Xcalak Beach sargassum & beach forecast
Xcalak, MX · Costa Maya & Bacalar, Mexico · 18.271, -87.835
Updated : low seaweed, beach grade B+, sea 85°F.
Veabird's call
Friday is the day with B+, little seaweed, calm water and 85°F water.
February and April grade A-, and March is busiest with spring break and Semana Santa / Easter.
Grades from Veabird's beach forecast; wording by AI (Muse Spark), checked against the forecast. Updated Nov 13, 01:00 UTC.
Tell me when Xcalak Beach 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.
We email you a link to confirm first. Privacy
Plan your trip
Where to stay nearby
Partner links: Veabird may earn a commission at no cost to you. Partners never affect forecasts or scores.
Questions about Xcalak Beach
Does Xcalak Beach get sargassum (seaweed)?
Only a little in most years. At Xcalak Beach the typical-year risk stays low, even around July, the usual peak (moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach in an estimated 18% of weeks). Landings vary by year, wind and currents.
How warm is the water at Xcalak Beach?
About 84°F in November. The sea is warmest in August and September (about 87°F) and coolest in January and February (about 80°F).
When is the best time to visit Xcalak Beach?
For warm water and dry weather, aim for January through May. May is usually the quietest of those, with about 7 rainy days and a sea near 85°F.
When is hurricane season at Xcalak Beach, 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 Xcalak Beach in 18 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 3%; across all of October it is about 9%. Flexible bookings and travel insurance help in the peak weeks.
Sargassum season at Xcalak Beach Lodges
Low sargassum risk year-round at Xcalak Beach Lodges: even around July, the usual peak, Veabird estimates moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach in about 18% of weeks. 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: 14% of weeks here on average, against 54% off Quintana Roo, so 27% of that season. The satellite share (2016–2024, the top fifth of all coast-weeks, adjusted for this beach's exposure of 100%) 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 95°; 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 Xcalak Beach Lodges
Average highs run from about 80°F in January, February and March to 85°F in July, August and September. The sea is warmest in August and September (about 87°F) and coolest in January and February (about 80°F). April and May are usually the driest, with about 7 rainy days each; September and October are the wettest, with about 21 rainy days.
| Month | Avg high | Sea | Rainy days | Sargassum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°F | 80°F | 14 | Very low |
| Feb | 80°F | 80°F | 11 | Very low |
| Mar | 80°F | 82°F | 9 | Very low |
| Apr | 82°F | 83°F | 7 | Very low |
| May | 83°F | 85°F | 7 | Low |
| Jun | 84°F | 86°F | 18 | Low |
| Jul | 85°F | 86°F | 20 | Low |
| Aug | 85°F | 87°F | 19 | Low |
| Sep | 85°F | 87°F | 21 | Very low |
| Oct | 84°F | 86°F | 21 | Very low |
| Nov | 82°F | 84°F | 19 | Very low |
| Dec | 81°F | 82°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 Xcalak, 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 are a week in October. Change them to match the live forecast above.
Opens a flight search in a new tab. Partner link: Veabird may earn a commission.
Nearest airports
- Chetumal Intl (CTM), ~58 km
Nearby resorts
- Tranquility Bay Resort Ambergris Caye, BZ · 20 km
- Sapphire Beach Resort Ambergris Caye, BZ · 27 km
- X'Tan Ha Resort Ambergris Caye, BZ · 30 km
- Costa Blu Resort Ambergris Caye, BZ · 31 km
- Portofino Resort Ambergris Caye, BZ · 32 km
- Matachica Resort & Spa Ambergris Caye, BZ · 33 km
Embed this forecast
Hotels and travel sites can show live conditions for Xcalak Beach Lodges for free. Get the widget · Data & API