This is a landing page for information about Puerto Penasco/Rocky Point, Mexico, a small city within the municipality of the same name, lying in the northwestern part of the state of Sonora, Mexico. Located on the shore of the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortés/Cortez), the town is known for its fishing and tourism industries.
Puerto Peñasco is Rocky Point:
The name Puerto Peñasco derives from 19th century maps drafted by Lt. Robert William Hale Hardy of the British Royal Fleet, who visited the region to scout for potential pearl fisheries. Lt. Hardy dubbed the area "Rocky Point", after the prominent basaltic headland that still dominates the town today. It later became known in Spanish as Puerto Peñasco or “Rocky Port" because the estuary at the base of the headland gave natural refuge to boats. Most non-Mexicans tend to call it Rocky Point, probably because it's easier to say, but the names are interchangeable and both are used in this Web site.
That rocky headland, by the way, was known by fishermen as “Cerro Ballena” or "Whale Hill", for its whale-like shape, and that's what it is still called today.
Below you will find links to helpful information about Puerto Peñasco/Rocky Point, and below the links is some basic data. You will notice that not all these links are active yet, but they are on the way so check back often.
- An Overview of Rocky Point, Mexico
- How to Get to Puerto Penasco/Rocky Point
- Border Crossing:
- Passport Requirements When Returning to the USA
- Crossing the Border into Mexico, and Changes in Immigration Procedures
- The New Immigration Forms, with Pictures (as of May 1, 2010)
- Rocky Point's Beaches
- Health, Safety and Handy Tips:
- OMG, Don't Drink the Water!
- Keeping Your Stomach Happy in Mexico
- Addressing the Safety Issue in Puerto Penasco
- Common Courtesy Goes a Long Way in Mexico!
- Charities & Volunteer Opportunities
- Phone and Internet (Coming Soon)
- Banking (Coming Soon)
- Go back Home
THE BASICS:
Country: Mexico State: Sonora Municipality: Puerto Peñasco Government: Mayor Latitude: 31°19′N Longitude: 113°32′W Elevation: 0 m (0 ft) Population (2005): - Total: 44,875 - Density: 4.59/km2 (11.9/sq mi) Municipality Area: 9,774.45 km² (3,773.94 sq mi) Time zone: MST (UTC-7) Daylight Savings is observed Postal code: 83550 Area code: 638 Website: www.puertopenasco.gob.mx Official Language: Spanish (English is widely spoken in many businesses and hotels) Currency: Peso (The U.S. Dollar is accepted city wide.)
To browse through everything listed under the "About RP" heading, search the entire category by clicking on the following link: See Everything
If you're looking for something you don't see here, type your key word(s) into the search box at the top right of the page. Or you can choose from the Table of Contents in the right sidebar.
Thanks for visiting Rocky Point Tides! Come back any time, the door is always open!
