Puerto Morelos Completes Upgrades to Six Beach Access Points in Historic Old Town

Your Favorite Beach Spots Just Got a Serious Upgrade

If you have ever walked down to the beach access points in Puerto Morelos' historic Old Town and thought, "this place could use a little love," good news. The municipality just delivered it, and then some.

What Actually Got Done

Recently, Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu Muñoz oversaw the completion of improvements to six public beach access points in the Old Town, working with Public Services Secretary Leonel Salazar Trejo and his crew.

The project, which began four months earlier, targeted the access points on Calle Adolfo López Mateos, Calle Ejército Mexicano, Calle Vicente Guerrero, Calle Plutarco Elías Calles, Calle Leona Vicario, and Calle Margarita Maza de Juárez.

The list of improvements is solid. Workers painted the wooden decks and railings, trimmed back overgrown vegetation, installed new signage, and added fresh waste containers at each access. New streetlights were also put in, and the curb areas got a fresh coat of yellow paint.

The Numbers Behind the Work

Here is something most people do not know. Those beach decks are not small. The two southernmost access points, at Leona Vicario and Margarita Maza de Juárez, feature rehabilitated wooden decks totaling over 779 square meters of boardwalk and railings.

All wooden structures were treated with a specialized marine-grade wood paint called Woox 365, built to handle the salt air and humidity that eats through regular paint fast.

Metal structures, including bike racks, got a coat of black paint as well. Each access point now has three trash containers, plus new signage reminding visitors to use them.

The first four access points (Adolfo López Mateos, Ejército Mexicano, Vicente Guerrero, and Plutarco Elías Calles) feature stamped concrete walkways with benches, planters, and bike parking. 

Storm drains were also installed at these locations to prevent beach erosion during heavy rains. All access points now include universal accessibility features with properly marked ramps.

The Lighting Change That Matters More Than You Think

The new LED lights installed at the beach access points are low-intensity by design. That is not a budget decision. It is a conservation one.

Puerto Morelos sits right in the middle of one of the most active sea turtle nesting zones on the Riviera Maya. Puerto Morelos beaches, especially near Punta Brava, see significant sea turtle nesting activity during the season from roughly April through November.

Bright artificial lights at night disorient nesting females and hatchlings trying to find the water. Low-intensity LED lighting at the beach access points is a small but meaningful step toward keeping those numbers up.

Local Nicknames: Ultimo Muelle & Penultimo Muelle

Two of the six access points have earned distinctive local names among Puerto Morelos residents.

The access on Calle Margarita Maza de Juárez (located next to The Fives Hotel) is known as Ultimo Muelle ("Last Pier"), while the access on Calle Leona Vicario is called Penultimo Muelle ("Second-to-Last Pier").

Both names reference the elevated wooden decking platforms at these locations, functioning as a kind of small pier (muelle), and are recognized on Google Maps and Apple Maps.

Part of a Bigger Plan

This is not a one-time cleanup. These improvements are part of the municipality's ongoing public services program, and officials say work will continue at other access points throughout town.

The project was financed through Environmental Sanitation Rights funds and reflects the municipality's commitment to maintaining and beautifying public spaces that attract tourists and serve residents.

Mayor Tziu Muñoz emphasized that constant maintenance of beaches and access points is fundamental to elevating the community's quality of life and strengthening the experience for those visiting the destination.

What This Means for You

All six access points are free, public beach access. No beach club fee, no membership, no cover charge.

They sit just a short walk from the town square and give you direct access to the calm, reef-protected waters that make Puerto Morelos one of the best swimming spots on the coast.

Cleaner decks, better lighting, proper signage, and sea turtle-friendly design make a real difference, especially during the busy summer season ahead. Go take a look. The work speaks for itself.