The sea temperature at Cancún today is 29 °C (84 °F) – water as warm as a bath. The usual October average is 29.3 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea temperature has held at around 29 °C. Swimmable all year – the sea averages 26 °C or more in every month. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26.4°C / 79.4°F | 26.6°C / 79.8°F | 26.9°C / 80.4°F |
| February | 26.3°C / 79.3°F | 26.5°C / 79.7°F | 26.7°C / 80.1°F |
| March | 26.5°C / 79.8°F | 26.8°C / 80.2°F | 27.0°C / 80.6°F |
| April | 27.1°C / 80.8°F | 27.2°C / 81.0°F | 27.3°C / 81.2°F |
| May | 27.8°C / 82.1°F | 28.1°C / 82.6°F | 28.4°C / 83.2°F |
| June | 28.3°C / 83.0°F | 28.8°C / 83.8°F | 29.2°C / 84.5°F |
| July | 28.9°C / 84.1°F | 29.3°C / 84.7°F | 29.7°C / 85.5°F |
| August | 29.1°C / 84.4°F | 29.6°C / 85.2°F | 29.9°C / 85.9°F |
| September | 29.0°C / 84.1°F | 29.5°C / 85.1°F | 30.0°C / 85.9°F |
| October | 28.9°C / 83.9°F | 29.3°C / 84.7°F | 29.6°C / 85.3°F |
| November | 28.2°C / 82.7°F | 28.4°C / 83.0°F | 28.5°C / 83.3°F |
| December | 27.2°C / 80.9°F | 27.4°C / 81.4°F | 27.7°C / 81.8°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24.7°C / 76.5°F | 24.9°C / 76.8°F | 24.9°C / 76.8°F |
| February | 24.9°C / 76.8°F | 25.2°C / 77.3°F | 25.3°C / 77.5°F |
| March | 25.6°C / 78.0°F | 25.8°C / 78.5°F | 26.0°C / 78.7°F |
| April | 26.0°C / 78.8°F | 26.3°C / 79.4°F | 26.5°C / 79.7°F |
| May | 27.2°C / 80.9°F | 27.4°C / 81.4°F | 27.5°C / 81.5°F |
| June | 27.5°C / 81.5°F | 27.8°C / 82.0°F | 27.8°C / 82.0°F |
| July | 28.2°C / 82.7°F | 28.4°C / 83.2°F | 28.4°C / 83.1°F |
| August | 28.2°C / 82.8°F | 28.5°C / 83.3°F | 28.4°C / 83.2°F |
| September | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 28.2°C / 82.8°F | 28.1°C / 82.5°F |
| October | 27.1°C / 80.8°F | 27.5°C / 81.5°F | 27.5°C / 81.5°F |
| November | 26.2°C / 79.2°F | 26.5°C / 79.6°F | 26.4°C / 79.6°F |
| December | 25.4°C / 77.8°F | 25.7°C / 78.2°F | 25.7°C / 78.2°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Cancún holidays
Cancún is a resort city on the north-east tip of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, in the state of Quintana Roo. Its Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera) is a 22-km sand bar shaped like the number 7, lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Nichupté Lagoon and connected to the mainland at both ends.
Beaches
Cancún's Hotel Zone bends at Punta Cancún, around kilometre 9. West of the bend, the north-facing beaches overlook the calm Bahía de Mujeres: Playa Tortugas and Playa Langosta have gentle water, and ferries leave Playa Tortugas for Isla Mujeres. From the bend southwards the beaches face the open Caribbean, with bigger waves and stronger currents. Playa Delfines, one of Cancún's best-known public beaches, lies on that side at kilometre 18, with a viewpoint and the large CANCÚN sign; the sea temperature on this page is for the coast by Punta Cancún.
Things to do
From Cancún, the ferry to Isla Mujeres is the easiest island day out, and the underwater sculptures of MUSA can be seen by snorkelling or from a glass-bottom boat. Within the Hotel Zone, the small Maya site of El Rey sits beside the lagoon. Longer day trips head inland to the ruins of Chichén Itzá and to the cenotes, natural freshwater sinkholes, or south along the Riviera Maya to the eco-parks around Playa del Carmen.
Weather and best time to visit
At Cancún the sea stays above 26 °C / 79 °F all year, even in the coolest month.
In Cancún, from about April to October, and most of all in summer, sargassum seaweed can wash up on the Caribbean-facing beaches; the beaches inside the bay are less affected. The hurricane season runs from June to November, and December to April is the driest part of the year.
Hotels and where to stay
Most visitors to Cancún stay in the Hotel Zone, where many resorts stand directly on the beachfront; downtown Cancún is cheaper and a bus ride away. Beaches in Mexico are public by law, and there are public access points along the Hotel Zone.
Signature hotels: Hyatt Ziva Cancún (Punta Cancún) · Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach (Punta Cancún)
Airport and getting there
Cancún International Airport lies south of the Hotel Zone; transfers take roughly 20 to 40 minutes depending on the hotel and traffic, and there are direct flights from North America and Europe.