Costa Maya & Bacalar sargassum & beach forecast
Mexico · 10 beaches and resorts
Veabird grades 10 beaches and resorts in Costa Maya & Bacalar, Mexico, every six hours on seaweed, water, waves, weather and crowds, including 3 area pages covering a whole stretch of beach. The most are in Mahahual, Xcalak and Bacalar. On a typical beach here, sargassum risk is moderate or higher from March to October, peaks in June and July and is lowest in January and December. It varies by beach: Mahahual Beach Hotels has the highest typical risk and Almond Tree Resort and Hotel the lowest. Across the region, average highs run from about 84°F in January and December to 92°F in August, and the sea from about 79°F to 86°F. Rain is most likely in September and least likely in March and April.
This week, beach by beach
Mahahual
- Almaplena Eco Beach Resort seaweed peak: very highSatD-SunFMonD+TueDWedC
- Bougain Villa seaweed peak: very highSatD-SunD-MonC-TueC-WedC
- Kabah-na Eco Resort seaweed peak: very highSatD-SunD-MonC-TueC-WedC
- Mahahual Beach Hotels seaweed peak: very highSatD-SunD-MonC-TueC-WedC
- Mayan Beach Garden Inn seaweed peak: very highSatDSunDMonCTueC-WedC-
- Nacional Beach Club seaweed peak: very highSatD-SunD-MonCTueCWedC
Xcalak
- Belizima Eco Resort seaweed peak: lowSatC+SunC+MonC+TueBWedB
- Xcalak Beach Lodges seaweed peak: very highSatD+SunD+MonC-TueCWedC+
Bacalar
- Bacalar Lagoon Hotels seaweed peak: very lowSatCSunC-MonCTueB-WedC+
Corozal
- Almond Tree Resort and Hotel seaweed peak: very lowSatC+SunCMonC+TueBWedC+
Grades for the next few days from Veabird's beach forecast, updated Oct 3, 18:00 UTC. Higher is better: A+ to F.
Weather, water & seaweed by month
| Month | Avg high | Sea | Chance of rain | Sargassum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°F | 79°F | 22% | Low |
| Feb | 86°F | 79°F | 15% | Low |
| Mar | 88°F | 81°F | 10% | Moderate |
| Apr | 90°F | 82°F | 10% | High |
| May | 91°F | 82°F | 20% | Very high |
| Jun | 91°F | 84°F | 45% | Very high |
| Jul | 91°F | 84°F | 40% | Very high |
| Aug | 92°F | 86°F | 42% | Very high |
| Sep | 91°F | 86°F | 50% | High |
| Oct | 89°F | 84°F | 45% | Moderate |
| Nov | 86°F | 82°F | 32% | Low |
| Dec | 84°F | 81°F | 26% | Low |
Regional monthly averages from Veabird's climate table for Costa Maya & Bacalar; resort pages add their own spot's numbers where available. Sargassum is the typical-year risk on the median beach here.
Seaweed 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.
Things to do in Costa Maya & Bacalar
- Bacalar Lagoon of Seven Colors
- Banco Chinchorro reef
- Chacchoben ruins
- Mahahual malecón
- Xcalak reef park