If you're traveling in Playa del Carmen at the moment, you may notice some reddish-colored type of sargassum along the beach. Over the first two days of the new year, almost 5 tonnes of this red algae was collected by local authorities.
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Sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean typically runs from May through October, with July and August generally being the worst months for its arrival.
The beaches in Playa del Carmen experience a seasonal seaweed influx that can change throughout the year. While efforts are being made to address the situation, visitors should know that the seaweed may impact their beach experience.
Once a sleepy fishing village, Playa del Carmen is now a Riviera Maya destination in its own right. Here, lively bars and cool boutiques sit next to local taquerias and chic luxury hotels—all with a bit more authentic Mexican style than you'll find up the coast in Cancun.
According to the website Numbeo, Playa del Carmen currently has an overall Safety Index of 50.55 as well as a Crime Index of 49.45, which is basically low-moderate on both counts.
From October to May to avoid seaweedIf you want to dip into sargassum-free beaches, the best season is from October to May. Fun Fact: Some resorts like Seadust Cancun have made efforts to keep the seaweed from arriving at the shore by implementing a marine-life-friendly barrier.
Top Tip: Punta Esmeralda is a curved bay sheltered from the open sea, and thus receives less sargassum seaweed than other beaches in Playa del Carmen. If you're visiting during the sargassum season, which runs roughly from April to August, this might be the best place to swim in seaweed-free water.
Called “Sargasso” in Spanish, these algae are actually something natural and occur temporarily in many places in the Caribbean. They are washed up by currents from the Sargasso Sea, a sea between Europe and America, in which many brown algae grow.
For example, in 2022, when mainland of Playa del Carmen, Mexico had a severe sargassum seaweed problem, the leeward beaches of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel were free of seaweed.
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.
Thick rafts of a seaweed-like algae species known as sargassum have caused resorts to close in the Caribbean before, and now they're piling up on Mexico's Riviera Maya in foul-smelling heaps.
The best time to visit Playa del Carmen is between April and May, when there are fewer people along the shore. Day temperatures hover between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, dropping slightly in the evenings. From October to March, the climate is generally dry and slightly warm.
If you don't have any open wounds, you should be OK to swim in oceans with sargassum, since that environment is moving saltwater instead of brackish water, he added. But if you see a clump go by, stay away from it.
Playa del Carmen boasts an enviable collection of beaches, where you can enjoy typical Caribbean relaxation and swim in an unspoilt sea, perhaps coming across turtles while you do so.
Calle 28 and north is a very nice quiet beach area, but really with the depth of the new beach there are plenty of quiet areas from the ferry pier going north until at least calle 8 or 10 or even further.
Playa Porto Mari on Curacao, Dutch CaribbeanOne of the most beautiful beaches in Curacao also happens to be one of the best Caribbean beaches without sargassum. Located on the west coast of the island of Curacao, Playa Porto Mari is a private beach which means there is an entrance fee.
Due to distance, speed of travel and currents, Cancun and Playa del Carmen beaches are expected to remain relatively free of the seaweed. The upcoming 2023 summer vacation holiday season for Cancun and Riviera Maya are forecast to be sargassum-free according to Esteban Jesús Amaro Mauricio.
Popular resort hubs, including Playa del Carmen and Tulum, have ramped up efforts to deter sargassum from affecting travelers. What is this? Both destinations have set up temporary barriers and hired more cleaners in an effort to attract more travelers.
As with all of Mexico, the vast majority of Playa del Carmen visitors are completely safe. There are isolated incidents of crime like any other place on Earth, but for the most part, it's one of the best places to visit in Mexico.
Be extra careful at night in Playa del CarmenAs with many places in the world, most crimes in Playa del Carmen occur at night. Besides being extra careful at the bars in Playa del Carmen, you'll also want to be extra careful when walking alone at night.
Playa del Carmen is one of the safest places to travel in Mexico, and one of the best beach towns in Mexico. For the most part, Playa del Carmen is considered safe for the majority of visitors, with the biggest threats usually being hurricanes, hangovers, sunburns and mosquitoes.