Juan Vázquez Montalvo, weather forecaster at Autonomous University of Yucatan, informed that this week the entire Yucatan peninsula will be impacted by temperatures not seen in more than 50 years.

“It’s important that people take this situation very seriously by exercising precautions to protect themselves from very high temperatures. These weather conditions have not been seen in more than 50 years, so we are in uncharted territory,” he said.

These adverse weather conditions may result in people suffering from heat strokes. If that happens to you or your companions, make sure to cool the patient’s body temperature and keep them hydrated.

According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), daytime temperatures will range from 39 (102F) to 41 (106F) in Quintana Roo.

Other states such as  Campeche, Tabasco, and Veracruz, will have temperatures above 45C (113F).

At night, people will have to deal with temperatures as high as 26C (79F), plus lots of humidity and no rain.

“The influx of humidity from the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico continues towards the peninsular region and the State of Quintana Roo. It will maintain partially cloudy skies with increasing cloudiness during the course of the day with little chance of rain,” the SMN said this weekend.

This “second” heatwave is caused by “an anticyclonic circulation of the atmosphere,” reported the State Coordination of Civil Protection.

For tomorrow, Tuesday, the SMN forecasts a thermal sensation of over 50C (122F), with no possibility of rain.

If you are thinking: “I’ve got AC, no problem,” that might not save you.

During the first heatwave dated mid-April, when temperatures reached 40C (104F), 18 states across Mexico experienced a blackout, including Quintana Roo, due to the “high demand for power.”

For more than two hours, some Cancun and Playa del Carmen neighborhoods didn’t have electricity, then operations returned to normal.

A situation like that can happen again if too much stress is put on the country’s CFE (Federal Electricity Commission), said the energy organization.

The post Cancun Area To Experience The Hottest Heat Wave In 50 Years, Warn Experts appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

Due to the strong east-to-west flowing winds, the monitoring network is anticipating that this mass of 5,000 km2 (3,100 mi2) will hit the waters of the Mexican Caribbean in the coming weeks. They expect that the mass will arrive in waves hitting mainly in the Southern Zone of the State, in about two weeks.

Join or FB Seaweed Reporting Groups:

• Mexico Sargassum Seaweed Updates (Cancun, PDC, Tulum, etc.)
• Dominican Republic Sargassum Seaweed Reports (Punta Cana, Cabarete, etc.)
• Sargassum Seaweed in Caribbean | Monitoring and Daily Updates
• Sargassum Seaweed Florida: Daily Updates and Photo Reports

This comes after approximately 135 tons were expected to wash ashore on the tranquil waters of the Mexican Caribbean in mid-April. In total, this year there is expected to be between 200 and 300 thousand tons of sargassum washing on the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean according to the Sargassum Monitoring Network.

The rotting, stinking algae is composed of gas-filled structures that keep the brown seaweed buoyant and make its way to all Caribbean islands, the Gulf of Mexico, and Southeast Florida. When washing ashore, not only does it stink, but it is not advised to swim next to it as it can cause the skin to turn red and into an itchy rash.

While it is harmful to humans, the seaweed helps with shoreline stability and is home to many marine species and the algae helps with erosion and provides beach plants with nutrients.

Along with the Mexican Caribbean, the massive amounts of sargassum have impacted other destinations in the Caribbean region, such as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and even the Florida Peninsula.

In the Dominican Republic, hoteliers and local authorities are cleaning beaches every morning and installing ocean barriers as sargassum peaks between May and August on the country’s shores.

The post Seaweed Alert: 5,000 Square Kilometers Of Sargassum Heading To Mexican Caribbean appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

Beaches most affected by high concentrations of algae include Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Sian Ka’an, and certain areas between Cancun and Puerto Morelos.

However, accurately predicting which beaches will be affected and to what extent is extremely difficult, as conditions change almost daily and often without notice.

Join our Seaweed/Sargassum Cancun FB group where locals and tourists post photos and videos from the area

Read on for the latest information on the sargassum situation at Mexicos’ beaches.

Sargassum Seaweed Cancun Right Now (MAY 7 Update)

Sargassum season in Cancun has been very good in 2024 but recently there has been an increase. There are morning clean-ups organized by resorts which keep the beaches mostly clean until afternoon.

Mexican Caribbean Coast Sargassum Seaweed Map

The latest sargassum seaweed MAP of the Quintana Roo coast was issued on April 29, 2024.

Note: The situation changes every day in unpredictable ways, so you take this information as an estimation. You can count on Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres as clean destinations. As for Cancun, seaweed levels are low but depending on the current it can change from day to day.

Sargassum Seaweed Distribution Across the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean – Satellite Report

Latest Cancun photo updates:

Cancun video update (by Traveling Lifestyle) – April 24, 2024

The walk was recorded on April 24 on Playa Delfines passing famous resorts:

• Iberostar Selection Resort Cancun,
• Seadust Cancun Family Resort,
• Royal Caribbean Cancun,
• Wyndham Grand Cancun Resort,
• Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun,
• Paradius Cancun Resort,
• JW Marriot Cancun Resort & SPA,
• Hard Rock Resort Cancun.

Here are some of the live cameras from Cancun Resorts:

• The Royal Haciendas 2
• The Royal Sands Live Webcam Phase 1
• Cancún desde Hotel Iberostar

Daily Seaweed Updates and Beach Photos (Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, etc.):

May 2 – May 7

Viral videos from different parts of the Mexican Caribbean are circulating the internet and continue to impact tourism as the sargassum season slowly starts peaking in the region.

Playacar MAY 3 – Video report from the walk in front of popular resorts (RIU Palace, Reef Hotel, Iberostar Playacar, Viva by Wyndham etc.)

April 30 – May 1

The situation in Playa del Carmen is out of control in some of the beaches. The cleaning crew struggles to keep up with constant (24h) seaweed arrival.

Here are some latest seaweed photo updates from Holbox, PDC, Tulum and Puerto Aventuras:

April 24 – 29

Latest photo updates from Puerto Morels and Playa del Carmen

April 22 – 23

Tankah Bay and Paradius

Playa Caracol, the cleanest beach in Cancun, zero seaweed – April 22, 2024

April 20 – 21

Sarah G. said in her FB report: “Today in Tulum. Sargassum is here. But they are doing a good job of mitigation. It’s different everywhere but also not really in the water or stinky. No complaints.”

“The worst photo is La Zebra. The other two are equidistant in either direction. Enjoy.” she continued.

April 17 – 19

Latest news, photos, and video from recent seaweed arrival

Sargassum seaweed alert in Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean has been raised for the first time in 2024 by the local officials.

The arrival of the sargassum continues as predicted. According to photos submitted to our FB reporting group and information from our journalist in the area, the situation is at its worst in 2024.

This increase in the sargassum prompts the Mexican Navy to install more barriers along the Cancun and other parts of the coast.

Video report from Puerto Morelos (by Traveling Lifestyle)

April 15 – 16

Another wave of sargassum is expected in the upcoming weeks

Mexican officials expect another wave of seaweed on the beaches of popular destinations such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Akumal, and Cozumel.

Latest photo & video updates:

April 13 – 14

Latest update on Mexico’s seaweed situation from the FB reporting group. Photos from Playa del Carmen, Akumal and Puerto Morelos

April 11 – 12

Latest photos from Playa del Carmen, Playa Car, and Puerto Morelos

Massive Arrival of Seaweed to Mexican Caribbean from April 6

Massive invasions of seaweed started happening in the Mexican Caribbean. From April 6, people started uploading photos into our FB seaweed reporting group with huge amounts of seaweed on the beaches of Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum, etc. This invasion continues throughout the week and it’s most likely caused by increased temperatures in the Caribbean.

Here are some photos from our FB group (April 7 – 10):

When Does Seaweed Season Start In Cancun (Mexican Caribbean)?

According to the data from the last 2 years, seaweed season in Cancun starts in February and peaks between April and August. Some parts close to Cancun, such as Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Puerto Morelos see the start of the peak already in February.

What is the seaweed sargasso and what is causing it?

Sargassum is a type of brown seaweed that floats on the ocean surface and is known for forming large masses or “blooms.” It is distinctive for its leafy appearance and air-filled bladders that aid in buoyancy.

The recent increases in sargassum blooms, particularly in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, are attributed to various factors including nutrient enrichment from agricultural runoff and human waste, climate change, and altered ocean currents. These factors contribute to an environment conducive to the rapid growth and accumulation of sargassum, leading to significant environmental and economic impacts on coastal regions.

The post Cancun Sargassum Seaweed Area DAILY 2024 Updates and MAP appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

“Some hotels have up to 300 employees ready to collect sargassum, depending on the resort’s size, because there are some with very large beach fronts. However, if sargacero vessels are put in operation, collection will be much easier. They have worked,” said Jesús Almaguer Salazar, President of the Hotel Association of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres.

