Playas del Este (Santa María del Mar) beach & sargassum forecast

Sargassum season at Playas del Este (Santa María del Mar)

Sargassum risk at Playas del Este (Santa María del Mar) typically peaks around July (moderate: moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach in an estimated 28% of weeks). Lowest-risk months: January, February, March, April, May, August, September, 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), the nearest coast with a multi-year beach record (this one has none), and scales it by how often NOAA AOML satellites see notable seaweed within about 20 km of this stretch of coast: 23% of weeks here on average, against 54% off Quintana Roo, so 42% of that season. The satellite share (2016–2024, the top fifth of all coast-weeks, adjusted for this beach's exposure of 35%) 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 0°; 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.

Varadero & Havana month by month

Typical weather, water temperature, seaweed and crowds for every month: the best time to visit Varadero & Havana.

• Varadero & Havana in January
• Varadero & Havana in February
• Varadero & Havana in March
• Varadero & Havana in April
• Varadero & Havana in May
• Varadero & Havana in June
• Varadero & Havana in July
• Varadero & Havana in August
• Varadero & Havana in September
• Varadero & Havana in October
• Varadero & Havana in November
• Varadero & Havana in December

Weather, water & seaweed by month at Playas del Este (Santa María del Mar)

Average highs run from about 79°F in January to 90°F in July and August. The sea is warmest in August and September (about 87°F) and coolest in February (about 78°F). February is usually the driest, with about 6 rainy days; June and September are the wettest, with about 23 rainy days. Seaweed risk is usually lowest in October and highest in July.

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

None.

Public cleanup

Resort crews on Varadero peninsula.

Resort crews

Hotel crews rake daily.

Typical clearing time

same-day to 2 days

Safety notes

US State Dept: Cuba, Level 2; US travel restrictions apply

• Power outages and fuel shortages affect services.
• Bring cash; US cards generally not accepted.

Check official advisories and local flags before swimming. Decomposing sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide; avoid heavy piles.

Things to do near Havana, CU

• Varadero beach
• Matanzas city
• Havana (2 hr)
• Cayo Blanco catamaran trips

Fly in for the best beach days

Suggested dates fall in October, typically the lowest-seaweed month ahead for Playas del Este (Santa María del Mar). Change them to match the live forecast above.

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Nearest airports

• Havana José Martí Intl (HAV), ~31 km

Nearby resorts

• Blau Arenal Habana Beach Havana, CU · 1 km
• Villa Mégano Havana, CU · 2 km
• Casa Club Tarará Havana, CU · 2 km
• Hotel Villa Bacuranao Havana, CU · 6 km
• Hotel Santa Isabel Havana, CU · 18 km
• Palacio del Marqués de San Felipe y Santiago de Bejucal Havana, CU · 18 km