ing reefs today helps preserve paradise tomorrow.
If you’ve travelled to Mexico’s Caribbean coast, or anywhere in the Caribbean recently, you might have come face-to-face with an unexpected (and unwelcome) guest: sargassum. In 2025, this floating brown seaweed has reached historic levels, and it’s having a major impact on the region’s beaches, tourism, and marine life.
I’ve seen it myself this summer in places like Playa del Carmen, where its been really bad. What used to be pristine turquoise shores are now often covered in thick, smelly layers of seaweed that radiate smell into the towns. So what exactly is sargassum, and why is it such a big deal this year? Here’s what I’ve learned:
So, What Is Sargassum?
Sargassum is a type of floating brown algae native to the Atlantic, especially in an area known as the Sargasso Sea. It’s naturally occurring and actually beneficial when it’s out at sea, providing a floating habitat for fish, turtles, and seabirds.
But when massive mats of it wash up on shore, it’s a completely different story.
Why Is It So Bad in 2025?
Every year there is a sargassum season in Cancun and all down the coast or Quintana Roo. This usually runs from April through August, peaking between May and July.
Every few years there is a pattern in Mexico with sargassum. Low years then one high year but this year has been one of the worst on record. According to researchers, the “Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt”, a massive bloom stretching across the ocean, has reached over 37 million metric tons.
In Quintana Roo alone, local cleanup teams have already removed over 1,400 tons of sargassum from beaches. But the seaweed keeps coming, wave after wave.
Some of the major reasons why it’s so intense this year:
- Warmer ocean temperatures (thanks, climate change!)
- Excess nutrients from rivers like the Amazon due to deforestation and agriculture
- Changing currents and winds that push it toward shore
What It’s Doing to Beaches and Wildlife
Honestly, it’s heartbreaking. Here’s what’s happening on the ground (and under the water):
- Beaches are being smothered, and the seaweed gives off a rotten-egg smell (hydrogen sulfide) as it decomposes.
- It’s hurting tourism-many travellers avoid affected areas, and hotels are struggling to clean up fast enough.
- Marine life is suffering: turtles can’t reach nesting sites, coral reefs are getting shaded and smothered, and the water gets hotter and less oxygen-rich.
What’s Being Done?
Mexico has mobilised cleanup crews, set up floating barriers, and even brought in navy vessels to haul it out to sea. But it’s a constant battle.
On the bright side, some innovators are turning sargassum into:
- Fertilizer
- Bioplastics
- Construction panels (“sargablocks”)
There’s hope-but it takes time and coordination.
What Can We Do as Travellers?
Here’s how I’m trying to stay aware and support the effort:
- Check local sargassum forecasts before booking beach trips (some hotels post daily updates and lots of people provide updates on social media platforms).
- Choose destinations that are actively managing the issue responsibly
- Support eco-friendly businesses turning sargassum into something useful
- Raise awareness-this isn’t just a beach problem; it’s a climate and pollution issue too.
- If you are coming to the area please don’t be deterred. The local people of these areas rely on tourism to live and it has been a struggle. Just remember that if you are staying in hotels you have pools and there are plenty of amazing excursions to go on around the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatan, whether you want to see ruins, enjoy authentic city breaks or immerse yourself in the Mayan culture or take a dip in cooling cenotes!
My Final Thoughts
Sargassum might look like just a pile of seaweed, but it’s a powerful reminder of how connected we are to the environment—and how our choices (even thousands of miles away) can end up washing ashore.
If you’re heading to the Mexican Caribbean or beyond, don’t cancel your trip,but do your research, be flexible, and support sustainable tourism. With innovation and awareness, we can turn this tide.
Have you encountered sargassum this year? Drop your experience or tips in the comments, I’d love to hear from fellow travellers.
Nomadic dani 
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