The Sargassum Journal
Plain-English guides to sargassum across the Riviera Maya and the wider Caribbean — what it is, when it peaks, where the water stays clear, and how to plan around it.
From the Sargasso Sea to the Caribbean's beaches — what sargassum (sargazo) actually is, its natural place in the ocean, how its life at sea differs from life on the shore, and what happens when it washes up.
Five beaches ranked on beach conditions, sargassum, access and amenities, from Playacar Fase 2 to Parque Fundadores, and the stretches with recurring problems.
The 33.5 km state restoration programme, the eroded beaches of central Playa del Carmen, the works at Playa Delfines and the new breakwaters in Akumal.
The federal investment presented in July 2026, covering new collection vessels, containment barriers, reuse sites and the Tulum tourism plan, with the status of each measure in September.
A 2025 study shows the northern Sargasso Sea has lost about 90% of its sargassum since 2015, while the tropical belt that reaches Caribbean beaches keeps growing.
Ranked on how often each stretch stays clear, the colour and transparency of the water, the facilities, and the effort it takes to get there.
A five-thousand-dollar resort cannot compensate for an unusable beach. How to verify the coast first, then choose the hotel that sits on it.
Cavern or open pool, quiet or photogenic, gate entry or guided tour. The cenotes that merit a full day, from Dos Ojos to the Ruta de los Cenotes and Suytun near Valladolid.
Sargassum on your doorstep? A practical transport guide: colectivos, ADO buses, taxis and the ferries to Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, with real routes, costs and travel times.
What the seaweed actually did, beach by beach — a living monthly record built from our live cams, community photos and daily scores. June and July 2026.
A location-by-location guide to the offshore barriers along the coast — Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Mahahual, Cancún and the private hotel nets — with an honest read on each.
Eleven standout stays chosen for architecture, concept, food and setting — from overwater bungalows and boat-in lagoon suites to jungle treehouses and Bacalar eco-luxury.
Islands, cenotes, lagoons, nature parks, nightlife, reserves and a trip to Mérida — everything to do when the beach has sargassum.
Barriers, collection boats and beach cleanups — why each only partly works, new ways to reuse the seaweed, and what to do when it lands anyway.
The islands, lagoons and sheltered beaches that tend to stay clearest — Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Bacalar — and where to stay on each.
The month-by-month rhythm of the seaweed season — and the windows when the water is most likely to be clear.
Which coast gets the seaweed and which stays clear — a month-by-month planning guide for Florida's Atlantic and Gulf shores.
From the Sargasso Sea to the Caribbean's beaches — what it is, its natural occurrence, and the two faces of the "golden floating forest."
River nutrients, Saharan dust, upwelling and currents — the forces behind the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt.