Planning a trip to St. Thomas, St. John, or St. Croix and worried about sargassum? Here's when it typically arrives, which beaches are most affected, what activities you can still enjoy, and why it rarely ruins a vacation.
If you've been researching a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, you've probably come across photos of beaches covered in brown seaweed.
That seaweed is called sargassum, and every year it becomes one of the most talked-about travel topics across the Caribbean.
Seeing those photos can be alarming, especially if you've spent months planning your vacation.
The good news?
Sargassum rarely affects every beach, every island, or every activity. In most cases, visitors simply head to another beach or choose one of the many incredible experiences the Virgin Islands have to offer while conditions improve.
Before changing your travel plans, here's what you should know.
What Is Sargassum?
Sargassum is a naturally occurring brown seaweed that floats on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.
Unlike the seaweed you may find attached to rocks, sargassum spends its entire life floating. It creates important habitats for fish, sea turtles, crabs, and many other marine species while it's offsho
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