Bougain Villa beach & sargassum forecast
Mahahual, MX · Costa Maya & Bacalar, Mexico · 18.683, -87.721
Updated : high seaweed, beach grade C+, sea 85°F.
Veabird's call
Friday grade C+ with calm water and 85°F water is the pick, rain hits 96% Saturday.
February and April usually hit B, and March is busiest with spring break and Semana Santa.
Grades from Veabird's beach forecast; wording by AI (Muse Spark), checked against the forecast. Updated Nov 13, 01:00 UTC.
Tell me when Bougain Villa is clear
One email when the seaweed clears or the beach grades A, at most once a week per beach. We only ask for your email address, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe.
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Questions about Bougain Villa
Does Mahahual get sargassum (seaweed)?
Yes, in season. At Bougain Villa the typical-year risk is moderate or higher from March to September and peaks in July (high). How much lands varies a lot by year, wind and currents.
What are the worst and best months for seaweed at Bougain Villa?
Worst: June and July, when heavy seaweed is most likely. Best: October through February, when the risk is usually low.
How warm is the water at Bougain Villa?
About 84°F in November. The sea is warmest in September (about 87°F) and coolest in February (about 80°F).
When is the best time to visit Bougain Villa?
For warm water, low seaweed and dry weather, aim for January and February. January is usually the quietest of the two, with about 18 rainy days and a sea near 81°F; seaweed risk is very low.
Does Bougain Villa have a sargassum barrier or beach cleanup?
Veabird doesn't track barriers hotel by hotel; this is what the Costa Maya & Bacalar area does. Offshore barriers in Costa Maya & Bacalar: barriers tried at Mahahual; frequently overwhelmed. Bacalar lagoon receives no sargassum. Resort crews: Small boutique hotels do hand raking. Typical clearing time: 1–3 days; often overwhelmed at peak.
When is hurricane season at Bougain Villa, and how often do storms hit?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November and peaks around September. A tropical storm passed within 86 miles of Bougain Villa in 17 of the 55 seasons from 1971 to 2025, and a hurricane within 58 miles in 5. The riskiest stretch is around October 1, when the chance of a storm passing in any one week is about 2%; across all of October it is about 8%. Flexible bookings and travel insurance help in the peak weeks.
Sargassum season at Bougain Villa
Sargassum risk at Bougain Villa typically peaks around July (high: moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach in an estimated 62% of weeks). Months most likely to see heavy seaweed: June and July. Lowest-risk months: January, February, October, November and December. Actual landings vary a lot by year, wind and currents; check the live conditions above.
Estimated share of weeks in each month with moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach. Veabird takes the landing season seen on Quintana Roo's beaches (a Puerto Morelos beach camera, 2015–2020, and the Mexican Navy's beach alerts, 2022–2026) and scales it by how often NOAA AOML satellites see notable seaweed within about 20 km of this stretch of coast: 51% of weeks here on average, against 54% off Quintana Roo, so 95% of that season. The satellite share (2016–2024, the top fifth of all coast-weeks, adjusted for this beach's exposure of 98%) measures seaweed offshore, not on the sand: off the Riviera Maya it reads high even in winter, when little lands. Very low under 10%, Low 10–24%, Moderate 25–44%, High 45–69%, Very high 70%+. Beach faces 114°; onshore winds from that direction push seaweed ashore. Satellite sargassum data: USF Optical Oceanography Lab (Sargassum Watch System) via NOAA AOML. The satellite record as open data.
Costa Maya month by month
Typical weather, water temperature, seaweed and crowds for every month: the best time to visit Costa Maya.
Weather, water & seaweed by month at Bougain Villa
Average highs run from about 81°F in January and December to 88°F in August and September. The sea is warmest in September (about 87°F) and coolest in February (about 80°F). February and April are usually the driest, with about 13 rainy days each; June, July and September are the wettest, with about 22 rainy days. Seaweed risk is usually lowest in October and highest in July.
| Month | Avg high | Sea | Rainy days | Sargassum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 81°F | 81°F | 18 | Very low |
| Feb | 82°F | 80°F | 13 | Low |
| Mar | 84°F | 82°F | 16 | Moderate |
| Apr | 86°F | 82°F | 13 | Moderate |
| May | 87°F | 84°F | 15 | Moderate |
| Jun | 86°F | 85°F | 22 | High |
| Jul | 87°F | 85°F | 22 | High |
| Aug | 88°F | 86°F | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 88°F | 87°F | 22 | Moderate |
| Oct | 86°F | 86°F | 21 | Very low |
| Nov | 83°F | 84°F | 19 | Very low |
| Dec | 81°F | 83°F | 19 | Very low |
Monthly averages from 6 years of ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo) for this area's 0.5° grid cell; rainy days have at least 1 mm (0.04 in). Sargassum is the typical-year estimate described above. Any given year can differ.
Cleanup & barriers
- Offshore barriers
- Barriers tried at Mahahual; frequently overwhelmed. Bacalar lagoon receives no sargassum.
- Public cleanup
- Municipal crews and some SEMAR support; far southern Quintana Roo is among the heaviest-hit coasts.
- Resort crews
- Small boutique hotels do hand raking.
- Typical clearing time
- 1–3 days; often overwhelmed at peak
Safety notes
US State Dept: Quintana Roo, Level 2 (exercise increased caution)
- Remote: limited medical facilities (nearest hospital Chetumal).
- Bacalar lagoon stromatolites are protected; no sunscreen or stepping on them.
Check official advisories and local flags before swimming. Decomposing sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide; avoid heavy piles.
Things to do near Mahahual, MX
- Bacalar Lagoon of Seven Colors
- Banco Chinchorro reef
- Chacchoben ruins
- Mahahual malecón
- Xcalak reef park
Fly in for the best beach days
Suggested dates fall in October, typically the lowest-seaweed month ahead for Bougain Villa. Change them to match the live forecast above.
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Nearest airports
- Chetumal Intl (CTM), ~67 km
Nearby resorts
- Kabah-na Eco Resort Mahahual, MX · 3 km
- Mahahual Beach Hotels Mahahual, MX · 4 km
- Nacional Beach Club Mahahual, MX · 4 km
- Hotel El Caballo Blanco Mahahual, MX · 4 km
- Hotel Jardin Mahahual, MX · 4 km
- Almaplena Eco Beach Resort Mahahual, MX · 8 km
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