Why does Mexico have so much seaweed?

The seaweed on Mexico beaches is simply a natural phenomenon. Seaweed, also known as sargassum, tends to arrive far offshore, but ocean currents have brought it to the shores of Mexico's Caribbean coast and the Gulf of Mexico. The seaweed levels vary day by day, and you can follow them by webcam at the major beaches.



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Sargassum usually accumulates in the Sargasso Sea and is moved across the Gulf of Mexico and some parts of the Caribbean. Due to unforeseen climate changes, massive amounts of the seaweed has ended up in Cancun.

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Since 2011, sargassum has worsened as a nuisance — possibly due to an influx of synthetic fertilizers into the Atlantic Ocean — with the brown algae washing up on Caribbean beaches where it rots, stinks like rotten eggs and devastates tourism, including in Mexico where 30 million go for beach holidays annually.

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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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Sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean typically runs from May through October, with July and August generally being the worst months for its arrival.

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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.

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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.

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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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Like many other travelers, you've probably already heard about the seaweed or sargassum problem along the Quintana Roo coastline. Get to know more about Playa Mujeres: A Sargassum-Free Haven in Cancun, and prepare to enjoy a spectacular Caribbean getaway!

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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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