Playa Manuel Antonio lies on the south side of Punta Catedral and is open to the swell making this an uncomfortable anchorage in all but the calmest conditions. The beach is part of the Manuel Antonio National Park and gets very crowded during the day but after 4pm you have the bay to yourself. Troops of monkeys come down to the beach to scour for food and the grunting bark of the male howler monkeys resonates across the bay at dusk. 

You will not be allowed to go ashore on Mondays as the park is closed to give the wildlife a break from tourists.

Approaches

Rounding Punta Catedral give the islands off the tip of the point a wide berth. Enter the bay in good light preferably at low tide to identify the reefs which extend out from either side.

Anchorage

Anchor off the beach in 3m on a sandy bottom. Landing the dinghy on the beach can be hazardous when waves are breaking on the beach.

Facilities

Walk to the entrance gate to pay the entrance fee then enjoy exploring the park. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and skilled at spotting small bugs or tiny frogs that you might otherwise miss. The guides and visitors tend to stick to several well worn paths but there are plenty of other more remote tracks through the jungle which the tourists rarely get to where it is possible to enjoy the cool quietness of the rainforest.