Playa del Amor To Reopen

The National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (CONANP, by its acronym in Spanish) announced the reopening of Playa del Amor, a unique, hidden beach located in the Marietas Islands National Park, in Banderas Bay. Tourists will be welcome once again starting August 31, 2016.

Playa del Amor was closed to visitors this past May in order to undergo a coral restoration program to reduce environmental impact in the area. CONANP designed a more orderly, sustainable program for visits, including special agreements with tour operators that provide excursions to the island for visitors and locals.

The newly-established criteria for Playa del Amor visits includes a maximum of 116 visitors per day, 15 people maximum per boat, no more than 15 people at a time are allowed on the beach and they can only remain for 30 minutes. Access will be accomplished via a corridor marked by buoys and passengers must wear life jackets and no fins. Scuba and/or diving of any kind are prohibited. In addition, monitoring and restoration of the coral reefs will continue until further notice.

The press release by the organization also details how natural phenomena and unmanaged tourism practices affected the coral colonies in the area. Thanks to the restoration program, over 50% of the coral planted has attached successfully to the marine foundation layer. Based on the report, this percentage is expected to increase to 80% within the next two months.

Click here to examine the official press release from CONANP.