Best Time to Go to Tulum: Weather, Sargassum and Crowds (2026)

The best time to go to Tulum is from November to April. This is the dry season, with warm, sunny days around 29 to 31°C, lower humidity and the least chance of sargassum seaweed on the beaches. The sweet spots are late November to mid-December and late April, when the weather is good and prices haven't hit their peak. From May to October it's hotter, more humid and wetter, it's hurricane season from June, and sargassum is most likely on the beaches, but it's also cheaper and quieter.

Tulum is warm all year, so the real questions are rain, seaweed, storms and crowds. This guide uses official climate averages for Tulum, then explains each season, the sargassum and hurricane risk, and which months suit which kind of trip.

Best time to go to Tulum at a glance

If you want	Go in	Why
The best weather	December to April	Dry, sunny and less humid
Good weather and better prices	Late November, early December, late April	Dry season, before or after the peak
The best chance of clear beaches	November to April	Sargassum is usually lowest
The lowest prices	May, June, September, October	Low season, but wetter and seaweed is more likely
Cenotes and ruins without the crowds	Late April to early June, or November	Quieter than the winter peak
Festive atmosphere	Mid-December to early January	Busy and expensive, but lively

Tulum weather by month

These are the official long-term averages for Tulum from Mexico's national weather service, the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, for 1951 to 2010. Highs and lows are daily averages in °C; rainfall is the monthly total.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall	Rain days
January	29°C	18°C	61 mm	7
February	30°C	18°C	48 mm	5
March	31°C	20°C	31 mm	3
April	31°C	21°C	39 mm	3
May	32°C	22°C	104 mm	6
June	32°C	23°C	157 mm	10
July	32°C	22°C	102 mm	9
August	32°C	22°C	102 mm	9
September	32°C	21°C	167 mm	13
October	31°C	21°C	178 mm	11
November	31°C	19°C	84 mm	9
December	29°C	18°C	65 mm	7

Average annual rainfall: about 1,140 mm. Rain days are days with at least 0.1 mm of rain.

The pattern is clear: March and April are the driest months, with only about three rainy days each, and September and October are the wettest, with more than 160 mm of rain. Temperatures barely change through the year; what you feel more is the humidity, which is much higher in summer. Rain in Tulum often comes in short, heavy tropical showers rather than all-day rain, but storms in the wet season can last longer.

The dry season: November to April

The dry season is the best time to go to Tulum for most people, and it's also the busiest.

• November is the start of the dry season. Rain drops off through the month, the sargassum season usually tails off, and the crowds haven't arrived. The Day of the Dead, at the start of the month, is celebrated across Mexico.
• December brings near-perfect beach weather, with highs around 29°C. The first half of the month is quieter; from about the middle of December to early January, Tulum is at its busiest and most expensive, with Christmas and New Year.
• January and February are classic winter-sun months: warm, sunny and comfortable, with cooler evenings around 18°C. They're popular with visitors escaping the North American and European winter, so book ahead.
• March is one of the driest, sunniest months, but it's also spring break season for US students and, in some years, Easter. Semana Santa, the week before Easter, is a big holiday for Mexican travellers too. In 2027, Easter Sunday falls on 28 March.
• April is still dry, with only about three rainy days, and gets hotter towards the end of the month. After Easter, crowds and prices begin to fall, which makes late April one of the best value months of the year.

Photo: Nathan Cima on Unsplash

The wet season: May to October

The wet season is hotter, more humid and cheaper, and it overlaps with both hurricane season and the sargassum season.

• May is the hottest month for many visitors, as the humidity rises before the rains. The first heavy rain often arrives late in the month, and seaweed starts to appear on the beaches.
• June brings the start of hurricane season and the first big rains, with about 157 mm on average.
• July and August have rain on about nine days each, usually in afternoon storms. They're popular with Mexican and European summer holidaymakers, so there's a mini-peak in prices. Sargassum is often at its worst in these months.
• September and October are the wettest months of the year and the peak of hurricane season. They're also the quietest and cheapest months in Tulum, and some businesses close for a break.

The wet season isn't a write-off. Mornings are often sunny, the jungle is green, the cenotes are unaffected by seaweed, and hotel prices are much lower. If you go, choose a hotel with a pool and be flexible with beach days.

Sargassum season in Tulum

Sargassum is a brown seaweed that drifts across the Atlantic and washes up on Caribbean beaches, including Tulum's. When it arrives in large amounts, it can cover the sand, turn the water brown near the shore and smell as it rots.

