7 Reasons Why You Need to Go to the Island of Holbox, Mexico

The tiny island of Holbox (pronounced hol-BOSH), in Mexico, is a sandy paradise painted in shades of turquoise with crystal clear waters washing the shore.

It’s located on the north side of Quintana Roo, the same state as Cancún and Playa del Carmen, but the vibe here is totally different. No wall-to-wall high-rise mammoths of all-inclusive resorts and malls, but a laid-back vibe and town-ish feel.

An environment perfect for relaxing and doing nothing where you’ll also find many activities to enjoy the fabulous environment.

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This is why you need to discover this paradisiac beach destination on the coast of Mexico.

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Beautiful Playa Grande

Playa Grande is the main beach in Holbox and it’s fabulous. Ideal for long walks and relaxing swims in shallow waters where you can see every little detail of the soft sandbed.

At low tide, you can walk on the sandbanks towards Punto Mosquito (by the way, there’s plenty of that so don’t forget your insect repellent), but you can’t go all the way there since it’s a nature reserve. Bring a hat and sunscreen, it’s a long walk (better do it in the morning and check the tides).

Talking about mosquitoes: there’s plenty of that. Don’t forget your insect repellent.

Or fly a kite. Or just do nothing. It’s the perfect place for doing nothing.

Amazing Sunsets

One of the best things to do in Holbox is staying at the beach to see the out-of-this-world sunsets. You’ll have an uninterrupted view of the symphony of reds, oranges, and yellows.

Before, you had the chance to enjoy the show from the comfort of the famous beach hammocks hanging from poles spelling Holbox. But the number one Instagram prop on the island is gone for good. The government cited alteration of the environment as the reason.

Great Bird Watching 

Holbox is an important nature reserve offering plenty of opportunities to see birds. American flamingos, white-tailed hawks, least terns, roseate spoonbills, and Bare-throated tiger herons are some of the species you can see here.

You’ll be able to spot some right on the beach. You can also take a birdwatching tour at dawn (best time to see birds) in the mangroves where you can also spot crocodiles.

Kayak Mangroves Sunrise Experience: paddle around mangroves to see how night turns into day and wildlife awakes. You may see flamingoes (when in season), rays, crocodiles and many bird species.
Watch wildlife at dawn with this tour, with a rating of 4.8 based on more than 150 reviews.

Don’t feel like waking up too early? Check out this kayak mangroves morning tour, with a rating of 4.8 based on more than 60 reviews.

Swimming with Whale Sharks

This is a biggie here but you have to come at the right time.

However…the first time that swimming with whale sharks was on my radar I was staying in Playa del Carmen. There were signs everywhere about this activity and I asked a tour operator about boat trips from Playa to Holbox.

He warned me that sharks had not shown up in the last three days so he couldn’t guarantee that I would see one. I decided to skip it.

The second time, I stayed in Holbox overnight, but it wasn’t during whale shark season.

If this is at the top of your list make sure to visit between mid-May to September. And remember that whale sharks don’t punch clocks; you may or may not see it.

Whale Shark and Snorkeling Adventure from Holbox: jump on a boat to search for whale sharks and have the chance to swim with them (if found). You can also see dolphins, rays, turtles, and other marine life. Light breakfast and fresh ceviche included.
Book this snorkeling tour, with a rating of 4.5 based on more than 180 reviews.

Fun Water Activities

There are several options to explore the beautiful waters of Holbox beyond the beach. Kayaking tours around the reserve are very popular. You can also do kiteboarding, kitesurfing, SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard), sail in a catamaran, or rent a boat to see crocodiles and monkeys.

Learn kitesurfing/kiteboarding in Holbox: learn this fun sport in an ideal environment, suitable for all levels.
Book your lesson, with a 5-star rating based on more than 75 reviews.

The Street Art 

Walk along the sand streets of this colourful town to see the fantastic street art waiting for you around every corner.

The Local Food

There are many places to enjoy traditional Mexican food, especially seafood specialties. One street food you must try is the marquesitas, sort of a crunchy crepe filled with grated Edam cheese and cajeta (goat milk candy) or jam. So good!!

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Where to Stay in Holbox

From simple accommodations to ultra luxurious villas and everything in between, no place is too far from the beach here. Check out the map below to see your options:

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Things You Should Know About Holbox

– The streets are not paved, it’s sand. It’s lovely, but messy when it rains and even messier with the potholes so leave your nice shoes at home.

– You won’t see many cars in town. People move on golf carts that you can rent daily or by the hour (or golf cart taxis), or like we did: on our own two feet. Keep in mind that golf carts aren’t allowed on the beach.

-Sargassum: the word no one wants to hear when planning a beach vacation, but it can’t be ignored. The smelly brown algae has become a serious issue in the Caribbean because the volume is higher than normal and it’s showing up outside the usual season (November to April). There’s no way around that.

When we visited, some areas were clean and it was nice to get in the water, but other spots…well, see below…

-Bring cash: not all establishments take credit cards or sometimes the system is down and the few ATMs in town are famous for running out of cash or being out of service. 

-Mosquitos: I said before and I’ll say it again. Bring mosquito spray.

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Holbox vs. Isla Mujeres

If you’re looking for relaxation, a small-town vibe, hippy-ish style, and a change of pace from Cancún, Holbox is your place.

However, it’s farther away from Cancún and, unless you do a one-day boat trip, you’ll be on the road too long and you won’t have enough time to relax, which defeats the whole purpose of choosing Holbox over Isla Mujeres.

If your time and budget allow, spend a night or two in Holbox.

A day trip is all you have time for? Then I would go to Isla Mujeres. It’s not that unique (and way busier than Holbox), but it’s an easy and short trip from Cancún and you can walk from the ferry station to the gorgeous Playa Centro.

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How to Get to and from Holbox 

By Boat  

Once you get to the port of Chiquilá (more on that below) you can board a ferry that will take you to Holbox. There’s a boat departing every 30 minutes on the hour, from 5AM to 8:30PM, weather permitting (seasonal schedule may vary).

Ticket cost: around MXN$ 300 (one way).

Once you get to the island you can take a taxi to your hotel or you can walk if it’s nearby. This is easier to do if you have a backpack rather than a suitcase (sand streets, remember?).

You can also take a boat day trip to Holbox from Playa del Carmen, Cancun, or Isla Mujeres.

Buses to the Port of Chiquilá

We hopped on the ADO bus from the Cancún bus station to the port of Chiquilá from where we boarded the ferry to the island. 

This is a 2-hour and 20-minute trip that ended up being a 3.5-hour trip as we found a road blockage organized by locals from a nearby town, protesting for better conditions.

If you’re staying in Playa del Carmen you can take the ADO bus to Cancun and then take the bus to Chiquilá. This will add 1.25 hours to your trip.

If you’re going from the Cancún airport straight to Holbox, you can take the ADO bus from the airport to the Cancún bus station and from there take the bus to Chiquilá. 

The options above are the cheapest (the ADO buses are comfortable), but you can also take a taxi or even an air taxi if you have around US$1,000 to spare.

There’s also this private shuttle that takes you from Holbox to either your hotel in the Cancun hotel zone or to the Cancun airport.

For fares and schedule check the ADO app.

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Holbox is an island to have a beach experience at a slower pace, see wildlife, and get away from the typical big hotel setting. Spend a few days here and explore the other side of the Mexican Caribbean.

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