Playa Gaviota Azul (Playa Forum)
Overview
Playa Gaviota Azul, known to most visitors as Playa Forum, is a public beach of roughly 300 metres at Km 9.5 of Boulevard Kukulcán. It sits immediately below Plaza Forum, which makes it the beach of Cancún's nightlife district: Coco Bongo, Mandala, Señor Frog's, the Hard Rock Cafe and a dozen bars are all within a few minutes' walk.
The main public entrance is a pedestrian alley between Coco Bongo and Mandala, which is easy to miss from the boulevard and is the reason many visitors assume the beach is private. It is not: access is free and open, as it is on every Mexican beach.
The sand is white and the water the turquoise that Cancún is photographed for. Surf is moderate, larger than the sheltered bay beaches at the northern end of the Hotel Zone but well short of Chac Mool or Delfines further south, and part of the frontage sits behind a breakwater that calms the water noticeably.
Photo summary of last month
They are published unedited and in date order, and they replace themselves as new submissions arrive, so what appears below is the most recent view of the beach rather than a promotional photograph.
Our current score here is 5.8. Gaviota Azul sits on the exposed side of Cancún rather than the sheltered one, which is the single fact that explains most of the difference between this beach and Tortugas or Langosta a few kilometres north.
Because the beach is short and partly shielded by a breakwater, conditions can differ between its northern and southern ends on the same morning.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
Cancún's Hotel Zone is shaped like a seven. The short northern arm faces into the sheltered Bahía de Mujeres, and the long southern arm faces east into the open Caribbean. Punta Cancún is the corner between them, and Gaviota Azul sits just around that corner on the exposed side.
That places it directly in the path of the Yucatán Current, which carries sargassum north-west along the Quintana Roo coast. Tortugas and Langosta, only a few kilometres away on the other arm, face away from that flow entirely. The difference in our scores between the two groups is consistent through the season and is a matter of orientation rather than luck.
The breakwater on part of this frontage adds a local effect. It reduces wave energy, which is why that section is calmer for swimming, and for the same reason material drifting in behind it is not carried out again as readily. Calm water retains what reaches it, which is why the sheltered portion of the beach can hold a weed line while the open portion alongside looks clear.
The sargassum season
The regional season runs from roughly May to August and peaks in June and July, when the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt reaches its greatest extent. This side of Cancún is exposed to that calendar in a way the bay beaches are not.
Being a public beach in the middle of the commercial district works in its favour: it is cleaned regularly because the businesses behind it depend on how it looks. The wider seasonal picture is set out in our Riviera Maya sargassum season guide.
Swimming conditions and safety
Surf here is moderate, typically half a metre to a metre, which makes it enjoyable for body-surfing and manageable for confident swimmers. It is not comparable to the flat water at Langosta or Tortugas, and it is not as demanding as Chac Mool or Delfines further south.
Conditions change quickly with wind, and the same beach can be gentle in the morning and rough by afternoon. The flag system is used and should be taken seriously; rip currents form here on windy days. The calmer stretch behind the breakwater is the sensible choice with children.
Parasailing and jet-ski operators work from the sand, so watch for craft close inshore.
On sargassum: fresh weed floating in the water is harmless and merely unpleasant. The sulphurous smell comes from material that has decomposed on hot sand for a day or more, releasing hydrogen sulphide. A strong smell indicates old weed rather than a new arrival.
Access and getting there
There is no public car park at this beach, which is unsurprising given how built-up the surrounding blocks are. Paid parking is available in the Plaza Forum lot, and there is street parking near the Krystal hotel, both of which fill through the day.
By bus. The R-1 and R-2 routes run the full length of Boulevard Kukulcán and stop directly outside, with a fare of around twelve pesos. Given the parking situation this is comfortably the most practical way to arrive from anywhere in the Hotel Zone.
By taxi or rideshare. From downtown Cancún expect roughly 150 to 250 pesos. From the airport the direct fare is considerably higher, and taking an ADO bus into the centre and transferring to the R-1 is much cheaper if you are not in a hurry.
The entrance. The public access is the pedestrian alley between Coco Bongo and Mandala. There is no gate and no fee.
What is nearby
This is the most concentrated stretch of restaurants, bars and nightlife in Cancún, and everything is within walking distance of the sand. Punta Cancún, the corner of the island, is immediately north, with Playa Caracol on its sheltered side. Playa Chac Mool and Playa Marlín continue south along the exposed shore.
The live camera
This beach has a live webcam at the Krystal Hotel on Punta Cancún, which is the fastest way to judge conditions before setting out. A camera shows the sand and the waterline in real time, which no seasonal average can do. It appears alongside the photographs and the current score on our live map.
Check live conditions before you go
Conditions at Playa Gaviota Azul change within days, and this exposed side of Cancún regularly differs from the sheltered bay beaches a few kilometres north. On the live map we track it with dated photographs, the Krystal webcam and a daily condition score, so you can compare it against Tortugas, Langosta and Delfines on the same morning.
See live conditions, photos & cams →