a small village on the border with Belize, about 180 miles south of Cancun. To take your mind off the godawful ride, keep your eyes open for jaguars, pumas, and wild boars in the bush beside the road.

"This is a Caribbean problem on the east coast that goes from Cancun all the way past Ambergris Caye in Belize." The concerns may not be hyperbole: the sargassum mats appear even worse along parts ...