The arrival of sargassum in Tulum every year is inevitable, but this year it has arrived early on the Mexican Caribbean coast. The beaches are already covered with the seaweed, making it difficult for tourists to enjoy the main attraction they seek out when visiting the region.
For this reason, many Tulum tourists are skipping the beach due to the sargassum.
Sargassum Explained
Sargassum may not look very pretty on the paradisiacal beaches of Tulum, but beyond that, it doesn’t cause any harm to humans who want to continue to enjoy the beaches during their vacation. It produces a somewhat foul odor as it decomposes and sometimes carries small sand fleas with it that bite, but neither side effect of its presence is harmful.
Sargassum is carried with ocean currents all the way from the Atlantic Ocean, where the Sargasso Sea is, to the Caribbean Sea, where it washes up on the beaches, often in large amounts.
Tulum, a Beach Vacation Destination
Tulum is known as a beach vacation destination, with stunning white sand beaches and warm, clear Caribbean waters. There are miles of beaches to enjoy when sargassum is not present, which is typically between October through early spring.
During sargassum season, Tulum still gets a lot of foreign visitors, but they tend to spend more time enjoying some of the other great attractions in the region, and we’ll tell you about a few of the most popular ways to spend some time when the beaches are covered with sargassum.
Archeological Tours
Not only is Tulum home to its own Mayan archeological site, located on a spot overlooking the Caribbean Sea, but it is also close to a number of other archeological sites. Some of these sites are very well-known, like Chichen Itza and the Coba Ruins, for example. Taking the time to visit these sites is a great alternative to the beach when they are plagued with sargassum, and they will provide a great learning experience too.
Cenote Tours
Cenotes are limestone sinkholes that develop when caves collapse in on themselves due to erosion caused by water. They then fill with groundwater and rainwater and become amazing swimming holes with crystal clear cool water and remarkable scenery. Not only is Tulum positioned in an area surrounded by cenotes, but there are quite a few cenotes right in and around Tulum as well.
Why Visit A Cenote?
Cenotes are a great way to cool off when the beaches are covered with sargassum. A few that you don’t have to go very far to get to include Kaan Luum Lagoon, Escondido Cenote, Cenote Zacil Ha, Cenote Calavera, Cenote Cristal, and, last but certainly not least because it is one of Tulum’s most popular cenotes, El Gran Cenote. You can get to these cenotes by taxi, public transportation, or by booking a tour that includes hotel pickup and drop-off.
Adventure Parks in Tulum
Adventure parks are another great alternative to spending time on the sargassum-covered beaches in Tulum, not only because they’re fun but because they offer plenty of opportunities to get in the water and cool off as well.
Xel-Há park is a natural water and adventure park located only about 20 minutes from the center of Tulum and has all kinds of activities to keep you busy for a fun-filled day. A pass to the park will provide you with the opportunity to snorkel as much as you want for the day, zipline and bike through the jungle, and slide down naturally-formed water slides.
Nobody wants to show up to an amazing beach destination and deal with sargassum, but it’s very possible this will happen when you visit cities in the Riviera Maya, like Tulum, during the spring and summer months. Fortunately, there is plenty to keep you busy when the beaches are not very inviting, so you can still have an amazing Mexican Caribbean vacation even when there is sargassum.
