What is seaweed season in the Caribbean?

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.



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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.

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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.

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The amount of sargassum seaweed in Cancun varies by season and even daily. Generally the worst months for seaweed are July and August.

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However due to ocean currents, the amount of seaweed landing on beaches in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico in June and July 2023 was lower than expected. There's more good news! The sargassum seaweed forecast for September 2023 is minimal seaweed in the Caribbean Sea.

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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.

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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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Sargassum is type of brown seaweed that drifts on the ocean surface accumulating along beaches and coastlines throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, Texas and Florida, including Miami-Dade County annually from March to October.

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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.

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7 September 2023 Update: The Turks and Caicos is experiencing medium levels of sargassum at this time. Grace Bay, Leeward Beach, Sapodilla Bay, Taylor Bay, and the Bight Beach remain largely free of sargassum. Sargassum that washed onshore in late August has largely dissipated.

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USF reports it remains difficult to predict exact timing and location for individual beaching events but substantial amounts of the seaweed are expected in May in both the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. June is forecast to be the likely peak of the 2023 season, but impacts are expected to continue into July.

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1. NEVIS, The less popular sister to St. Kitts, the Volcanic Island Nevis is firmly off the beaten track. Sparsely populated and densely forested, the island boasts acres of beaches, which are unspoilt and underdeveloped.

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Haiti is the poorest country in the Caribbean. Because of their weak economic state, people are ransacked by extreme poverty without hope of leadership or guidance from the government.

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Bits of Sargassum seaweed are washing ashore around Avenida 16-18 on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Giant blobs of Sargassum hug the shoreline next to the William O Lockhart Municipal Pier in Lake Worth Beach, Florida on June 1, 2023. Sargassum accumulates on the beach at Phipps Ocean Park Tuesday May 30, 2023 in Palm Beach.

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