Sargassum Season 2026: Which Beaches Get Seaweed

Sargassum drifts across the Atlantic and piles onto Caribbean beaches on a predictable seasonal cycle — and skips some destinations entirely. These guides give the month-by-month picture for each destination.

Destinations that stay clear

Sargassum is an Atlantic phenomenon, so these are effectively unaffected.

Cabo San Lucas

Baja California Sur

Huatulco

Oaxaca

Mazatlán

Sinaloa

Puerto Vallarta

Jalisco / Banderas Bay

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo

Guerrero / Costa Grande

Acapulco

Guerrero

Destinations with a sargassum season

DestinationTypical worstPeak severityBy month
Costa MayaApril through Septembersevere
TulumApril through Augustsevere
BelizeJune through August, with heavy conditions often extending April through OctoberHeavy
CancunMay through AugustHeavy
Key WestMay through AugustHeavy
Playa del CarmenMay through AugustHeavy
Punta CanaMay through AugustHeavy
Riviera MayaMay through August, peaking in July and AugustHeavy
RoatánLate March through June, then a second surge in August and September; 2026 broke the pattern with a major February arrivalHeavy
AntiguaMay through AugustModerate
BarbadosMay through AugustModerate
JamaicaJune through AugustModerate
Cayman IslandsMay through AugustLight
Costa RicaMarch through August on the Caribbean coast only; the Pacific coast is clear every monthLight
CozumelMay through August, and mostly on the east coastLight
CuraçaoApril through August, concentrated on the windward north and east coastLight
Isla MujeresMay through August, and even then usually only lightLight
St. LuciaMay through AugustLight
The BahamasJune through SeptemberLight
Turks and CaicosJuly through OctoberLight
ArubaApril through September, and almost entirely on the windward east coastminimal
Puerto PlataJune and July, in heavy years onlyLight
Bayahibe & La RomanaJune through August, when it arrives at allLight
Juan Dolio & Boca ChicaMay through SeptemberHeavy
SamanáMay through AugustModerate
MichesJune and July, in heavy yearsLight
VaraderoMay through August, in heavy bloom yearsLight
Cayo Coco & Cayo GuillermoJune through August, in heavy bloom yearsLight
Cayo Santa MaríaJune and July, in heavy bloom yearsLight
Holguín & GuardalavacaEarly summer (June), when it arrives at allLight
Cayo LargoMay through September, peaking around JuneModerate
San AndrésMarch through September, with documented influxes in March, April-May and SeptemberModerate
GrenadaMay through July on the east coast; the southwest resort beaches see only occasional light patchesLight
St. Martin / Sint MaartenApril through June, tailing off through SeptemberModerate
BrazilMarch through June on the far north coast (Pará, Maranhão), where strandings have occurred; the northeast resort coast has no regular seasonminimal

Ratings describe the resort beaches travelers actually stay on. On many islands the windward (Atlantic-facing) coast is far worse than the leeward side where the resorts sit — each guide says which is which.