kJwind from the north-west, 4 knots, good4 ft361 kJwind from the west-north-west, 6 knots, good4 ft380 kJwind from the east-south-east, 3 knots, good4 ft311 kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore, good3 ft227 kJwind from the east, 5 knots, offshore, good3 ft176 kJwind from the south-south-east, 1 knot, good
All readings for Pelada: score, swell, energy, wind and temperature each day
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Pelada, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct41, fair4 ft12 smushy468kJwind from the south-south-west, 6 knots29°C
Tue 20Oct70, good4 ft12 ssoft397kJwind from the north-west, 4 knots28°C
Wed 21Oct57, good4 ft12 smushy361kJwind from the west-north-west, 6 knots28°C
Thu 22Oct72, good4 ft12 ssoft380kJwind from the east-south-east, 3 knots29°C
Fri 23Oct68, good4 ft11 ssoft311kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore27°C
Sat 24Oct53, good3 ft11 ssoft227kJwind from the east, 5 knots, offshore27°C
Sun 25Oct49, good3 ft10 ssoft176kJwind from the south-south-east, 1 knot27°C
Playa Guiones15.2 kmabout 30 min by carStays in Nosara, 6 km4 ft482 kJwind from the south-south-west, 6 knots, fair4 ft374 kJwind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore, good4 ft361 kJwind from the west-north-west, 6 knots, good4 ft380 kJwind from the south-east, 3 knots, good4 ft311 kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore, good3 ft236 kJwind from the east, 5 knots, offshore, good3 ft184 kJwind from the south-south-east, 1 knot, good
All readings for Playa Guiones: score, swell, energy, wind and temperature each day
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Playa Guiones, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct41, fair4 ft12 shollow482kJwind from the south-south-west, 6 knots29°C
Tue 20Oct68, good4 ft12 shollow374kJwind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore28°C
Wed 21Oct55, good4 ft12 shollow361kJwind from the west-north-west, 6 knots28°C
Thu 22Oct71, good4 ft12 shollow380kJwind from the south-east, 3 knots29°C
Fri 23Oct68, good4 ft11 shollow311kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore27°C
Sat 24Oct58, good3 ft11 shollow236kJwind from the east, 5 knots, offshore27°C
Sun 25Oct48, good3 ft10 shollow184kJwind from the south-south-east, 1 knot27°C
Islita14.4 kmabout 25 min by carStays in Islita, 1 km4 ft446 kJwind from the south-south-west, 5 knots, good4 ft367 kJwind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore, good4 ft343 kJwind from the north, 5 knots, offshore, good4 ft334 kJwind from the east, 3 knots, good3 ft224 kJwind from the south-east, 3 knots, good3 ft258 kJwind from the north-east, 1 knot, good4 ft236 kJwind from the south-south-west, 1 knot, good
All readings for Islita: score, swell, energy, wind and temperature each day
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Islita, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct57, good4 ft12 shollow446kJwind from the south-south-west, 5 knots28°C
Tue 20Oct70, good4 ft12 shollow367kJwind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore28°C
Wed 21Oct65, good4 ft12 shollow343kJwind from the north, 5 knots, offshore31°C
Thu 22Oct66, good4 ft11 shollow334kJwind from the east, 3 knots29°C
Fri 23Oct55, good3 ft11 shollow224kJwind from the south-east, 3 knots26°C
Sat 24Oct65, good3 ft11 shollow258kJwind from the north-east, 1 knot25°C
Sun 25Oct64, good4 ft10 shollow236kJwind from the south-south-west, 1 knot26°C
Barrigona5.4 kmabout 10 min by car4 ft474 kJwind from the south, 6 knots, fair4 ft393 kJwind from the west-south-west, 1 knot, good4 ft358 kJwind from the north-north-west, 6 knots, offshore, good4 ft361 kJwind from the east, 4 knots, good3 ft256 kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, good3 ft236 kJwind from the east, 6 knots, good3 ft192 kJwind from the north-east, 2 knots, offshore, good
All readings for Barrigona: score, swell, energy, wind and temperature each day
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Barrigona, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct42, fair4 ft12 smushy474kJwind from the south, 6 knots29°C
Tue 20Oct69, good4 ft12 shollow393kJwind from the west-south-west, 1 knot28°C
Wed 21Oct63, good4 ft12 shollow358kJwind from the north-north-west, 6 knots, offshore29°C
Thu 22Oct67, good4 ft12 scrumbling361kJwind from the east, 4 knots29°C
Fri 23Oct57, good3 ft11 shollow256kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots27°C
Sat 24Oct54, good3 ft11 shollow236kJwind from the east, 6 knots27°C
Sun 25Oct56, good3 ft10 scrumbling192kJwind from the north-east, 2 knots, offshore27°C

Distances are in a straight line from the middle of Sámara, to spots that land joins: none across a bay or on another island. A drive marked "about" is our estimate: the straight line times 1.8 minutes a km, measured on the drives we have routed (half of those come within 21% of the routed time).

Places to eat near Sámara

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits