Sargassum in the Mexican Caribbean and the Islands

Sargassum on a Mexican Caribbean beach

SARGASSUM - Unfortunately the coastal areas around Tulum and Cancun are plagued with a thick and smelly varierty of this type of seaweed.  Many Caribbean islands have also been affected.  A beach could be sargassum free one week and covered the next. Local governments and some resorts do their best to clean up the seaweed.  Note that Hawaii and Pacific destinations are not affected. (e.g. Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, California). 
A very helpful website with updated maps can be found at ​https://www.sargassummonitoring.com/   University level research can be found at
https://sargassumhub.org    This information is designed to inform rather than scare you before you spend your vacation dollars.

Sargassum tends to be worse in the summertime in Mexico and the Caribbean.  It is a completely unpredictable phenomena.  It does not affect the Pacific ocean, so destinations such as Los Cabos and Hawaii are sargassum free.

The sargassum plague is not new, though it is gaining lot's of attention this year because the quantity is so bad.  These blobs of seaweed originate in the eastern Atlantic slowly making their way across the Atlantic.   Do it your self travelers are finding out the hard way the effect this smelly disgusting seaweed can have on their vacation. 

Sargassum season runs from April through October.  

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