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Popular as Europe may be for city breaks and ancient culture, a significant number of Americans who are flying abroad this season will keep it ‘local’, or should we say, on this side of the Atlantic, and needless to say, Cancun’s on their radar—but what about all that pesky sargassum?

As you might be aware, Mexico’s Caribbean giant has been plagued by mounting levels of seaweed since late March, to the point many of its iconic beaches, including the Hotel Zone strip, are now spoiled by that unappealing, dark-colored belt of algae.

It’s not like that’s stopping people from booking trips to Cancun, anyway:

There’s always resort pools and round-the-clock pampering to be enjoyed, but if you’re heading south of the border this summer, and you’re wondering whether there are swimming spots with a lower incidence, well, you’ve come to the right place:

Where In And Around Cancun Has Lower Sargassum Levels?

According to our friends at the Cancun Sun, the leading English-language source for all news about the Mexican Caribbean, there are at least three beach areas in Cancun itself and the Mexican Caribbean as a whole that are not as badly affected.

In order to identify the best areas for sunbathing and swimming right now, they researched historical sargassum patterns, as provided by monitoring networks, oceanographic data covering currents and wind in Cancun, and other ‘local’ observations.

We should note that predictions are not always guaranteed to be right, but it’s highly likely that if you head to these other spots instead of the usual ones, within easy reach of most hotels, you’ll be rewarded with unblemished white-sand beaches and turquoise seas (without the seaweed).

In The Cancun Hotel Zone And Its Immediate Vicinity

• Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres
• Costa Mujeres
• Hotel Zone Km 4-9

First, for those staying in Cancun and its immediate vicinity, which includes the Northern Hotel Zone and Isla Mujeres, a laid-back island just off the Cancun mainland accessible by ferry, you’ll want to check out these gems:

Playa Norte is located in Isla Mujeres and is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mexican Caribbean. It has virgin-white sands and crystal-clear waters. The best part is that, since it faces west, with most seaweed traveling eastbound, it has minimal to no sargassum this season.

Facing Isla Mujeres, Playa Mujeres has the neighboring island itself to thank for its near-total absence of seaweed. The island acts as a natural barrier against algae traveling from the east. Also, it’s a lot calmer than Cancun’s buzzing main beach.

Speaking of which, according to our expert friends, one section of the Hotel Zone sees less sargassum: kilometers 4-9. These kilometers face either north or northeast, as opposed to east, and thus manage to thwart some of the worst landfalls.

In The Playa Del Carmen Area

• Xpu-Ha Bay
• Playa Palacar (Cozumel)
• Paradise Beach (Cozumel)

Now, if you’re only flying via Cancun, but you’re actually spending time in the central part of the Quintana Roo coast, be it the trendy Playa Del Carmen, or the paradisaical Cozumel, an easily-accessed island from the mainland, these are your sargassum-free options:

Just south of Playa Del Carmen, Xpu-Ha is a sheltered bay where our algae foes have a hard time reaching.

It’s not exactly fully protected, but it’s a safer bet than other, more exposed beaches, especially given resort owners’ efforts to keep the beach clean for foreign guests.

Over in Cozumel, you’ll find that most of the island is, similarly to Isla Mujeres, largely shielded from the sargassum blight: in fact, its entire west coast is virtually untouched, and Playa Palacar is a clear highlight, with its teal seas and soft sands.

Yet another top pick selected by The Cancun Sun is Paradise Beach, still on the west coast of Cozumel, offering a more secluded atmosphere than the hectic terra firme beaches, and no sargassum in sight for many nautical miles.

In Tulum, Surrounding Bays, And Southern Quintana Roo

• Akumal Bay
• Tankah Bay
• Soliman Bay
• Bacalar

To the south of Quintana Roo, you’ll want to restrict your movements to Akumal Bay, a short drive from Tulum. Again, this long, sheltered bay lowers the amount of sargassum washing ashore.

For a quieter, more secluded beach that’s still less impacted, The Cancun Sun recommends two bays north of the main Tulum Hotel Zone: Tankah Bay and Soliman Bay. They are not typically hit as hard by the algae as Tulum itself, but it depends on the weather and other conditions.

It’s important to note that there’s never a guarantee that any of these spots will be sargassum-free; they simply have a lower incidence of the phenomenon. But then again, there’s always a beautiful Bacalar Lagoon, with its multi-colored hues and boutique hotels.

It’s not an ocean, but with its vastness, the vibrancy of its waters, and plethora of water-based activities on offer, it surely feels like one—it’s no wonder it’s trending so much on TikTok lately as an alternative to Tulum.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

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