The Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) has released the results of its pre-vacation season seawater quality monitoring. Although most of the country’s beaches are in good condition and suitable for recreational use, five were classified as unfit for such use.
The monitoring was part of the “Clean Beaches 2026” program, conducted between June 15 and July 1. During that period, 2,279 seawater samples were collected and processed from 393 strategic locations across the country’s 17 coastal states. The report, published on July 10, 2026, indicates that five beaches have high bacterial concentrations exceeding the risk threshold established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to the analysis, concentrations of more than 200 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water were found at these five beaches. Cofepris advises tourists and swimmers to avoid swimming or any other form of direct contact with the water in these areas:
Tijuana Beach, in Tijuana, Baja California
Cuale Beach, in Puerto Vallarta / Bahía de Banderas, Jalisco
Principal Beach, in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
José Martí Beach, in Veracruz, Veracruz
Tumbao Beach, in Veracruz, Veracruz
Monitoring is carried out before every vacation season. In December 2025, the report identified contamination at six Mexican beaches, including Mismaloya (Jalisco); El Veneno/Miramar and San Francisco (Sonora); and Barra del Tordo (Tamaulipas). In 2026, Tijuana Beach (Baja California) and José Martí Beach (Veracruz) appear on the list once again. The overall outlook for Mexican beaches this summer is positive, despite the five cases detected. Of the 284 beaches evaluated, 98.3% meet the microbiological standards for direct-contact recreational activities and comply with WHO guidelines.
Health authorities in Baja California, Jalisco, Oaxaca, and Veracruz—working alongside clean-beach committees and local governments—are already implementing urgent sanitation plans in the five affected areas.
Measures include the installation of warning signs to inform the public while efforts are underway to restore these coastal areas to a safe status.
Cofepris advises beachgoers to refrain from swimming or engaging in other recreational activities involving direct contact at the beaches designated as unsafe. It also emphasizes that preserving healthy environments and protecting public health are shared responsibilities.