Resorts managers have also spoken to authorities regarding the ocean barriers to prevent the seaweed from washing ashore.

“We have been talking for months with the Naval Region Admiral, and thanks to that, anti-sargassum barriers are being placed from Puerto Morelos to Mahahual… These barriers significantly reduce the arrival to the beach,” Almaguer stated.

Some of the most popular beaches in Quintana Roo are installing up to 8,600 meters of anti-sargassum barriers. This reinforces the labor of 22 small boats, an ocean vessel, four beach sweepers, 11 algae collectors, and eight amphibious bands to control sargassum in 2024, according to REPORTUR.mx.

For its part, the Secretary of Navy (Semar) has 22 smaller vessels ready to support the “Natans” ship operations, according to El Heraldo.

Hoteliers are also lobbying for the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) to rethink the type of population the state houses so the national government allocates more funds for the particular issues this region has, sargassum, for instance. 

Meanwhile, due to low temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, sargassum season in Quintana Roo started several weeks later than usual.

So far, the most affected beaches include Playa del Carmen, Sian Ka’an, Cozumel, Tulum, and some coasts between Cancun and Puerto Morelos.

But it doesn’t mean these beaches are dirty all day long. Authorities work unstoppably to clean them as soon as possible. 

For the time being, tourism projections have been positive and hoteliers expect figures to continue growing during the rest of the year.

“We had a very good (Easter) season. That serves as a base for the rest of the year. It is very important to have passed Holy Week without serious incidents,. We all know that it is complicated because there is a lot of land tourism. But we are very happy. We are having good results and we hope to continue like this,” Almaguer stated.

The post Mexico’s Beach Resorts Increase Staff To Fight Sargassum Ahead Of Summer 2024 appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

In 2024, sargassum seaweed season in Cancun was better until last week when the whole Mexican Caribbean saw an influx of seaweed on the beaches.

Thankfully, not all beaches have been equally affected by the presence of Sargassum. We have curated a comprehensive selection of beaches in the Cancun area with low amounts of Sargassum.

Caracol Beach – Hotel Zone

Caracol Beach is located in the Northern part of Cancun’s Hotel Zone. As it doesn’t have the same current as the main beaches, the waters are more calm with less seaweed.

It’s located in Punta Cancun which is a prime location with restaurants, bars and some of the best Cancun resorts such as Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach, Hotel Riu Cancun, and Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas. Playa Caracol is a public beach, so it’s easy to reach even if you’re not staying in one of the resorts.

It’s also known as one of the best beaches for families as the waves are not strong and there are no dangerous currents.

Isla Contoy

Spanning a mere 5 miles in length, the island’s pristine white sand, untouched by sargassum, stands as its undeniable centerpiece, drawing visitors in with its sheer beauty.

Isla Mujeres Playa Centro

Playa Centro, famous for its pristine white sand and stunning waters, stands as one of Quintana Roo’s most beautiful beaches. It is no wonder that a visit to Isla Mujeres is a must-do for many tourists during their stay in Cancun.

You can get to Isla Mujeres by ferry from Puerto Juarez which is located only 15 minutes from Cancun. It only takes about 15 minutes and it goes every 30 minutes.

Isla Mujeres – Punta Sur

Punta Sur, although not a traditional beach, is a perfect retreat to evade sargassum. Marvel at the extraordinary sculptures and captivating coastline.

This rocky shore showcases the remarkable artwork of over 20 skilled Mexican painters, along with fascinating traces of Mexican archaeology. Capture stunning photos of the sargassum-free Caribbean Sea, making it an ideal destination for photography enthusiasts.

Chiquila Beach

A serene beach in Chiquila, away from Cancun’s hustle, provides a peaceful retreat and perfect getaway from seaweed.

Indulge in delicious seafood while lounging on the sand. Chiquila’s port offers daily excursions to Holbox Island for adventurous travelers.

Holbox Island is located 37.8 miles (60.9 kilometers) from Cancun and can be easily reached by car or shuttle bus but you will have to take a ferry after. There are no cars on the island, so you if you’re coming with a rental car, you’ll need to leave it at the port. The ferry ride takes around 25 minutes.

Playa Tortugas

Playa Tortugas is a captivating destination renowned for its stunning beaches and serene atmosphere. Situated in the North of Cancun, it gets less seaweed compared to other beaches in Cancun.

