If you belong to Facebook you might want to visit the page entitled “Sargasso Seaweed Updates Riviera Maya”. It’s a closed group, but you can ask to join–there are frequent beach pics of various areas in the Riviera Maya and elsewhere in Quintana Roo from vacationers currently visiting at the time of the post. Hope this helps!
FYI: The resort appears to now be open as of Dec. 28th, 2019. There are several reviews on TripAdvisor and other travel wholesaler sites.
While the new Quintana Roo liquor laws were supposed to go into effect February 10, 2019 (limiting the hours during which liquor can be sold/served), it has not been until July 2, 2019 that tourists have experienced the actualities of liquor restrictions at Cancun and Riviera Maya resorts.
If you will be taking an ADO bus anywhere in Cancun and the Riviera Maya, make sure to bring your ID. Due to the flow of migrants from central American countries throughout Mexico, identification is now required prior to boarding. If you don’t have an ID, you will not be allowed to take this type of transportation throughout the area.
FYI: This attraction is ONLY FOR GUESTS of the Barcelo Maya Grand Resort.
Xplor or Xplor Fuego? Too bad this is not the most difficult question to be answered in life. If you are going to the Riviera Maya and thinking of visiting the parks, it will be a question you will have to contemplate at some point.
I love drone videos of resorts since it gives me an overall view of the surrounding area as well as the resort’s general layout. Here’s a good video of Akumal Bay with its system of buoys to delineate where one can snorkel–my last visit to Akumal Bay in 2015 was before the “madness” started about beach access/snorkeling restrictions implemented by the Mexican government. While the new rules help keep the turtles less stressed, it can be confusing for snorkelers.
What is sargassum?
Although my first response to this question is “irritating and a potential vacation disaster for beach lovers”, here’s a scientific explanation to the phenomena we all hate to see when we visit Cancun/Riviera Maya. Hope this helps answer questions about where it comes from.
FYI: Since I made this post, I’ve done more checking into the resort’s renovations and have found out it is a total gut job. Yes, everything is going. I’ve watched videos of the pools being decimated, another floor is being added to some guest room buildings, and seen computer generated pics of the lobby area which keeps none of the elegant charm that I loved about this resort. If you want more moment-by-moment info on this renovation, the best place to get it is on Facebook–ask to join the Riu Palace Riviera Maya page.
Jungala Luxury Waterpark