The Los Cabos municipal government has placed eight amphibious chairs across four public beaches, giving people with disabilities free, supervised access to the sand and sea. The program, coordinated with the Municipal Institute for Development and Inclusion of People with Disabilities (IMDIS) and the private sector, is now operational at La Ribera, Palmilla, Chileno Bay, and El Médano.
El Médano and Palmilla each received two chairs. Chileno Bay and La Ribera each received one. The chairs are stationed at the main access points to each beach, where trained staff from ZOFEMAT, the federal maritime zone management agency, provide hands-on assistance to users entering the water.
How the Program Works
Each session lasts up to 30 minutes under direct supervision. The chairs have a weight capacity of 120 kilograms (about 265 pounds). A family member must accompany the user during the session. Lifeguards trained in the safety protocol remain present throughout.
The service is free of charge. No advance reservation system has been announced; the chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis at each beach’s main entry point.
Where to Find the Chairs
The four beaches span the Los Cabos municipality from east to west. La Ribera sits on the East Cape, roughly 60 miles northeast of Cabo San Lucas. Palmilla and Chileno Bay are both along the Tourist Corridor between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. El Médano, the main swimmable beach in downtown Cabo San Lucas, is the most heavily visited of the four locations.
All four beaches already have public access under Mexican federal law, which guarantees open entry to all coastal zones. The amphibious chairs address a separate barrier: the difficulty of crossing soft sand and entering the ocean for people who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility.
Part of a Broader Inclusion Strategy
The Los Cabos city council described the initiative as part of a broader social inclusion strategy aimed at guaranteeing the right to access and enjoy public spaces for all residents and visitors. IMDIS, the municipal disability inclusion institute, helped design the safety protocols and coordinate with beach personnel.
Los Cabos welcomed more than 4 million visitors in 2024, making accessibility infrastructure increasingly relevant at its most popular shorelines. The program was first reported by the Los Cabos municipal government website.