It can be conveniently accessed by cab, allowing visitors to explore the lively entertainment areas of Cancun at their leisure.

Playa Ballenas

Playa Ballenas in Cancun is a must for beach lovers looking for a piece of paradise without sargassum. With its pristine sandy beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters, this idyllic beach offers a tranquil and picturesque retreat. Relax under the swaying palm trees, soak up the warm rays of the sun, and let the refreshing ocean waves carry you away. Whether you want to relax, enjoy water activities like snorkeling, or simply admire the breathtaking coastal scenery, Playa Ballenas has it all.

Plus, the beach is close to hotels, restaurants and amenities, so you are guaranteed a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Escape to Playa Ballenas and enjoy the beauty and tranquility that Cancun has to offer.

The post These Are 7 Beaches Near Cancun Without Seaweed appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

With more than 500 operations between arrivals and departures, Cancun International Airport is receiving over 20 daily complaints regarding mistreatment and delays, according to REPORTUR.mx. 

Common complaints include extreme wait times at immigration checkpoints (more than 2 hours), a lack of officials to process documents, missing connections and shuttle services, low-quality internet, and even extorsions perpetrated by immigration officers, according to local news outlet El Economista.   

Fed up with the mistreatment of their customers, The Hotel Association of Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres sent a letter to Tourism Secretary Miguel Torruco, expressing “great concerns from the Quintana Roo hotel sector” regarding “situations” experienced by a rising number of travelers at Cancun International Airport, said President Jesús Almaguer in February. 

“We continue to have an increase in complaints from United States and Latin American tourists upon entering the Cancun International Airport migration area. They’ve informed us about the lack of migration officials, exaggerated times to cross the filters, and even more worrisome, the mistreatment of the Colombian market by immigration agents,” reads the letter. 

Juan Enrique Suárez Del Real Tostado, President of the Union of Tourism Secretaries (Asetur), stated they are closely monitoring the mistreatment tourists have suffered at the hands of immigration officials. He said he’d escalate matters to the Ministry of Interior to expose these facts.

“We have to give [tourists] adequate treatment. We understand that sometimes the work is so routine that it can generate a situation where we forget to provide that attention, but we are going to propose a precise system of immigration training.”

According to Suárez, airport officials have to “understand how much tourism means, but above all, the image they can generate,” he said.

But that can be a little bit late. 73 out of 115 reviews on TripAdvisor, rank Cancun International Airport as “Terrible.”

A family traveling on March 2024 said: “unorganised and long queue, not the best start to the holiday, luckily the rest of the trip made up for it…”

A group of friends also traveling in March 2024, said there were no parking slots available so they had to wait almost one hour to get off the plane: “Fourty five minute wait on the tarmac to get a gate, then 1hr to get through immigration. Emerge from baggage pick up to find a place to wait for friends arriving on a different flight. No place to sit down for however long it takes for our friends to emerge. No regard whatever for the comfort of travellers by the airport authority.”

Another family also complained about the excessive wait times at immigration: “Took us 2 hours to get through passport control, taking them initially 45 minutes to even bother putting people on the gates! A near further hour to then get through customs. Complete mayhem from start to finish, the worst airport I’ve ever passed through.”

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama has reportedly met with federal and state authorities, hotel associations and the Southeast Airport Group (ASUR) to define steps that allow them to control security and streamline the entrance of tourists at immigration checkpoints, REPORTUR.mx revealed.

The post Cancun Airport Keeps Seeing Complaints Growth About Immigration Processes appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

The sargassum seaweed season in Cancun had been very mild in 2024 but it started changing last week. Reports and photos from today, April 24, suggest a huge spike in the amount of sargassum in Cancun and the region.

Last month, the state government, along with the Secretary of Navy, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, environmentalists and civil society, joined forces to tackle sargassum in 2024.

According to Jesús Almaguer Salazar, President of the Hotel Association of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres, local hoteliers have hired up to 300 workers each to keep beaches clean.

“Each hotel makes plans depending on sargassum behavior and with these barriers, we’ve significantly reduced its arrival. Some hotels have up to 300 employees dedicated to this [cleaning], depending on the hotel size.”

The Naval Region has started to install anti-sargassum ocean barriers from Puerto Morelos to Mahahual, which has always been the most affected area.

