Mahahual Costa Maya
Overview
Mahahual Costa Maya is the northernmost of the stretches of the Mahahual coast that the Quintana Roo sargassum monitoring network reports on separately, between Puerto Bravo to the north and Mahahual Norte to the south, beside the Costa Maya cruise port. The other Mahahual points, from north to south, are Mahahual Norte, Mahahual Faro, Mahahual Blue Kay, Mahahual Pargo, Playa Mahahual and Mahahual Yaya. Splitting the coast into several points matters here, because conditions in Mahahual can differ markedly over a few hundred metres.
Mahahual is a former fishing village in the municipality of Othón P. Blanco, in southern Quintana Roo, about 350 kilometres south of Cancún. Its beach has fine white sand and shallow, generally calm water, with the reef running close offshore, and the village centre is a pedestrian malecón of about two kilometres lined with beach clubs, restaurants and small hotels. On days when ships are in port, this northern end of the coast is the first that cruise passengers reach.
Our current condition score for this beach is .
Photo summary of last month
Each photograph is published unedited and in date order, and is replaced as newer submissions arrive, so what appears here is the most recent view of the beach rather than a promotional photograph.
Comparing this point with the central malecón and the other Mahahual points on the same day shows how unevenly sargassum arrives along a short stretch of coast.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
The southern coast of Quintana Roo, from Mahahual to Xcalak, is among the first and most heavily affected by sargassum arriving from the south and east. In the week from 28 June to 4 July 2025, the Navy reported that 390 tonnes arrived at Mahahual. The monitoring network's daily reports nonetheless often grade the Mahahual points differently on the same day, which is why each is tracked on its own.
Sargassum barriers and cleaning
Containment barriers are installed offshore each season to hold sargassum away from the central waterfront: the Navy reported 2,265 metres in 2025, and about 2,300 metres were in place in 2026. Stretches outside the barriers generally receive more sargassum than the central malecón.
The sargassum season
The regional season runs from roughly May to August, with the heaviest arrivals usually in June and July, and the coast is generally quieter from late autumn into spring. The wider picture is set out in our Riviera Maya sargassum season guide.
Access and getting there
Mahahual is reached by road from Highway 307, taking the turn-off towards the coast south of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. The drive from Cancún takes about four to five hours, and Chetumal is about two hours away. The beach is open to the public along its whole length. Our Mahahual guide covers the town, the reef and where to stay.
Check live conditions before you go
On the live map we track Mahahual Costa Maya with dated photographs and a current condition score, which makes it easy to compare with the other Mahahual points on the same morning.
See live conditions, photos & cams →