Puerto Vallarta is the best alternative to the sargassum invasion of the Caribbean. The invasion of sargassum to the Caribbean coast of Mexico is motivating travelers to search for other destinations in Mexico. In the Pacific, such as Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, you will find the perfect alternative.
People Also Ask
Escape the 'blobs:' These beaches in Cancun have little to no seaweed
We are staying at Villa Palmar in Nuevo Vallarta. There is no sea weed problem on the west coast that I know of,,,,, especially in Banderias Bay. Many people swim in the ocean here. That's the other side (Caribbean) where they have that problem.
Sargassum, a brown seaweed that floods the Mexican Caribbean coast during the spring and summer months, is typically present until the fall months. Its presence is something that many visitors would rather not deal with on their vacations because it's unsightly and smells.
When it comes to safety, Puerto Vallarta is the clear winner. For years, Puerto Vallarta has been deemed one of the most welcoming cities in Mexico for all types of visitors, and it has a low crime rate. While Cancun is still considered a safe place to visit, it has a higher crime rate than Puerto Vallarta.
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.
2023 is shaping up to be a banner year for sargassum, a type of brown macroalgae now starting to wash up on beaches across the Caribbean. The thick dead tangled heaps of seaweed stink like rotten eggs and could cost many millions in holiday revenues this summer.
While exposed eastern shores are most likely to get hit by surges of sargassum, some beaches in Mexico have no sargassum. This includes Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo and Cozumel's western shore. They're generally seaweed-free. However, much depends on winds and ocean currents.
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.
The presence of Sargassum occurs over large areas from the tropical Atlantic in the east, to the Gulf of Mexico in the west, approximately 5,000 kilometers from the eastern tropical Atlantic to the west off the Mexican coast in the Caribbean Sea.
As a result of this, Fort Lauderdale crews are out daily, scooping up the fresh sargassum from the beaches. They take truckloads of it to a park where the city repurposes it and by the time it decomposes, it has very little smell and becomes fertile soil.
Sargassum threatens tourismJamaica, The Bahamas and the Dominican Republic are sought-after tourist destinations in the Caribbean and tourism is a major industry for these Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Unfortunately, sargassum can threaten this industry.
While the 2023 sargassum bloom isn't as large as originally expected, it will still be a major year for the algae and the lab expected it to continue increasing in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico in March. It is expected to travel west from the Caribbean Sea and become a hazard on some beaches in Florida.
Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, MexicoPlaya Norte is a dazzling beach in the Caribbean without sargassum seaweed. This beach is a perfect white sand haven for vacationers to take a break from their busy lives.
Seaweed season is generally between May and October. Based on the large size of the sargassum mat currently in the Atlantic, experts forecast that Tulum could have a major seaweed problem in 2023, depending on ocean and wind currents.
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.
The best time to visit Puerto Vallarta is between April and June when the weather is pleasant and the room rates are affordable. During these months, rain is scarce and there are fewer tourists compared to the winter high season. If you're interested in whale watching, however, visit from December to March.