This preventive strategy, along with the use of special ships capable of collecting the algae in the open sea, has significantly reduced its presence at local beaches.

Almaguer also said that the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) should take into account the particularities of the population living in tourist states such as Quintana Roo, given that funds to address issues like sargassum depend on data this institution provides.

“Inegi should consider that in tourist states like ours, we have up to 20 million temporary inhabitants throughout the year, who demand services, who require services, and who need to use public services.”

For this season, 22 smaller vessels will be supporting the “Natans” ship, in addition to 340 workers, including technical-scientific personnel, as per the Secretary of Navy (Semar.)

In the first two weeks of operation, Quintana Roo has collected 950 tons of seaweed in the sea.

The post Cancun Resorts Brace For Massive Sargassum Seaweed Influx appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

In a series of six viral TikTok videos, a visibly upset Xavier Cormier recorded most of his interactions with Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama (Cristian José “N” alias “Pollo,” according to other sources) the airport taxi driver, and some police officers when they finally showed up.

Cormier stated that the driver tried to flee the scene with his luggage while he was trying to find police assistance. He almost broke a leg when violently entered the taxi to safeguard his belongings from also being stolen.

According to the Canadian, he was going back to Montreal on April 18 at 2:00 am when he was approached by two security guards who told him he wasn’t allowed to stay at Terminal 3, so he needed to take a taxi to Terminal 4. The fare was only $5, so he thought it was okay. Wrong!

Strangely, the two guards pressured him to pay via credit card, telling him it was the only option. He didn’t want to do it but he had no choice.

“After paying with my card and getting back in the taxi for only 2 minutes, I realized the payment that went on my card was over $1,000 US dollars!”

He managed to make it to Terminal 4, where he called the attention of other international tourists.

“When the taxi driver saw the security guard, he tried to escape with my luggage in the car but I managed to jump in the front of the car and shift the transmission on park which almost resulted in a car accident.”

After that, the airport security arrived and forced the driver to make a reimbursement while Cormier demanded to speak with his embassy, said State Secretary Cristina Torres.

Torres said a federal investigation is underway to prevent these scams from happening in the future.

On Monday, the driver was taken into custody by National Guards. The criminal was found “working” at Cancun International Airport as if nothing had happened.

For the time being, the Canadian tourist won’t come back to Mexico, and he is advising other foreigners to stay away from this country.

“I will never return to Mexico again. This is crazy,” Cormier said.

Complaints Against Taxi Scams and Violence In Cancun and Mexican Caribbean Continue Despite Drivers Arrests

This flagrant case of extortion adds to a long list of complaints against Cancun taxi drivers who have not only overcharged foreigners but also physically attacked them.

After posting the videos, several people commented that they had gone through similar situations in Cancun and other areas of Quintana Roo state.

In March 2024, a foreign woman and a man were brutally beaten by a couple of taxi drivers in Playa del Carmen when they refused to pay an exorbitant fare.

The taxi drivers were arrested under the charge of “narcomenudeo” (retail drug dealing), but not for attacking the tourists.

In July 2023, other two taxi drivers were arrested in Cancun for assaulting a van carrying foreign tourists, as reported by AP.

Safety Tips For Traveling By Taxi in Cancun and Mexican Caribbean

Traveling by taxi in Cancun and other parts of the Mexican Caribbean is very convenient but you can encounter scams or violence.

Follow these tips to avoid scams or issues:

Use taxi apps: if possible use reputable apps like Uber, Didi, or Cabify.

Double-check when paying by card: always double-check how much are you being charged before you tap your card. Don’t get confused between $USD or $MX.

Agree on the fare before the ride: Agree on the price for your ride before you get inside the taxi.

Take a bus or train: This option helps you to avoid potential scams and saves you money too!

Be respectful: To avoid escalation and potential violence, it’s important to be respectful and not to be rude even if you are part of the scam. Don’t play the “I am a tourist!” or “I am from … this or that country” card, it will most likely get you in more trouble.

The post Cancun Taxi Driver Arrested For Charging Canadian Tourist US$1,000 For A Short Ride appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

With its tropical beaches, vibrant atmosphere, aquatic sports, and exciting nightlife, Cancun doesn’t cease to allure travelers to its coasts.

On this occasion, Cancun has defeated Rome, Paris and Tokyo in the race for the preferred vacation getaway for Americans this year. 

Knowing that Cancun is a popular destination for Americans, you may think these results were expected, but they weren’t.

