The Sargasso invade the coasts of Mexico: Beaches spared, Tips (2020)

During our trip to Florida, we were shocked by the massive presence of stinking sargasso (algae) on the beaches of Florida. Not only is it visually unpleasant, but also the stench is such that we were not able to swim at some of the beaches.

This phenomenon, particularly affecting the Caribbean zone, is due to the excessive use of fertilizers in areas near the Gulf of Mexico and the Amazon Basin. These fertilizers end up in the ocean, feeding algae.

Studies have shown that after a first wave in 2015, the phenomenon exploded in Mexico in 2018 with the arrival of 24 million cubic meters, the equivalent of 3,000 soccer fields covered by a meter of sargasso.

If the authorities in Florida do not necessarily clean the beaches, considering that algae are good for the mangroves, this problem is taken more seriously in Mexico: since it makes tourists flee. Hotels & authorities regularly clean the beaches but some of them just bury the algae, making the sand yellow (and stinking, always). Others remove them, but if there is too much, it takes time.

Holbox Island is often recommended by travelers but due to its location, it is often more affected than other places (whereas at the base, there is a permanent sewer smell). As there are fewer luxury hotels, cleaning takes more time.

Cozumel Island is almost never affected. Then, between Cancun and Tulum, the situation changes from day to day.

In order to finance the cleaning of the Sargasso (it isn’t known whether this is true or not), the entrance tickets to the archaeological monuments were x2.

To follow day by day the presence or not of algae, you can follow on Facebook RedSargazoYou
can also join the group Playas in sagazo
, where individuals send photos of the beaches they frequent every day.

Where to stay on the Yucatán Peninsula for a dream vacation?

If you have the means and can afford this dream vacation, the South Zone of Tulum remains the best option (vs. Holbox, Playa del Carmen and Cancun). There are a lot of nice hotels, nice restaurants in the hotel zone and the water is generally cleaner.

To be almost sure not to have algae in the water, you should choose hotels as far as possible from the city center, and as close as possible to Arco Maya (this is the entrance to the Sian Ka’an reserve). I’ve been following the Sargasso bulletins in Quintana Roo for a few months now, and there has never been a Sargasso alert on that side. The Playa Xnacan Tulum hotel (148€, Booking link), or the Nest Tulum hotel for example (200€, children not accepted, Agoda link) may be safe choices.

The Azulik hotel(link Booking) is very famous and very expensive (we are talking about thousands of euros for one night), but it is located at the entrance of the hotel area and can be affected by the Sargasso.

Did you like this article? Check out our practical guide: 15 days in Mexico and all our articles, tips and advice on Mexico here