Puerto Peñasco is at the forefront in quality beaches as a tourism destination with three beaches certified under national and international protocols, one of which is the longest extension of certified clean beach in Mexico.
Puerto Peñasco achieved its first clean beach certification in 2017, stretching 1,700 lineal meters of coastline along Sandy Beach and encompassing the shore in front of Playa Bonita, Puerta Privada, Sonora Sky, and Las Palomas Beach & Golf Resort.
This first certification was achieved through strict audits of water quality, safety, environmental education programs, beach cleaning, and the commitment of resort and hotel personnel, environmental associations, and the local administration, among others, to monitor and maintain the area.
With this distinction, Puerto Peñasco became the first certified beach in the state of Sonora, offering residents and tourists alike a guarantee of cleanliness and safety.
Another tremendous step was made when the city fulfilled a series of protocols and measures, meticulously reviewed by Mexican Regulations, to obtain certification of the coastline along Islas del Mar. At 2,300 lineal meters, this is now the longest stretch of certified clean beach for recreational use in the country.
This recognitions positions Puerto Peñasco as the first tourism destination in Mexico to obtain certification along a vast extension of beach, once again ensuring confidence and safety for those who visit this port and its distinguished beaches.
At the recent flag presentation to the certified clean beaches, CONAGUA Representative Omri Flores acknowledged through coordination of the government, developers, the Clean Beach Committee, and other groups, three of Puerto Peñasco’s beaches have been certified in less than 5 years.
“In my professional experience, I have seen that large developers and tourism destinations work toward certifying their beaches. Puerto Peñasco is among the few destinations with certified clean beaches for the people, providing beachgoers with extensive stretches for certification to fulfill this objective,” he specified.
If two clean beach certifications weren’t enough, in 2021 the international “Blue Flag” was once again awarded to a stretch of beach in front of Manny’s Beach Club in the Mirador. The international recognition, granted by the Environmental Education Foundation (FEE) in Mexico, encompasses 75 meters of beach and was obtained after having met at least 33 environmental criteria. This further contributes to Puerto Peñasco’s relevance as a global tourism destination.
These levels of recognition illustrate that while cities and ports are recovering from the pandemic and critical situations, strong progress has been made on environmental projects that attract tourism and investment, as well as jobs. Such is the case of Puerto Peñasco’s beach certification, in bringing together efforts to benefit residents and tourists alike.
In addition to beautiful coasts, fun, cuisine, and a wealth of activities by land or sea, Puerto Peñasco offers excellent quality beaches, which is yet another reason to visit this corner of the Sea of Cortez.