I like a beach with a good superlative, which is why I paused, interested, when I read about Zipolite Beach in Mexico, supposedly the world’s most dangerous beach. Hard to imagine such a pristine coastline being so deadly.

Dangerous beauty.

Located in Oaxaca, the southern state of Mexico, the name Zipolite quite literally means “beach of the dead” in the native Zapotec language. Unfortunately, this moniker does not come from the area’s laid back vibe of surfers and followers of The Grateful Dead, but instead refers to the actual body count claimed by the strong rip current and undertow. Apparently, the beauty of the turquoise water lures tourists to swim while more knowledgable locals stay far away.

Dog days of Zipolite.

There are, in fact, periods when the water is at its most dangerous, so-called rebalses when the water is said to rebel. It is a time of high seas and the full moon; rebalses are stronger and occur more often from April to June.

There is a lifeguard program which has succeeded in cutting down on fatalities, but the beach still lives up to its name. If you choose to swim in the waters off Zipolite Beach extreme caution is advised; stay close to the shore and do not enter the water when you see red flags.

Photo credits in order of appearance: Kevin Hutchinson’s photostream, antifluor’s photostream, both via Flickr.