Should Tourists Avoid This Los Cabos Beach Right Now?

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Last Updated 9 months ago

Tourists continue flocking in droves to Los Cabos for the lavish beach getaway of their dreams. Southern Baja is teeming with incredible beaches from small towns, such as Todos Santos, to one of the best beaches in the world.

Escaping to sunny beach destinations is in high demand right now, as it should be. There’s only so many days of shoveling snow and scraping ice off your windshield before you whip out your credit card and book a vacation.

With so many awesome beaches and ritzy resorts, it does’t get much better than Los Cabos. However, there is one beach making waves in the news that begs the question of whether tourists should avoid Playa Ocho Cascadas right now.

Landfill Or Beach?

Los Cabos has the most Blue Flag beaches in Latin America, meaning tourists can generally hop from beach to beach, knowing they’re at some of the most pristine beaches in the world.

Ocho Cascadas, however, has slipped through the cracks. Located along the picturesque Cabo Bay outside some of the most sought-after resorts, such as Pueblo Bonito Blanco and Villa Del Arco, this beach isn’t passing the eye test right now.

Reports say garbage overflow is a serious problem with no clear solution in sight. A trash-filled beach is an eyesore for tourists expecting picture-perfect sand and crashing waves – not exactly the luxurious getaway Cabo is known for.

Public Or Private Beach?

There is confusion on finding a solution to multiple issues going on with Ocho Cascadas. Zofemat officials claim they do not have jurisdiction to fix issues in this vicinity.

Listed as a public beach, the property actually has an owner, which complicates matters in determining who is responsible for the upkeep.

Zofemat believes they are doing their part by taking care of the federally-owned area and even intervening in the adjacent privately owned area.

“There is an issue where there is an owner, the only thing we know is that he is in litigation. What we take care of is the federal area and the adjacent area that is approximately 20 meters, plus another 20 that we have there.”

“Sometimes we have to enter a little bit into the boundaries of the property, because after the hurricane he left us a considerable part of sand there; we maintain it even though it is outside the federal zone.”

Coordinator of Zofemat in Cabo San Lucas – Manuel Cortés Ávila

No Bathrooms

It’s a must to hydrate when lounging around in the sun, so you know it’s only a matter of time before you have to relieve yourself. And what if the tacos hit?!

Vacationers are finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time when the urge arrives as this beach leaves you with two options: go with the fishes or find a bush…seriously.

Beachgoers have been relieving themselves the old-fashioned way in the nooks and crannies of the wetlands.

Zofemat has not been able to install public restrooms along this beach due to the back-and-forth litigation of who owns what.

Cleaning private land is one thing, but installing new facilities is a completely different conversation. If you’re expecting to spend hours on end, tourists should know ahead of time Ocho Cascadas is not equipped for basic human needs.

Some tourists have been able to use the restrooms in nearby restaurants, but it’s not a guarantee.

Both locals and tourists have been complaining for years, although it’s worth noting the beach does hold stellar reviews from Google.

Cabo’s Cleanest Beaches

Ultimately, it’s up to the millions of Los Cabos tourists to determine their itinerary. It would seem senseless to visit Cabo without having at least one beach day.

Los Cabos offers some of the best beaches in the world, and 25 of them have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag.

To avoid the issues Ocho Cascadas is currently going through with no end in sight, tourists will still have dozens of options to ensure they are some of the cleanest beaches on the planet, with famous Medano Beach, Lovers Beach, and Palmilla, to name a few.