What is the brown stuff in the water in Cancun?

Cancun and Riviera Maya are experiencing one of their most intrusive sargassum seaweed seasons ever. The dense, foul-smelling algae is a common site along shorelines, and Cancun and surrounding areas are seeing an influx at an alarming rate. Sargassum is not your average beach shrubbery; it can be dangerous.



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Its massive popularity would lead you to think the quality of local beaches is decreasing dramatically – after all, more tourists generally result in more waste and, subsequently, beach pollution. That is shockingly not the case, as Cancun has, in fact, the highest number of clean beaches in all of Mexico.

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TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF SARGASSUM SEASON By traveling to the Caribbean from November to February, you should be able to avoid the worst sargassum blooms.

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Seaweed and algae in the ocean´s floor, can darken the color of the water or give a green aspect to it. Plankton, algae and other organisms transform blue color into green. Also if there is seaweed floating light cannot penetrate the surface and shed light deep enough.

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The wastewater is often discharged directly into lagoons and bays such as Chetumal Bay and Nitchupé Lagoon in Cancun, Mexico.

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Overview on Sargassum in Riviera Maya, Cancun, and Tulum The 2023 sargassum season started earlier than anticipated, beginning in February. Historically, the seaweed typically starts at the beginning of spring due to a rise in sea temperature, which accelerates the reproduction of the seaweed.

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Playa Porto Mari on Curacao, Dutch Caribbean One 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.

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Maroma Beach is located in Quintana Roo State, between Cancun and Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan Peninsula. It is on the Mexican Caribbean Coast, so expect gorgeous, crystal clear waters in every shade of blue — maybe even the clearest water in Mexico.

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