Like many other travelers, you’ve probably already heard about the seaweed or sargassum problem along the Quintana Roo coastline. Get to know more about Playa Mujeres: A Sargassum-Free Haven in Cancun, and prepare to enjoy a spectacular Caribbean getaway!

Seaweed has been a bit of a nuisance recently, and a big problem for major beachfront facilities and all their prospective guests.

Is there Sargassum in Playa Mujeres?

Lucky for you, due to Playa Mujeres’ privileged location, in the north area of Cancun, sargassum will be the least of your worries as the nasty slimy aqua weeds don’t invade quite as much.

The private and secluded beach stretch along the coast of Playa Mujeres it is home to ATELIER • ESTUDIO Playa Mujeres resort complex and boasts calm waters and spectacular white-sand beaches.

Guests staying at these resorts are among the lucky ones because the seaweed doesn’t reach the shores, or accumulate as it does in other areas around due to location that help to keep the beach areas looking crystal clear and oh-so-tempting!

The best part is, there’s hardly any seaweed because the existing ocean currents pull it farther south preventing it from having any real problems with the aquatic invading flora.

What is Sargassum or Seaweed?

Sargassum is a brownish-green colored seaweed and there is a lot of it now. It floats because of its lightness and the buoyancy of small bubble-like attachments that keep it on the surface of the water. It tends to build up and join others of its kind, sometimes creating a large mass that stretches for miles and miles.

The pesty ocean plant is most prevalent during the summer months because the weather conditions are ideal for its survival and growth. Unfortunately, in recent years the seaweed and sargassum problem is a stenchy one that now spans from the United States’ Southern Atlantic shore clear to Argentina.

That’s a whole lot of coastlines!

Even more unfortunate, is the fact that it tends to build up and concentrate in the Caribbean region, which is home to the beautiful and sought-after Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

However, there are still plenty of places in the state where this unpleasant oceanic invader doesn’t pose a big threat, like the secluded and private beaches of Playa Mujeres where ATELIER Playa Mujeres and ESTUDIO Playa Mujeres properties lie.

A Seaweed Pandemic

The amount of seaweed that is present during certain times of the year in the Mexican Caribbean is starting to cause a lot of discussion and concern with tourists.

It also seems that the problem is getting a little worse in modern times and studies are being done to figure out why such a high influx is washing up on the shores.

Did you know there´s a place called the “Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt” that sits in the middle of the ocean between Brazil and Africa?

This is said to be the epicenter of the “seaweed pandemic” because its geographical position receives nutrient-rich water and materials from the run-off segments of major South American rivers like the Amazon. These contributing factors from the land and sea enable the life form to continue multiplying at an alarming rate.

The seaweed travels along the various currents and makes its way to our coastal paradise.

Many theories exist as to why the problem continues to present itself year after year. Such hypotheses include global warming, rising ocean water temperatures, and high amounts of waste being tossed overboard which negatively change the acidic levels, creating a more inviting ambiance for its reproduction and growth.

Government officials and private sector parties are looking to alleviate the bother and have a few band-aid solutions to temporarily mask the problem.

Looking for a Solution to the Smelly Situation

One of today’s biggest priorities for state officials is to find a permanent solution to this Atlantic invasion.

Barriers have been set up in efforts to block the seaweed from advancing close to the coastline and cleaning crews can be seen constantly sweeping the sand in order to clear the rotting washed-up weeds from touristy beach areas.

There is even a fleet of boats that are actively navigating the waters and extracting the sargassum before it makes landfall.

These efforts help in reducing the actual amount that makes it to the shoreline, but it still poses a huge threat to great portions of the Mexican Caribbean.

Smaller port towns and fishing villages where the coral reefs create fewer wavey bodies of water, coves, bays, and calm beach stretches are typically where the highest amounts of seaweed are found.

These are the locations where you can find staff members of the various hotels, and government-hired workers cleaning the beaches to attract visitors and show that they are maintaining an enticing and inviting destination for tourists and locals alike.  

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Share the seaweed-free selfies you’ve taken at Playa Mujeres shorelines to show everyone else that we´re for real!