From Montego Bay to Miami, sargassum is leaving stinky brown carpets over what was once prime tourist sand. But whether it gets ignored or removed, it comes with high health and environmental risks.
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A must see attraction for any tourist traveling to Montego Bay is the beach. There are a number of beaches you can explore - each with its own benefits. Cornwall Beach is a popular place for swimming and relaxing on the white sandy beach.
Tourists can avoid seaweed by visiting beaches with less Sargassum, such as Bayahibe, Macao Beach, and Uvero Alto. Additionally, many resorts regularly clean their beaches to ensure a pleasant environment for visitors.
The seaweed season in the Dominican Republic including Punta Cana can vary from year to year due to natural factors and environmental conditions, especially regarding temperatures on the Atlantic Ocean. Historically, the seaweed influx in the region has been more prevalent during the summer months and into fall.
Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks and CaicosGrace Bay in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos is definitely a destination to consider if you're looking for Caribbean beach without seaweed for a family, couples or group vacation.
In the Caribbean, seaweed season is generally May to October. The worst time for seaweed in Cancun, the Dominican Republic and much of the Caribbean is during the summer months.
Since 2011, 2023 still ranks in the top half of the worst sargassum seaweed seasons. With the latest data, USF researchers say in June, sargassum will likely decrease in the Gulf of Mexico, meaning beachgoers may not have such a smelly experience. The USF lab forecasts the decrease to continue through August.
Tourists are generally very safe everywhere unless they are extremely careless. Montego Bay is a city so there is crime like any other city but if you avoid doing things you would not do in say NY you should be fine.
It's especially important to think about in 2023. There's been a record-breaking sargassum seaweed bloom in 2023 in the Caribbean Sea. In order to help you plan your beach vacation, we've created a list of Caribbean beaches not affected by sargassum seaweed historically.
Palm Beach in Aruba, Dutch CaribbeanIt's one of the most reliable Caribbean islands without sargassum. While there are several small, boutique-sized hotels in Aruba, here are two of our favourite large resorts on Palm Beach and Eagle Beach.