Isla Holbox is one of the lesser-known islands of Mexico. This Caribbean paradise has dazzling white beaches and a clear blue sea. In the village you will find beatiful street art and there is a laidback atmosphere on the island. Or as our hotel owner said: on Isla Holbox you can really be yourself. It reminds me a bit of the free way of thinking in Ibiza but then the Ibiza of 30 years ago because the influence of tourism on Isla Holbox is not that big.
The beaches on Isla Holbox … wow! The great thing about this island is that most beaches have not (yet) been caught by large hotels. You can throw your towel in the sand almost anywhere and get a cold drink at the mini-supermarket around the corner. The majority of the island consists of unspoiled nature and there are few cars on Isla Holbox. There are taxis(golf carts), but most of the distances you can do by foot. And while we are talking about means of transport, we immediately come to one of the best activities on Isla Holbox: explore the island by bicycle!
Renting bicycles
It may sound a bit strange because the average temperature on the island is around 30 degrees. Yet it is really recommended to rent bicycles! You can explore the entire island in one day. Because of the fresh sea breeze, it is fine to hold out, but make sure you have enough water and sunscreen. Because only a small part of Holbox is inhabited, it is great to explore the uninhabited part by bicycle. When you are past the hotel zone you can cycle a long way over the beach towards the eastern point of the island. Sometimes you have to get off to cross a river, but that makes this bike tour all the more adventurous. From the beach you have a view of the long sandbanks that you can also walk across (see last photo). Another nice option is to cycle to Punto de Coco: the west side of the island. Here you will find a beautiful beach with a fantastic sunset. Read more about this:3x the most beautiful sunset on Holbox
Residence
Although this island is only three hours away from the tourist Cancun, Holbox is not yet full with with tourists. There are enough hotels in different price ranges. The average prices here are slightly higher than on the mainland. We stayed in apartment Tuumbenholboxeno. A spacious and clean apartment within walking distance of the pleasant village square. The host Hector and his wife ensure a friendly welcome and have many great tips. The only thing we missed was a pool, but the beach is around the corner.
Food and drink
Most restaurants / bars can be found in the village and at the hotels along the beach. There are mainly more luxurious hotels on the beach, where you quickly pay 150 to 200 pesos for one sandwich. However, you will also find inexpensive lunch options right on the beach, which you will usually recognize by the simple plastic chairs. There we ate tasty tacos including drinks for only 100 pesos for two.
How do you get there?
With the ADO bus we traveled from Cancun to Chiquila in 2 hours and 15 minutes. We paid 244 pesos per person for this ride (first class). The bus stops at the port and a boat leaves for Isla Holbox every half hour. The boat trip takes 20 – 25 minutes and costs 140 pesos per person. If you travel with a rental car, you can park it guarded at the port of Chiquila. You are not allowed on the island with your car.
On the way back we went from Chiquila with the ADO bus to Valladolid and this ride took about 2.5 hours. You can purchase the ADO bus tickets in advance at the bus station or online. We liked www.clickbus.com.mx more than their own website and the prices were similar.
Swimming with whale sharks
Isla Holbox is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with whale sharks. If this is on your bucket list you have to take the season into account: they are only there between May and September. The rest of the year there are other nice boat trips to surrounding islands.
No seaweed nuisance
At the moment, excessive seaweed is a major problem on the coast of Mexico. Most of the resorts between Cancun and Mahahual are full of them, which means that you can’t enter the water in many places. We were on Isla Holbox in March and that is one of the few places where we have not suffered from seaweed during our tour. You can swim wonderfully!
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Hi ik ben Anne (30) en ik ben reis- en lifestyleblogger voor Travelgoodies. Samen met Remco reis ik de wereld over. Onderweg schiet ik plaatjes van wereldse interieurs en ik heb een zwak voor boutiquehotels. Op Travelgoodies deel ik mijn persoonlijke (reis)ervaringen en natuurlijk handige tips voor onderweg. Never stop exploring! Heb je vragen, tips of opmerkingen? Stuur me dan gerust een mailtje: anne@travelgoodies.nl of neem contact op via het contactformulier.
