With 80 certified beaches nationwide and Cancún renewing its tally to 53 distinctions, Mexico holds first place worldwide in the number of Blue Flag tourism boats.
Mexico reached 80 certified Blue Flag beaches for the 2025-2026 season, spread across states from Sonora to Quintana Roo, consolidating the country as one of the leading coastal-tourism references in the Americas. The award, granted by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE Mexico), certifies water quality, environmental management, safety and education.
Cancún remained the clear national leader. For the 2026-2027 season, the destination renewed and expanded its tally to 53 Blue Flag distinctions — 49 renewals plus four new awards — covering seven public beaches, six hotels and 40 tourism boats.
Cifras clave: 80 Beaches (2025-26) · 53 Cancún awards · 7 Cancún public beaches · 40 Cancún boats
Cancún, first in the world for boats
Beyond leading Mexico in total certified sites, Cancún holds first place worldwide in the number of tourism boats carrying the Blue Flag — a distinctive strength of the Mexican Caribbean’s certified fleet. Its seven public beaches, all free to access, include emblematic spots such as Playa Delfines and Playa Marlín.
All beaches in Mexico are public by law — the Blue Flag adds a guarantee of quality on top of that access.
On the Pacific side, Los Cabos concentrates the largest number of flags, with more than twenty certified beaches, while destinations such as Huatulco and Isla Mujeres round out a national map that keeps expanding season after season.
Sources: FEE Mexico / blueflagmexico.org and the Municipality of Benito Juárez (Cancún), July 2026; national figure via México Travel Channel and Viva México. Reported and summarised by Blue Flag News.
A certified public beach in Cancún, Mexico’s Blue Flag leader. Photo: Chris Kofoed / Unsplash.
