Your Epic Guide To Visiting Isla Holbox, Mexico
Located off the north coast of Quintana Roo, Holbox is a perfect escape from some of the busy Mexican cities. Whilst it has certainly become a lot more popular to travel in the past couple of years, it still retains its small, bohemian island charm.
With Mexico’s Caribbean coast becoming more and more cluttered by large hotels, all-inclusive resorts and tons of attractions, it’s getting harder and harder to find a place to really get away from it all and experience the raw, authenticness that you may imagine when you think of the Mexican coast.
Whilst Isla Holbox is becoming more touristy as the years go on, the little Mexican island still retains that off-the-beaten-track, tropical island vibe. With no cars, palm trees dotted about and little beachside cafes.
Grab yourself a cocktail, sit back and relax in paradise.
It’s touristy, but not in the way many beach towns in Mexico are. Plus, food, drinks and accommodation are reasonably priced compared to Cancun for example. Holbox is a great destination for any budget. Anything goes on Isla Holbox.
Isla Holbox is a place where it’s more than acceptable to live in flip-flops or no shoes at all or to go for days without washing your hair or wearing nothing more than a bikini, much like The San Blas islands in Panama. A place of no judgement, and that, in itself, makes the Mexican island a true gem!
Best Time To Visit Isla Holbox – Holbox Weather
Much like the Riviera Maya, the ideal period to explore Holbox is during the dry season spanning from late November to February. During this timeframe, anticipate wonderful, sun-drenched days, azure skies, and temperatures averaging around 29 degrees Celsius. We visited Holbox in November and had wonderful sunshine the majority of the time. Just be aware that Holbox has a tendency to flood during and after the rainy season, so keep this in mind.
However, as the season advances into March, April, and May, temperatures escalate to an average of 34 degrees Celsius, accompanied by elevated humidity. Visiting Holbox during this time means that you’ll probably be met with sticky and uncomfortable heat, making it less ideal for a visit.
The rainy season runs from May until early November, this is when the Yucatan Peninsula as a whole is hit by tropical storms and high levels of rainfall.
What is the Holbox location?
Playa Holbox or Isla Holbox is an (incredible) island located off Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, in Quintana Roo State. The Holbox location makes it extremely convenient to get to from the mainland.
How to get to Isla Holbox
So, you’re wondering how to get to Isla Holbox. Good news! Travelling to Isla Holbox from mainland Mexico couldn’t be easier.
We travelled from Cancun to Isla Holbox and this is how we did it.
First head to Chiquilá, a small town that appeared to be largely in existence simply to service the people heading to Holbox. To get from Cancun to Chiquilá you can get a bus that takes around three and a half hours, tickets are between $180 MXN (9.50 USD / £7.48) and $300 MXN (15 USD / £12.50) depending on the date and time that you travel. You can also get the bus to Chiquila from Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, Valladolid, Merida and a few other places.
The buses drop you off at the ferry port in Chiquila, where you can buy tickets for the ferry to the island.
You can check out all the latest prices and info on the ADO website.
From Chiquilá, Isla Holbox ferry has two main companies “Hermanos” and “Holbox Ferry” both of which cost 220 pesos each way (October 2021).
The crossing on the Isla Holbox ferry takes 30 minutes. For us, it was smooth both ways.
Once you arrive on the island from the Isla Holbox ferry, pretty much the whole of Holbox is within walking distance. However, bare in mind that there is no drainage infrastructure, so many roads are completely flooded, however, for us, we loved the fact that every outing turned into a mini obstacle course and trying to remember which roads are passable. Alternatively, the main mode of transport is golf carts which you get just like a taxi or rent to drive yourself around the island.
Where to stay in Isla Holbox
We opted to stay at Corazon Mexicano Holbox. A beautiful little aparthotel on the outskirts of Holbox.
From Corazon Mexicano Holbox it 5-minute walk to the centre of town. But, as mentioned if the island is flooded then it’s more of a 15-minute adventure course! For us, it was a perfect location to be able to relax beside the small rooftop pool and be out of the nightlife which Holbox has to offer.
If you are looking for a sociable hostel then Che Holbox Hostel and Bar is the place for you! It describes itself as true paradise with lush trees, a pool and a combination of dorm and private rooms.
Book Che Holbox Hostel and Bar here.
Travelling to your hostel or hotel on Isla Holbox
After you have worked out how to get to Isla Holbox and you have stepped off the ferry you’ll be greeted by a row of golf carts, ready to drive you to your accommodation. If you don’t have much luggage, then the walk to the main square takes less than ten minutes (if there is no flooding at that time). We had backpacks and were staying right near the ferry port so we opted to walk to our Holbox accommodation.
Is Holbox a party island?
The nightlife scene in Holbox is quite laidback compared to other parts of Mexico, such as Cancun or Tulum. You probably won’t find any raves or big clubs, but, we did notice a level of partying especially within some of the hostels. So, if you visit Holbox looking for a party then these spots are your best bet!
What to do in Holbox
Once you are settled into your accommodation and ready to explore, you’ll discover that despite its size, Holbox has a little bit of everything and is the perfect location to do absolutely nothing on. If you do want to do a bit more than nothing, then here are our recommendations.
Spend the afternoon on Playa Holbox
Playa Holbox is the main beach located on the island, complete with calm, turquoise seas and powdery white sand beaches. Playa Holbox can be found right in front of the town, understandably, making it the most popular beach and the easiest to get to.
With several restaurants and bars dotted around, you could easily spend a few hours enjoying a slow lunch with a few Mojitos or a local beer, whilst admiring the waves crashing against the beautiful Playa Holbox.
Explore Downtown Holbox
The “downtown” has so much variety from expensive boutique clothing stores to local street food venues. Within reason, you can get whatever you need and more. We are massive foodies and were spoilt for choice.
Spend an afternoon exploring the quaint streets whilst dipping in and out of the shops and restaurants.
Just make sure whatever you’re doing that you get back to Playa Holbox for a sunset as this is not to be missed. It seemed like everyone on the island was called by the slowly descending sun to the beach to admire day turning into night. There’s plenty of bars where you can grab a happy hour cocktail or just sit on the beach and watch the sun set on the day.
Take yourself on a mural tour
We both absolutely love murals and had heard before visiting that Holbox was famous for them. We fell in love with Holbox’s eclectic mix of murals. There are plenty of huge designs all around the island, from portraits to abstract works.
Visit Punta Mosquito, Holbox (the Holbox Sandbar)
To get to Punta Mosquito Holbox start from the eastern end of Playa Holbox, from here a huge sandbar runs all the way to Punta Mosquito at the island’s northernmost tip. Usually even when the tide is covering it, the water is usually no more than knee deep, so you can walk along the sandbar out into the ocean.
Keep in mind that you can’t walk all the way along the Holbox Sandbar, because Punta Mosquito Holbox falls within a protected nature reserve, once you reach the start to this you’ll see a sign telling you to not go any further. Always respect nature and adhere to the signs to keep places like this protected.
We unfortunately tried on two different occasions to get here but, couldn’t due to the tide and huge waves. So, whatever you do, be sure to check it before venturing out!
Holbox Highlights not to be missed:
A couple of suggestions on activities to complete if you want to have the full Holbox experience:
- Swim with Whale sharks between June-September
- Go on a boat trip of the other various islands around Holbox
- Witness the natural phenomenon of Bioluminescence on dark nights
A final word of advice would be if your dates are flexible then ensure you avoid any storms as not only does it stop you on an actual day, but it also drags up a lot of seaweed and detracts from this stunning Mexican island which can take a few days to clear.
Whatever your trip entails we hope you love this little piece of bliss as much as we did.
