Manatí is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, about 25 miles from San Juan and part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area. It sits north of Morovis and Ciales, east of Florida and Barceloneta, and west of Vega Baja, with a population of approximately 39,492 as of 2020 spread across more than eight barrios plus the downtown barrio-pueblo that serves as its administrative center.
Founded in 1738, Manatí covers 145.53 km² along the coast and is known locally for the Mar Chiquita area, a coastal outdoor spot included in this guide.
For visitorsVisitors come for the coastal setting, particularly the Mar Chiquita outdoor spot on the northern shore.
For living hereResidents live in a coastal municipality with a historic downtown pueblo and easy connection to the San Juan metropolitan area, about 25 miles away.
On the water in Manatí today
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Things to do in Manatí
Outdoors & Adventure1
Norma Arbelo Irizarr… · CC BY-SA 3.0Manatí / Mar Chiquita
The Manatí / Mar Chiquita area features a natural cove with a unique horseshoe pool and nearby Punta Palmas, which offers reef breaks on northeast swells. This location is suitable for surf activities, particularly during the October to March season when northeast groundswell is prevalent, producing waves 3–6 ft high on exposed reefs, while the cove provides calm swimming conditions.