The first heavy cloud of the afternoon slides over the hills behind Samara, the air smells of warm earth, and surfers on the bay keep paddling while the light turns silver. Fishing boats rest on the sand, and the beachfront restaurants set tables under their palm roofs as if nothing could spoil lunch. May is when this small Pacific town on the Nicoya Peninsula turns green again, and it suits travelers who like a lively beach, warm water and a slower, rainier rhythm.
What is the weather like in Samara in May?
May in Samara is hot, humid and green, with showers on most days rather than a few big storms.
| Month | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain days | Sea (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 89.4 | 77.2 | 10.9 | 87.0 |
| May | 85.5 | 76.7 | 24.4 | 88.0 |
| June | 84.2 | 76.1 | 26.8 | 85.9 |
Mornings are the best part of the day. The sky is often clear or softly hazy, the sand is still cool underfoot, and the heat has not built yet, so this is the time for a walk along the bay, a surf lesson or a ride on the beach. By early afternoon the clouds usually stack up over the hills and a shower moves in, sometimes brief and sometimes a long, steady soaking.
The rain is warm, and it makes the hills around town a deep, glossy green. Some days hold off with a short shower until evening, others turn gray for a wetter spell, so it helps to treat the afternoon as flexible and keep the morning for anything that needs a clear sky. Evenings stay warm enough for shorts and a light shirt, and a table outside is often possible once the shower has passed.
Dress for heat and wet: breathable fabrics that dry fast, sandals that handle mud and a light rain jacket rather than an umbrella, which is awkward in the wind off the water. The sea stays bathtub warm through all of this, and the light after a shower can be lovely, with a low sun breaking under the clouds over the bay.
Can you swim in Samara in May?
Yes, the sea is warm enough for comfortable swimming, but check conditions before entering the water.
A reef and an island offshore soften the swell in the broad, curving bay the town rests on, which keeps the water near the beach typically calm and shallow, drawing families and beginning surfers to this spot. The surf keeps shifting as the tide and daylight do, and following a stretch of rain, the water near where rivers empty can grow murky. Mornings tend to be the clearest and quietest for swimming and for a casual snorkel along the rocks at the ends of the beach.
On Costa Rica’s Pacific side, rip currents are a grave danger, taking the lives of several American visitors annually. Because lifeguards and caution signs are absent at nearly all beaches, check with a neighborhood surf shop or your lodging about conditions that day, follow flags where there are any, never swim alone, and keep kids close enough to touch. Bring sunscreen and a rash guard, because the sun is strong even under thin cloud.
What to do in Samara in May
May begins with Labor Day on May 1, a national holiday, and Costa Rican families take to the beach for the long weekend, so the sand fills with picnics, football games and music from parked cars. It also marks the start of the green season, when the first regular afternoon rains arrive. Much of the town’s day shifts to the morning, and the afternoon belongs to long lunches, hammocks and the sound of rain on tin roofs.
The bay is the center of everything: a long, easy stretch of sand lined with palms, with restaurants, surf shops and small hotels just behind it. Few places make a better rainy-season base for a traveler who wants the beach without driving anywhere. Early risers get the best of it, with fishermen, dog walkers and joggers sharing the firm sand at low tide.
Surf lessons and the bay
For anyone on this coast who wants to give surfing a go, Samara ranks among the most welcoming spots. The waves in the bay are usually soft and rolling, the sand bottom forgives falls, and the surf schools along the beach work with beginners every day. May suits it well, since the warm water means you can skip a wetsuit and stay in for a long session, and the morning light is flattering and gentle.
Lessons are best early, before the wind picks up and the clouds roll in. Experienced surfers often head to other beaches nearby when the bay is flat, and instructors will tell you where the swell is better that day. Stand-up paddleboards and boogie boards are easy to find too, and they are a good fit for those who want to be on the water without committing to a board.
Horseback, kayaks and the green hills
With the rains, the countryside around Samara turns lush, and a morning horseback ride through the hills and along quiet stretches of beach is one of the best ways to see it. Riders pass fields, small farms and patches of forest, and may spot parrots, iguanas and sometimes howler monkeys. Local operators run these rides, and the earlier you go, the cooler and drier it tends to be.
Sea kayaking toward the island in the bay is another morning outing, with calm water behind the reef and the chance of seeing pelicans, herons and fish below the surface. Ask the operator about fitness and age requirements before booking. Afternoons are for the pool, a massage, a yoga class or a long nap while the shower passes.
Eating in town: fish, casados and fruit
Food in Samara is simple and fresh. Look for gallo pinto, rice and beans cooked together and served at breakfast alongside eggs and fresh cheese, plus the casado, a Costa Rican plate featuring rice, beans, salad, plantain and your pick of fish, chicken or beef. Ceviche and grilled catch of the day are everywhere, and many places set tables right on the sand for sunset.
Fruit is a pleasure in the green season, with pineapple, papaya, watermelon and often mangoes at the stands and in breakfast bowls. A cold coconut from a vendor on the beach is the standard answer to the heat. Small bakeries and cafés handle the morning coffee crowd, and a smoothie bar is never far from the surf schools.
Evenings are relaxed. After the afternoon rain clears, people drift to the beachfront for dinner, music and a drink, and the town feels friendly and unhurried, more like a village than a resort.
