These Are Considered The Cleanest Beaches In & Near Los Cabos

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Last Updated 2 years ago

Each year the Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks, or COFEPRIS, for its initials in Spanish, studies the water quality of virtually every beach that is used for recreational purposes in Mexico. Their study mainly aims to obtain a reading on the amount of Enterococcus bacteria potentially present in ocean water across the different beaches across Mexico. 

This year they recently released their list of the top 10 cleanest beaches in the entire state of Baja California Sur, where Los Cabos is located. To many people’s surprise, only 1 Cabo area beach made the list. Another beach that is located in the outskirts of the Cabo region also made the list, from there though most of the cleanest beaches in the state, at least according to COFEPRIS, are near La Paz.  

Chileno Bay Public Beach Is The Only Cabo Area Beach On The List 

Chileno Bay beach is a public beach that is located about a 15-minute car ride from the Cabo San Lucas city center. The beach sits right beside the main tourism corridor road, thanks to this, both tourists and locals can access the public beach areas easily. The area boasts the distinction of being certified as a Blue Flag beach on top of the fact that now COFEPRIS has recognized it as the cleanest Cabo area beach. 

It is also home to the Chileno Bay resort, which is one of the most exclusive facilities in all of Cabo San Lucas. A villa at the resort, which grants access to the private beach area of the presumably cleanest beach in Los Cabos, will set travelers back anywhere from 2000 to 7500 dollars a night. There’s also a 6-bedroom home known as Brisa del Mar, run by the resort, that costs up to 50,000 dollars a night. 

Playa Los Barriles Is The Other Beach Closest To Cabo That Made The List        

About an hour out from San Jose del Cabo is Playa Los Barriles, which was one of the other beaches that made the list. The beach is actually within the municipality of La Paz, but it’s closer to San Jose del Cabo than it is to the La Paz main city. In recent years it’s become a haven for fishing enthusiasts. Perhaps its clean ocean water is one of the reasons why it’s attracting more high-profile visitors. Celebrity Kristin Cavallari recently stayed at Los Barriles beach in one of the few lodging facilities available in the area. 

Balandra Beach’s Inclusion On The List Can Delegitimize The Results A Bit

COFEPRIS did not make it clear exactly when they took the readings to determine the water quality at these different beaches. What was made clear by their results was that at least Baja California Sur beaches had not been tested recently to craft the list.

Balandra beach got a spot on the list of the ten cleanest beaches in the state. This is certainly one of the most breathtaking beaches in the entire state, and in Mexico, for that matter. Its water quality usually at least looks like it could be near the top of the list. 

The problem is the beach has been closed for over a month after a yacht burned down and sank in its waters. This incident caused a major oil spill that has affected Balandra beach waters and prompted the closure. It’s highly doubtful that the water quality at Balandra is currently optimal. The rest of the beaches on the list are Playa La Mantequilla, Playa Buenavista, Malecón de Loreto, Playa Salinitas, Playa El Tesoro, Playa El Comitán, and Playa Gran Baja. As previously stated, most of these beaches are located closer to La Paz than Los Cabos.