A method for manufacturing a surface emitting laser made of a group-III nitride semiconductor by an MOVPE method includes: (a) growing a first cladding layer of a first conductive type on a substrate; (b) growing a first optical guide layer of the first conductive type on the first cladding layer; (c) forming holes having a two-dimensional periodicity in a plane parallel to the first optical guide layer, in the first optical guide layer by etching; (d) supplying a gas containing a group-III material and a nitrogen source and performing growth to form recessed portions having a facet of a predetermined plane direction above openings of the holes, thereby closing the openings of the holes; and (e) planarizing the recessed portions by mass transport, after the openings of the holes have been closed, wherein after the planarizing at least one side surface of the holes is a {10-10} facet.