A two-day itinerary for Samara in May
Day 1 is for the bay itself. Start with an early walk on the firm sand at low tide, then take a surf lesson while the water is smooth and the sun is not yet fierce. Have a late breakfast of gallo pinto at a small place near the beach and spend the late morning swimming, keeping to the busier stretch of the bay where other people are in the water.
When the clouds roll in early in the afternoon, settle in at a covered restaurant for a leisurely lunch of ceviche or a casado, then wait out the shower with a book or a visit to a craft shop. If the rain turns steady, a massage, a yoga class or a cooking class is a pleasant indoor card. Back on the sand at the end of the afternoon, with a little over twelve and a half hours of daylight to work with, you can catch the light as the sky clears, then eat dinner at a table on the beach.
Day 2 moves out of the center and into the hills and along the water. Book a horseback ride for the early morning, when the air is cooler and the trails are drier, riding through farmland and down to a quiet stretch of coast. Return in time for a shower and a fruit plate at a café, then paddle a kayak toward the island in the bay while the sea is still gentle.
Spend the afternoon at nearby Playa Carrillo, or stay local for a slow lunch while the rain falls. Locals know which beaches are quiet on a given day, so ask where to go. In the evening, wander the main street for a fish dinner, a fruit smoothie or a drink, and finish with a stroll along the sand if the sky is clear.
Is Samara busy in May?
No, May is one of the calmer months in Samara, apart from the Labor Day weekend, when Costa Rican families fill the beach.
With the green season starting, the foreign crowds thin out, and the town goes back to being a small beach village with surfers, long-stay visitors and local families. Restaurants rarely have long waits, the beach has room to spread out, and rooms are generally easier to find than during the dry months. Ask surf schools and tour operators about May schedules and class sizes.
For the Labor Day weekend, book your room early, because local travelers tend to reserve the best-priced places first. For the rest of the month, rooms are generally easier to find than during the dry months. A rental car is helpful for visiting other beaches, but the town itself is easy to walk, and taxis fill in the gaps.
Beachfront restaurants fill up around sunset, so a table is easier to find if you arrive when the rain clears or a little before.
What to pack for Samara in May
Pack for heat, humidity and afternoon rain, with clothes that dry quickly and shoes that cope with mud.
- A light rain jacket, because showers arrive most afternoons and an umbrella fights the wind.
- Quick-drying shirts and shorts, since humidity keeps cotton damp.
- Sunscreen, a hat and a rash guard, as the sun is strong even through thin cloud.
- Sandals with a good grip for wet sand and muddy paths, plus closed shoes for riding.
- Insect repellent for the evenings, when the air is still after rain.
- A dry bag or zip bags to protect your phone and passport from showers.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Costa Rica Level 2, ‘Exercise increased caution,’ due to crime; it says petty crime is common throughout Costa Rica and that violent crime also affects tourists, including armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault.
May is the hinge between the dry and the green season, so the weather can swing from a sunny morning to a long gray afternoon. From January until May ends, Guanacaste and the north often see brush fires and dry-season smoke, which fade as the rains settle in. Labor Day on May 1 is a national holiday, so expect some closures and a busy beach.
For entry, a passport valid for your whole stay and proof of onward travel are the basics. Plan outdoor activities for the morning and keep the afternoon loose.
Samara in May vs April and June
Moving the trip four weeks earlier gets you the tail of the season, with hotter, sunnier days and rain that comes as short, passing showers instead of long wet spells. The sea is slightly cooler than in May, the hills are browner, and the beach is busier with visitors who come for the dependable sun. Beach days are easier to plan, but the heat in the afternoon is stronger, and the countryside is less lush for riding and photography.
Going four weeks later puts you deeper into the green season, with rain on almost every day, cooler air and a quieter town. Mornings can still be bright, but the afternoon showers become longer and the sea turns a little cooler and cloudier. Rooms are easier to find and the beaches feel almost private, though some outings are canceled when the weather turns.
Beach lovers who want sun first should choose April. May suits travelers who like warm water, green hills and fewer people, and who can plan around afternoon rain. June is for those who prize quiet and do not mind gray skies, and who will happily spend a wet afternoon at a café.
Is May a good time to visit Samara?
Yes, May is a good time for travelers who want warm water, a relaxed beach town and a green landscape, and who can live with afternoon rain.
It suits beginner surfers, families with older children, couples who like slow days and anyone who prefers a quiet table to a crowded one. It is a weaker fit for travelers who need a dry, sunny sky every day, or who plan long outdoor excursions that depend on clear weather. On arrival, walk the bay in the morning, book a surf lesson or a ride for an early slot and ask locals how the water looks that day.
What makes May in Samara special is the change itself: the first regular rains turn the hills green, the beach loses its crowds, and the afternoon clouds give the evening light a softness that the dry months rarely have.
Sources
- Open-Meteo / ECMWF ERA5, normals 1991-2020 computed for the grid cell at 9.8814N 85.5262W, checked October 8, 2026
- Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked October 8, 2026
- sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked October 8, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Information, Safety and security (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/CostaRica.html), checked October 8, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Advisory, issued April 1, 2026 (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/costa-rica-travel-advisory.html), read via the State Department open data API on October 8, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Information, Entry and exit requirements (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/CostaRica.html), checked October 8, 2026