Sendero Playa Manuel Antonio

Sendero Playa Manuel Antonio (Manuel Antonio Beach Trail) is an easy out-and-back from the cafeteria junction to Playa Manuel Antonio. Plan about half a mile round trip, roughly 400 m each way, and 15–20 minutes of walking, then add your beach time. The mapped line shows the approach once; return the same way. This is a beach-access walk, not a long standalone hike.

The short route drops from the central junction over concrete and gravel, with sand near the beach. Retrace the same path uphill after your visit. Distance measurements vary a little with the chosen starting junction and where the beach approach ends, so treat 400 m as an estimate. The longer Punta Catedral and Playa Espadilla Sur walks are separate routes you can add if you want a fuller outing.

Playa Manuel Antonio sits on a narrow sandy tombolo that joins Punta Catedral to the mainland, with two bays on either side. The beach, wooded headland and dark shoreline rocks make the payoff clear as soon as the path reaches the sand. Take a moment to look back toward the point; it helps show how the beach links two pieces of coast.

The cafeteria at the starting junction has food, drinks and restrooms; bathrooms and rinse showers are also reported along the beach approach. The trail is inside Manuel Antonio National Park, so park admission and rules apply. Pets are not allowed. Watch for manzanillo (manchineel) trees around the beach: their sap and fruit are toxic, so do not touch or eat any part or sit beneath them.