Booking choice: The big-group Saona day, from $82 per person. Check dates Tour details
Sargassum is a floating brown seaweed that drifts from the tropical Atlantic into the Caribbean, mostly in spring and summer. On a beach it piles up in brown banks and smells as it rots.
The University of South Florida tracks it by satellite and publishes a monthly outlook. Here is what the 2026 bulletins say, what that meant for the Dominican east coast, and what to expect on a Saona trip this autumn.
The quick answer
2026 is set to be the second-largest sargassum year on record, behind 2025, according to the University of South Florida. The amount at sea has fallen every month since July and should keep falling until about November. Beaching around the Caribbean continues, but less than in summer. No one can forecast a single beach, so ask your operator the day before.
How bad is sargassum in 2026?
Very bad by historical standards: the second-largest year in the USF record, which starts in 2011, after 2025.
The USF Optical Oceanography Lab compares every month with the same month from 2011 to 2025. In its May 2026 bulletin every region except the West Atlantic showed record-high amounts for May, with major beaching around the Caribbean. By the end of July the peak was past, and the lab called 2026 "the second largest Sargassum year, only second to 2025".
On the Dominican side, Dominican Today reported that about 9 million metric tons accumulated in the region between January and 30 June 2026, against 8.3 million in the same months of 2025 and 1.2 million in 2024.
| USF bulletin | What it reported |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | Record-high for May in every region but the West Atlantic |
| June 2026 | Record-high for June in the Caribbean Sea |
| July 2026 | Decline begins; year set to be second only to 2025 |
| August 2026 | Total in the sargassum belt halved from July |
| September 2026 | Halved again; decline expected until about November |
Is the sargassum getting better in October 2026?
Yes. The amount at sea has fallen each month since July, and USF expects it to keep falling until about November.
The September 2026 bulletin, published on 30 September, says the total in the belt was halved from August, which was itself half of July, with a similar fall in the eastern Caribbean. Its outlook: amounts "will continue to decrease until possibly November", and beaching around the Caribbean "will continue, but not as severe as in the summer months".
There is a catch in the same sentence: the totals in most regions were still above the 75th percentile of past Septembers. Less seaweed than in July is still more than a normal autumn.
Does sargassum reach Saona Island?
It can, like any Caribbean beach, but one guest reported clear water without sargassum on Saona in July 2026.
USF warns that its bulletin should not be used to predict conditions on a specific beach. A guest on the Caribbean Route day in July 2026 loved "the clear blue waters in Saona Island, no sargassum!" One review is not a survey.
We read that as a good reason to try Saona in a bad seaweed week. It is not a guarantee.
Does the choice of tour matter in a heavy seaweed week?
A tour with several stops gives you more places to swim. The catamaran and the speedboat both stop at Catuano and on a Saona beach.
The Quetzal catamaran snorkels at Catuano, stops on a Saona beach and ends at the Las Palmillas pool, per its listing. The Dominican Attitude speedboat day visits two Saona beaches plus Catuano and the natural pool. The natural pool is a shallow sandbar in open water, away from the beach; our natural pool guide explains the stop.
If the beach at your resort is buried, Saona is one option, but ask the operator about conditions the day before; they see the island every morning.
Three stops in the water and on the sand, from a 75-foot catamaran with 30 guests at most.
Explore the catamaran from Bayahibe Tour detailsWhere can I check sargassum before my trip?
The USF Sargassum Watch System publishes monthly outlooks and daily satellite imagery, free.
The Sargassum Watch System at the University of South Florida posts every monthly bulletin, daily imagery and high-resolution maps for selected coasts. It shows the trend, not your beach. For a specific day, the best source is your tour operator or your hotel.
Book with free cancellation, which every tour on this site has up to 24 hours before, and you can move the day if a bad week hits. Our price guide compares the options.
The cheapest full Saona day from Punta Cana, with about three hours on the island.
Check dates for the big-group Saona dayFrequently asked questions
When is sargassum season in the Dominican Republic?
Mostly spring and summer. In 2026 the amounts peaked in June and July and have been falling since; USF expects the decline to continue until about November.
Is there sargassum on Saona Island?
It can wash up on any Caribbean beach. One guest in July 2026 reported clear water without seaweed on Saona. Ask your operator the day before.
Is 2026 the worst sargassum year?
No, the second worst. The University of South Florida says 2026 is set to be the second-largest year on record, behind 2025.
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Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Saona Catamaran Day from Bayahibe
- Pickup from Bayahibe and Dominicus hotels only
- Transfers from Punta Cana, La Romana or Santo Domingo cost extra
- Lunch on board, snacks, unlimited beer, rum and soft drinks
Saona Speedboat Tour with Lunch
Up to 30 guests, park fees, lunch and drinks
Saona Day Trip with Lunch & Open Bar
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in the Punta Cana area
- Speedboat out, party catamaran back
- A 30-minute natural pool stop and about 3 hours on Saona
