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Street vendors in Los Cabos are about as common as hot dog stands in NYC, and you can find them on the beaches and streets throughout the tourist destination.
But not all Los Cabos street vendors are operating legally, and it has become an issue for Los Cabos officials trying to protect tourists in this hugely popular vacation destination.
So Los Cabos officials are cracking down on street vendors operating without a permit.
Weeding Out Illegal Street Vendors
The operation to weed out illegal street vendors in Los Cabos began back in March and still continues today.
One method of finding vendors without permits is having officials tour popular tourist areas like Medano Beach, the Cabo San Lucas Marina area, and the areas with the largest collections of hotels.
Additionally, a georeferencing system is being used to weed out unregistered vendors in order to get them registered.
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How To Identify Legal Street Vendors In Los Cabos
As part of the operation to weed out illegal street vendors, Los Cabos officials are making it easier to spot legal ones.
Vendors that have been registered and have permits are required to wear a uniform consisting of white pants and a white shirt.
Vendors must also visibly display their vendor accreditation so that visitors and authorities can easily spot them among all of the beachgoers and illegal vendors.
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Street Vendors – A Time-Honored Tradition
Street vendors in Mexico are a time-honored tradition that dates back centuries.
Many visitors take part in this tradition by purchasing items from one or more street vendors when visiting Los Cabos.
Whether it’s on the beach or on a busy street in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo, buying from a street vendor is part of the Los Cabos experience for many tourists.
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Types Of Street Vendors In Los Cabos
The term “street vendors” is a generic term that is actually used to describe the different types of vendors you’ll find in Los Cabos.
There are three main types of “street vendors” that visitors typically see in the region.
Stand-alone street vendors, beach vendors, and tianguis vendors.
Stand-Alone Street Vendors
Stand-alone street vendors are the ones you see with a cart on the streets in Los Cabos.
They are typically operated by one or two individuals that operate out of a small cart or trailer.
A lot of different items can be sold by street vendors in Los Cabos but most often you will see souvenirs and Mexican food items, like tacos, churros, and tamales.
Beach Vendors
While you may sometimes see vendors on the beaches of Los Cabos shucking and serving oysters to tourists out of a cooler or selling cold beverages, the majority of beach vendors don’t offer food.
Instead, on Los Cabos beaches, you’re more likely to see vendors selling things like souvenirs, beach necessities, and jewelry.
Sometimes you might even see a beach vendor offering massages right on the beach.
Tianguis Vendors
Tianguis vendors are essentially street vendors that have gathered in an open-air market, which is called a tianguis.
These markets are generally formally formed by officials for the purpose of keeping vendors in one place where tourists can find them. They also help officials keep track of legal and illegal street vendors.
One popular tianguis in Los Cabos, Tianguis de la Ballena, is located in San Jose del Cabo. Tianguis Cabo is another popular market, located in Cabo San Lucas.
Both places have legal vendors and are great options for bringing home some memories of your Los Cabos vacation.
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