• When: the sargassum season on Mexico's Caribbean coast usually runs from about May to October, and is often worst from May to August. From November to April there's usually little or none.
• How bad: it varies a lot from year to year, and from beach to beach and day to day. The University of South Florida's sargassum outlook warned that 2026 could be a record year in the Atlantic, but Mexico's navy (SEMAR), which monitors the coast, reported low levels in early October 2026.
• What to do: check the latest sargassum reports before and during your trip, choose a hotel with a pool, and plan cenote days for when the beach is bad. Bays protected by the reef, such as those north of Tulum, are sometimes less affected, but not always.

Photo: Meg von Haartman on Unsplash

Cenotes are your backup: they're fresh water, inland, and never affected by seaweed. Our guide to the best things to do in Tulum lists the best ones.

Hurricane season

The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from 1 June to 30 November, with the peak from about August to October. Most weeks pass without a storm, and a direct hit on Tulum is rare in any year, but tropical storms can bring several days of heavy rain and disrupt flights and tours.

If you travel in hurricane season, buy travel insurance that covers trip disruption, check the US National Hurricane Center's forecasts before you go, and follow local advice if a storm approaches.

The best time to go to Tulum for what you want to do

Beach days

December to April gives you the best chance of sunny days and clear beaches. Late November is good too, as the sargassum usually fades.

Cenotes and ruins

The cenotes and ruins are good all year, as rain and seaweed don't affect them much. For fewer crowds at the ruins and Gran Cenote, go in late April to early June or November, and arrive at opening time.

Snorkelling and diving

The dry season usually has the calmest seas and clearest water for reef snorkelling. Cenote diving is possible all year.

Swimming with turtles at Akumal

Green sea turtles feed in Akumal Bay all year. Visit early in the day for calmer water and fewer people.

The lowest prices

May, June, September and October are the cheapest months, apart from the summer holiday weeks in July and August. Expect more rain and possibly seaweed.

Festivals and holidays in Tulum

When	Event
March or April	Semana Santa, the week before Easter (Easter Sunday is 28 March in 2027)
March	US spring break, busy across the Mexican Caribbean
1 and 2 November	Day of the Dead, with altars and celebrations across Mexico
12 December	Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
Mid-December to early January	Christmas and New Year, the busiest and most expensive period

When not to go to Tulum

• Late December to early January, if you're on a budget: prices peak and hotels fill up.
• September and October, if you can't be flexible: it's the wettest time of the year and the peak of hurricane season.
• May to August, if a perfect beach is the main point of your trip: this is when sargassum is most likely.

Practical tips

• Book peak dates early: Christmas, New Year and Easter book up months ahead, especially in the Hotel Zone.
• Choose a hotel with a pool from May to October, in case the beach is covered in seaweed.
• Pack for the heat: a hat, light clothing, biodegradable sunscreen and insect repellent (not for cenotes).
• Plan your arrival: Tulum is about 130 km from Cancún Airport. A pre-booked transfer is the simplest way to get there; our guide to getting from Cancún to Tulum covers every option.
• Stay connected: a Mexico eSIM helps you check the weather and sargassum reports on the go.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best month to go to Tulum? March and April are the driest months, with about three rainy days each. For a balance of good weather and lower prices, late November, early December and late April, after Easter, are the best months.

When is sargassum season in Tulum? Usually from about May to October, and often worst from May to August. It varies a lot from year to year and day to day. From November to April there's usually little or none.

What is the rainy season in Tulum? From about May to October. September and October are the wettest months, with more than 160 mm of rain on average. Rain often falls in short, heavy showers.

When is hurricane season in Tulum? The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, with the highest risk from about August to October.

What is the cheapest time to go to Tulum? May, June, September and October, outside the summer holiday weeks. You'll pay less for hotels, but expect more rain and a greater chance of sargassum.

Is Tulum hot all year round? Yes. Average highs range from about 29°C in December and January to 32°C in summer. Summer feels much hotter because of the humidity.

How we researched this guide

The monthly averages come from the official 1951 to 2010 climate normals for Tulum produced by Mexico's Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. The sargassum information comes from the University of South Florida's sargassum outlook and from Mexican press reports of the navy's sargassum monitoring, both checked in October 2026. Hurricane season dates come from the US National Hurricane Center. We couldn't find official monthly sea temperatures for Tulum, so we haven't included them. Found something out of date? Let us know.

Ready to plan? Fill your days with the best things to do in Tulum, choose a base with our guide to where to stay in Tulum, plan your arrival with getting from Cancún to Tulum, or browse all our Mexico guides.