Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Sept. 2, 2026 – Puerto Vallarta posted red flags at five beach zones Wednesday, including red-and-purple warnings at four sites, according to the city’s lifeguard report.
We reviewed the city’s Sept. 2 beach advisory. It placed a red flag on Palmares’ southern section because rocks covered the water-entry area.
Officials reported waves of about 0.6 meters, or 2 feet. A separate local report based on the advisory matched the city’s list.
Where the restrictions apply
The red-and-purple warnings covered four locations:
- The Río Cuale mouth
- The beach in front of Westin Regina
- The beach in front of Marriott
- Playa Boca Negra
Under the local flag code, red means swimmers should not enter the water. Purple warns of marine wildlife that may present a danger.
The municipal notice did not identify the species behind Wednesday’s purple flags. The advisory should not be read as confirmation of a crocodile, jellyfish or another specific animal.
Downtown, the combined warning applied to the Río Cuale mouth, where Centro meets Emiliano Zapata. The yellow flag at nearby Los Muertos applied separately to its guarded beach area.
In Marina Vallarta, red-and-purple flags covered the Westin and Marriott beach fronts near Paseo de la Marina. Boca Negra carried the same combination.
For residents and visitors, the practical effect was a ban on entering the water at the five red-flag locations. People could remain on the sand unless lifeguards issued additional instructions.
Yellow precautions at major beaches
Yellow flags remained at Los Muertos, Burros, Malecón, Camarones North, Camarones South and Playa de Oro.
Yellow permits swimming with caution. Beachgoers should remain near guarded areas and follow instructions issued at the beach.
Our Puerto Vallarta Civil Protection guide notes that conditions near river mouths can change faster after rain. The posted flag at each access point should take priority over an earlier online report.
Palmares warning limited to southern section
The Palmares warning did not apply to the entire beach. Civil Protection limited the red flag to the southern section, where rocks had covered the entry area.
The city did not place a purple flag at Palmares. Its notice linked that restriction to the rocky access conditions rather than wildlife.
Four locations carried recent repeat warnings
The Río Cuale mouth, Westin Regina, Marriott and Boca Negra also appeared among five restricted zones in an Aug. 24 beach report.
That earlier report also listed the Río Pitillal mouth at Playa Holly. The Pitillal location was not included among Wednesday’s red-and-purple zones.
“Sea conditions can change during the day,” Civil Protection said in its Spanish-language notice. The agency told beachgoers to respect the flags and follow lifeguard instructions.
