FAQ
When is sargassum season in Cancún and the Riviera Maya?
The season runs April through September, peaking from May to July. November through March the beaches are usually clean, though stray patches can land at any time. Because each year is different — sometimes wildly so — we track every beach with Copernicus satellite imagery refreshed four times a day, so you see what is on the sand today rather than a historical average.
Which Riviera Maya beaches get the least sargassum?
The ones that don't face east: Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, Holbox at the top of the peninsula, and the west coast of Cozumel (Palancar) almost never get sargassum. Along the Cancún–Tulum corridor, beaches sheltered by a bay or reef — Akumal, Puerto Morelos — pile up far less than the open ones. Check the live map: daily satellite data shows which beaches are seaweed-free right now.
How reliable is the data on this site?
We use the AFAI index — the same standard NOAA uses to detect floating sargassum from satellite — with Copernicus imagery refreshed four times a day. Reports from people on the beach fill in what clouds can hide. Every beach shows the exact time of its last update and a confidence level, so you know how fresh the reading you're looking at really is.
Can you forecast sargassum a week ahead?
Yes, within reasonable limits. Sargassum drifts with the wind and currents, so once the satellite spots a mat offshore we can project its path toward each beach over the next seven days. Days 1 to 3 are the most accurate; days 4 to 7 show the trend. The forecast is recalculated every day with each new satellite pass.
Do the hotels clean sargassum off their beaches?
The big resorts in Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum rake their beachfront every morning, and many install offshore sargassum barriers; the municipalities and the Navy also collect tons in season. Even so, on a heavy landing day the seaweed comes back within hours. That's why it pays to watch the real satellite flow: if nothing new is inbound, a raked beach stays clean all day.
What do I do if my beach is buried in sargassum?
Move — the geography gives you options. If the Cancún hotel zone wakes up bad, Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres is usually clean; from Playa del Carmen, the ferry puts you half an hour from Palancar on Cozumel. Fresh sargassum isn't dangerous, but rotting piles smell of sulfur and are best avoided. With premium alerts we tell you the moment your beach changes status.