MEXICO CITY – Mexican environmental authorities say they will temporarily close a popular beach off the Pacific state of Nayarit because of damage from too many tourists.
The National Commission on Protected Natural Areas (Conanp) said in a statement Thursday that during the two-week Easter vacation season more than 27,000 people visited tiny “Love Beach” in the Marietas Islands National Park.
The unusual beach is a small crescent of sand at the bottom of a hole in the island that has become an internet sensation. It is accessible only by swimming in through a tunnel.
The commission says boats ferrying tourists to the island have damaged delicate coral with fuel and anchors. The beach will close May 9 so officials can work on restoration and develop a system for limiting visitors.