Cancún

The Yucatán coast is warm all year, but conditions vary a lot. December to April is the classic dry season: lower humidity, calmer seas, and the least rain, which is why it is also the highest-priced and busiest stretch. May through November is hurricane season by the official Atlantic definition, with the statistical risk peaking in September; storms don't hit every year, but heavier rain and rougher, more humid conditions are the norm.

The detail most comparison sites skip is sargassum: a floating seaweed that washes ashore in variable but sometimes heavy quantities, typically worst from around May to September, and can turn a picture-postcard beach brown and smelly for days at a time. It affects the Caribbean-facing Riviera Maya coast more than sheltered lagoon spots, varies year to year, and resorts clear their own beaches daily but can't control what arrives overnight. Late autumn, once the sargassum has largely cleared and before Christmas demand hits, is the best-kept-secret window: the dry season is returning, humidity is dropping, and prices haven't caught up yet.

February half term sits inside the dry-season peak: reliable sun, calm seas, and correspondingly high prices. Easter usually catches the tail of the dry season, warm and mostly clear, though Semana Santa (Holy Week) itself is a major domestic Mexican holiday and pushes prices up further. The summer holidays fall in the wet, sargassum-prone season; it is usually still a perfectly good beach holiday, but pack for humidity and check recent sargassum reports before booking a specific resort. October half term lands as hurricane risk is easing and prices are dropping, making it a solid choice. Christmas and New Year is the most expensive fortnight of the Riviera Maya year, driven by both the returning dry season and holiday demand.

Pick a school holiday in the date checker at the top of the page to see the exact term dates and typical premium for your region.