Why I Wouldn’t Travel to the Riviera Maya in the Summer: My new perspective after 15 years in Mexico

I never thought I’d write this post. I’ve lived in the Riviera Maya for 15 years, and until recently, I would smile smugly every time anyone would ask me, “So, when’s the best time to visit the Riviera Maya?”

“Anytime!” I used to say. “It’s always paradise here.” In fact, you will find that in my posts on the best time to travel to the Yucatan Peninsula, I will always recommend traveling in this time of the year if you want to save some bucks or avoid the crowd.

Well… It’s not anymore.

Maybe I’m aging (OK, I am), or perhaps the climate has actually lost its mind, but for the first time ever, I feel the need to tell you: don’t come to the Riviera Maya in the summer. Just… don’t.

Let’s start with the obvious. It’s hot, like, really hot. Sargassum invasion on every possible beach you can find, and it’s hot. Oh, did I tell you it’s really hot? Bear with me and let me explain more. Keep reading.

1. It’s Hot. Like, Really Hot.

I’m talking about the kind of heat that makes your flip-flops feel like they’re melting into the sidewalk. The kind that turns car steering wheels into medieval torture devices. The kind that gives you an existential crisis before noon.

And it’s not just “tropical heat” — it’s ca n’t-think, ca n’t-sleep, ca n’t-even-enjoy-a-tamarind-margarita heat.

I used to breeze through July and August with a fan and a smile. Now, I’m hiding indoors, hoping the power doesn’t go out and take my AC with it, absolutely unbothered by how much I will pay for the CFE (Mexico Power company) at the end of the month.

Are you a history buff, and do you come to see the Mayan ruins? Just imagine walking around these dry, ancient buildings in the sun, with temperatures reaching 40°C (104°F) and 100% humidity. Heck no, thanks. I am doing it for blogging purposes. But I don’t recommend it, at all.

2. The Sargasso Situation is No Joke

Ah yes, the sargassum, or as I now call it, that cursed sea salad from hell.

If you were dreaming of turquoise Caribbean waters lapping against soft white sand…You must wake up, right now. That dream’s been slimed.

The beaches — especially around Xpu-Ha, my long-time favorite — are being swallowed whole by piles of rotting seaweed that smell like a farting swamp monster.

I used to love mornings in Xpu-Ha. I’d take my coffee and go for a swim before the day got too hot. These days, the water looks like soup, smells like sulfur, and feels like disappointment.

I was just there this morning to check out the situation, and a tear came down while I was launching my drone in the air to document the shameful view.

The lady at the entrance kindly warned me before charging me. I appreciate her honesty, but I really wanted to see it with my eyes and share it with you, my faithful reader.

So I paid my 50 Pesos entry fee and off I went, on my mission.

It was this view that inspired me to write this post. I am sorry for the local tourism operators who are left with no hope, but this is really bad.

On the bright side, they were setting up a net when I got on the beach, but I believe this should have been done a month ago, before the weed hit the beach. Now it’s going to be hard to sweep it away.

3. You Can’t Even Swim It Off

That used to be the solution, right? “Oh, it’s hot, just jump in the sea!”

Not anymore.

Between the sargasso invasion, murky waters, and red flags snapping in the wind, good swimming beaches are few and far between

Okay, there are cenotes, of course, but if you’re coming for the Caribbean Sea, this is not the time.

4. The Mosquitoes are Training for War

Listen, I love nature. I moved to the jungle on purpose. But I swear the mosquitoes in July are unionized and angry. They show up in full squads the second you step outside, especially near cenotes and after those sudden afternoon rains that make everything feel like a steam room.

5. Even the Locals are Over It

You know it’s bad when locals — the same people who live for beach days and aguachile — are canceling weekend plans because “it’s too hot to move.”

You’ll see us in supermarkets and gas stations just loitering, pretending to shop while standing under the air conditioning vents.

So, When Should You Visit the Riviera Maya?

Come in December, January, or even March. You’ll get breezy mornings, clear beaches, and actual joy instead of heat-induced despair. The cenotes are refreshing, the beaches are beautiful,

The shoulder season, from after Easter to mid-June, is an ideal time to travel to the Riviera Maya. In that time, you don’t pay the outrageous prices of the high season, and you don’t get to see the sargasso; you get the best of both worlds.

I say all this with love — love for this place that’s been home for over a decade and a half. But this summer? This summer broke me.

See you in December. I’ll even share my secret cenote spot. Promise.

FAQs

Is the Riviera Maya always this hot in summer?

It’s always been warm, but the last few years have turned hot into oppressive. Whether it’s climate change or a particularly angry sun, it’s definitely worse now.

What is sargassum, and why is it everywhere?

Sargassum is a type of seaweed that floats in from the Atlantic. In recent summers, it’s arrived in massive quantities, covering the beaches and making swimming unpleasant — and smelly.

Is Xpu-Ha still worth visiting?

Yes — but not in summer. Go between November and May, when the beaches are clear, the water is turquoise, and the only thing you’ll be dodging are pelicans.