Tourists At Beaches Near Los Cabos Urged To Be Cautious Due To Lack Of Warning Flags

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Last Updated 1 year ago

Unfortunately, this summer 3 people have died on beaches near La Paz and Todos Santos, two of the most popular tourist destinations outside of Los Cabos in the state of Baja California Sur.

Authorities are warning tourists about swimming at some of these beaches due to the lack of infrastructure to protect tourists. 

Two of the casualties have taken place in Playa Cerritos. This is a beach that’s part of the popular town of Todos Santos.

In the most recent tragedy there were reportedly strong currents present at the beach due to tropical storm Eugene.

However, the lack of warnings and staff on hand to advise beachgoers meant that people were left to figure these situations out on their own. 

No flags are typically waving on most of these beaches near La Paz and Todos Santos. Apart from that, these beaches are typically located a long way away from hospitals or medical facilities where tourists could seek help.

With weather conditions unpredictable, especially in hurricane season, tourists may want to reconsider how far out into the ocean they want to swim when visiting these beaches. 

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Things To Consider About Cerritos Beach Near Todos Santos 

Playa Cerritos, where two of these tragedies have occurred again, is known as one of the top surf spots near the Todos Santos area.

That in itself should help tourists decipher that they can expect large waves crashing onto the beach. In spite of this, the beach is known for not featuring warning flags that could advise tourists on the current conditions of the sea.

Locals have mentioned that currents can change drastically over a short period of time. Unfortunately, these quick changes in conditions may have played a major role in the two fatalities this summer. 

@viajacomolocal Playa Cerritos es un paraíso para surfistas de todos los niveles 🏄‍♂️ #bcs #bajacaliforniasur #playa #mexico ♬ The Magic Bomb (Questions I Get Asked) [Extended Mix] – Hoàng Read

Another unfortunate thing about this beach is that it’s located very far away from decent medical facilities.

The nearest health care center is a small public clinic next to a school and a soccer field about a 12-minute drive away from the beach.

According to the information available about the clinic, it doesn’t even feature 24-hour emergency service. If any accident were to happen at this beach, the nearest large-scale hospital is located almost an hour’s drive away in Cabo San Lucas. 

In the last tragic accident that happened over the weekend, it took local first responders over 14 hours to retrieve the deceased tourist from the water.

While there are hotels and vacation homes near the area where tourists could find less expensive lodging options compared to the options in Los Cabos, it is a hard area to access for first responders.

Many of the beaches, therefore, do not have enough lifeguards on duty or equipment to tend to emergencies.

Playa El Sargento Is The Other Beach Where Casualties Have Taken Place 

The other casualty that unfortunately took place this summer happened at Playa El Sargento. This beach is located on what’s known as La Ventana Bay.

It’s one of the most picturesque beaches, particularly near the La Paz area. This area is known for its turquoise water overlooking a small island.

The experience is somewhat similar to what you can expect at the more popular Balandra Beach. Since it’s located on a bay, the area tends to feature much calmer waters, but beachgoers are still advised to be careful. 

@robyn_mz Playa El Sargento a 190km de Cabo San Lucas. Especial para practicar kitesurfing #kitesurfing #surfing #flysurferkiteboarding #elsargento #bcs #mexico #beach #oceanfront #bajacaliforniasur ♬ sonido original – Robyn_1977

Just like with Cerritos Beach, there are usually no warning flags on the sand to give beachgoers a sense of the ocean’s conditions.

Even though this beach is closer to La Paz, access isn’t easy for first responders.

An important thing to point out about some of these beaches on the outskirts of both Los Cabos and La Paz is that they might share some of the accessibility issues of these places where tragedies have occurred.

Without a doubt, many of these spots can be worth the visit, but tourists should err on the side of caution, particularly when it comes to venturing out into the ocean on a beach with no lifeguards on duty or warning flags to know the conditions ahead of time.