Although Mexico is the most visited country by US citizens, with more than 39.3 million tourists a year, Cancun didn’t used to be a destination Americans were eager to travel to during the unsparing summer. But things are changing.

If you are planning an escape to Cancun this year, make sure to book your tickets 21 to 60 days prior to departure.

Suggested: TOP 5 Luxury Resorts In Cancun To Visit In Summer 2024

According to Expedia, a global travel company, purchasing your flights before May 2 will help you save up to 15 percent. 

Traveling on Mondays is also 15 percent cheaper than taking off on Thursdays or Fridays, and using the window between mid to late August can save you up to $256, said the company.

Another tick to help you save even more money is landing in alternative airports such as Cozumel (CZM), Merida (MID), or Tulum (TQO).

Cancun’s key role as a business hub combined with a diverse tourism portfolio has catapulted the destination to the top most visited hotspots in the world. 

In fact, in 2022, this city was the second most visited getaway on the planet after Dubai, according to Forbes.

One of the reasons explaining this phenomenon is the growing number of flights available from multiple cities across the United States. 

Another aspect that makes Cancun so attractive is its versatility. This destination caters to both luxury and business travelers, as well as backpackers, families, couples, groups of friends, spring breakers, and even speleologists and pre-Columbian history lovers. 

Cancun is also a world-class destination for weddings as well as aquatic sports such as parasailing, jet skiing, kayaking, and snorkeling. Others prefer Cancun for its cutting-edge golf courses like Moon Palace, Riviera Cancun Golf Resort or Iberostar Golf Club. 

Another unique feature is its proximity to top-tier attractions such as the stunning Isla Mujeres, the majestic pyramids of Chichen Itza or the out-of-this-world Cenotes, a chain of underground freshwater wells, that can only be found in the Riviera Maya.

Last but not least, this year Cancun is seeing “unusual” low quantities of sargassum arriving at its beaches. As of today, the seaweed alert is at level two, “very low.” 

To maintain this status, the Secretary of Navy is installing 8,600 meters of anti-sargassum barriers to prevent the seaweed from reaching the beaches of Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen.

The post Cancun Dominates The Most Searched Destinations For Summer 2024, According To Expedia appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

A few days ago, over 120 tons of sargassum impacted Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cozumel beaches. Over the next few weeks, Playa del Carmen will receive up to 300 tones per day.

Northeastern winds on the Caribbean Sea produced by a cold front from a few days ago had kept sargassum at bay. 

However, an anticyclone plus new southeastern winds combined with higher temperatures will inevitably attract more sargassum, according to the Oceanographic Institute of the Gulf and Caribbean Sea.

“We know from experience that higher temperatures are correlated to the quantities of sargassum that will arrive. So, we are prepared to increase the collection, because from today the arrival will definitely begin to intensify,” said María de Lourdes Várguez Ocampo, Secretary of Sustainable Environment and Climate Change of Solidaridad.

The amount of seaweed washing ashore depends on multiple human factors as well as unpredictable weather conditions in the Atlantic Ocean.

This time around, sargassum volumes have seen a reduction. In the first two months of the year, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Tancah, Cobá and Pole beaches collected 800 tons less than in the same timeframe in 2023. 

But the government won’t let its guard down. The Mexican Navy, along with State and private organizations, have geared up to combat sargassum months before the season began.

Cleaning heavy machinery and special vessels have been purchased to help the army of staffers who collect the seaweed right on the beach.

But that’s not all. Since April 1, the Navy has also been installing 8,600 meters of barriers to collect seaweed in the sea before it washes up on Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and other Caribbean beaches, said Admiral Rafael Ojeda.

“Regarding Operation Sargasso, it began on April 1. We have four sweepers, 22 small vessels, 11 sargaceras, a sargacero ocean vessel, eight compacting band machines, and barriers,” said Admiral Ojeda.

Although beachgoers can find sargassum all year long, the arrival season as such, typically goes from April to August.

This seaweed is no longer a merely aesthetic issue. According to studies, its unusual overproduction is wreaking havoc on the Mexican coral barrier and destroying vital nurseries for the conservation of marine species. 

While sargassum can mess up with your Instagram pictures, rest assured that Mexican authorities are working non-stop to provide you with the best beach experience possible while you take in the sun, gastronomy, and culture of this incredible destination.

The post Officials Raised Sargassum Alert For Cancun And The Rest Of The Mexican Caribbean appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.