When to go
Use the seasonal notes below as broad planning guidance. They are not a forecast or a measured climate dataset. Check the local meteorological service, transport operator and site opening calendar for your dates.
Use the seasonal notes below as broad planning guidance. They are not a forecast or a measured climate dataset. Check the local meteorological service, transport operator and site opening calendar for your dates.
Best months for what you actually want to do
- Ruins: Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Tulum — December to March pairs dry trails with 28–31°C days — go at 8:00 opening. Mayan equinox events at Chichén Itzá (around 20-21 March and 22 September) draw enormous crowds.
- Cenotes and the Ruta Puuc — Dry season means lower water tables and clearer swimming in the cenotes — March-May is the sweet spot before the rains refill them. Weekday mornings beat tour-bus timing everywhere.
- Beach season: Riviera Maya and Isla Holbox — The sea is warm all year (26–29°C); December-April adds reliable sun. Holbox and the north coast are calmer than Cancún's hotel zone in the winter peak.
Shoulder season strategy
November and early December are the value shoulder: the rains have passed, prices have not yet rebounded, and the winter crowds arrive only toward Christmas. August is the opposite shoulder — hot, humid, and inside hurricane season.
Hurricane season runs June to November, statistically peaking September-October. Travel then is usually fine, but buy flexible fares and keep an eye on forecasts from a week out. Sargassum seaweed on Caribbean-facing beaches is worst roughly May to October; the Gulf-side beaches (Progreso, Holbox) are less affected.
Put the window together with the ready-made itinerary, the daily budget breakdown and the full the Maya world guide. For general trip-timing advice, see our itinerary planning guide.
FAQ
When is hurricane season in the Yucatán?
Officially June to November, with the statistical peak in September and October. Direct hits are uncommon in any given year, but travel insurance with weather cover is worthwhile for those months.
What about sargassum seaweed?
Sargassum drifts onto the Caribbean-facing beaches most years between about May and October, worst in summer. It varies hugely by week and beach; Tulum and Playa del Carmen are more exposed, and the west-facing coasts stay cleaner.
Is summer unbearably hot for the ruins?
May to September holds 32–33°C with high humidity — shade is scarce at Chichén Itzá and Uxmal. Go at opening, carry more water than seems reasonable, and save afternoons for cenotes.