Riviera Maya Travel
A practical Tulum travel guide for the airport, train, and sargassum era
This Tulum travel guide covers the new airport, the Maya Train, sargassum season, ruins fees and cenote safety so you can plan a smarter trip.
Tulum Sargassum Updates and Beach Conditions
Live seaweed conditions, cleanup updates, forecasts, and practical beach planning across Tulum and the Riviera Maya.
224 linked stories · archive page 3 of 12
223 stories · Page 3 of 12
Businesses
Sargassum hits red alert across the central Quintana Roo coast
The Tulum sargassum surge is emptying beaches, forcing rate cuts, and pushing small coastal restaurants toward closure as cleanup funding faces scrutiny.
Environment & Nature
Specialists urge an environmental emergency as record sargassum in Tulum overwhelms cleanup crews
Specialists and officials warn that sargassum in Tulum has reached historic levels, outpacing cleanup crews and reviving calls for a formal environmental emergency declaration.
Businesses
Hoteliers paid an environmental fee for years and saw no cleanup
Record sargassum is burying Tulum's beaches as business owners confront officials over a sanitation fee they say produced no cleanup, while closures spread.
Environment & Nature
Sargassum Hauled From Tulum Beaches Jumps 78 Percent as State Sends New Cleanup Equipment
Tulum sargassum collection has reached 2,458 tons this season, up 78 percent from 2025, as new state machinery arrives to clear the macroalga faster.
Businesses
A sargassum-based concrete plant is opening near Tulum with 400 cubic meters daily capacity
A new sargassum-based concrete plant is opening near Tulum, with daily capacity of 400 cubic meters and a proposal to pave a major local avenue with the material.
Riviera Maya Travel
Tulum archaeological zone averages 1,000 daily visitors as summer season approaches
Tulum's archaeological zone is averaging 1,000 daily visitors, down from 3,000 in February, with officials confident summer will restore full capacity.
Politics
Tulum collects 2,458 tons of sargassum in 2026 as new equipment joins beach crews
Tulum has collected 2,458 tons of sargassum so far in 2026, nearly double last year's figure, as the municipality takes delivery of tractors, trucks, and motorcycles to keep beaches clear.
Businesses
Vacation rental sector in Tulum sees no floor as July forecast drops to 16%
Tulum's vacation rental occupancy fell to 29% in May 2026, with July now projected at just 16%, as the sector's own president calls it a cautionary case study.
Society
Tulum Beach Crews Say Hotel Sector Is Leaving Them to Fight Sargassum Alone
Beach cleanup workers in Tulum say hotels are contributing far too little to sargassum removal during what forecasters describe as a record-breaking season for the Mexican Caribbean.
Riviera Maya Travel
World Cup and Summer Vacations Could Push Tulum Occupancy to 80 Percent?
Tulum's mayor projects 80% hotel occupancy this summer, citing World Cup tourism and coordinated beach cleanup efforts as key factors.
Politics
Free Beach Access, Sargassum Cleanup, and Park Fees All on the Table in Tulum
A weekend summit brought three levels of government and citizen groups together to debate Jaguar Park's future as Tulum's tourism sector faces mounting pressure.
Society
Sargassum Cleanup Workers Face Toxic Gas Exposure
A peer-reviewed study tracked sargassum cleanup workers in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, and Mahahual, finding hydrogen sulfide exposure above Mexican legal limits and a wide range of symptoms.
Environment & Nature
Mexico's Navy Has Already Removed More Sargassum in 2026 Than in All of Last Season
Mexico's Navy has removed 39,500 tons of sargassum from Quintana Roo's coast in 2026, already surpassing the entire 2024 season before peak months arrive.
Businesses
Tulum's Tourism Sector Collapses to 20% of Normal Activity as Workers Abandon Archaeological Zone, Restaurants Close
Only four to five tourist groups now enter Tulum's archaeological zone each day, down from normal levels that sustained hundreds of workers. Restaurants report sales drops of 60 percent, over a dozen closures, and employees leaving for other states as the promised 2026 recovery fails to arrive.
Riviera Maya Travel
Facing Another Sargassum Season, Tulum Bets on Cenotes to Keep Visitors Coming
Sargassum is back on the Caribbean coast, and Tulum's tourism office is pushing cenotes, lagoons, and jungle routes as the answer for visitors this season.
Riviera Maya Travel
A Clean Tulum Beach Depends More on the Month Than the Resort
Sargassum hits Tulum's beaches hardest between May and September. Here is what the seasonal calendar actually looks like and how to plan around it.
Society
How a Puerto Morelos Gardener Turned Sargassum into Homes for Six Countries
When Omar Vazquez lost a beach cleaning contract in 2018, he saw opportunity where others saw disaster. His Sargablock construction material now exports to six countries, transforming tons of sargassum into affordable housing across the Caribbean and beyond.
Environment & Nature
Record Sargassum Season Threatens Riviera Maya Tourism as Cleanup Costs Mount
UNAM researchers project 40 million tons of sargassum will circulate through the Atlantic this year, straining Quintana Roo's containment systems and accelerating coastal erosion as cleanup efforts remove critical beach sand.
Environment & Nature
Mexico's Navy Deploys 13 Vessels to Hold Back Sargassum From Quintana Roo Beaches
Mexico's Navy has deployed 13 vessels and 191 personnel to intercept sargassum before it reaches Quintana Roo shores, as forecasts warn of a record-breaking 2026 season.