Holbox: Why this Mexican island should be your next great escape

What is Holbox Island?

Holbox Island, or Isla Holbox (pronounced Hol-bosh), is a narrow barrier island north of the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. It’s just over two hours north of Cancun International Airport (CUN) by shuttle or taxi, followed by a ferry ride. The island is at the confluence of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Holbox Island is home to only about 2,000 residents and is part of Mexico’s largest nature reserve, called Yum Balam (Lord Jaguar). Yum Balam comprises more than 150,000 acres of both on- and off-shore territory. It’s home to more than 400 bird species and multiple endangered species, including jaguars, crocodiles and monkeys.

An effort to protect the reserve is evident throughout the island. You won’t find massive resorts and gas-powered vehicles — or even many electric streetlights — on the island. Instead, you’ll encounter a multitude of smaller, local places to stay and eat. And to get between them, you’ll need to walk or hail a golf cart taxi to traverse the bumpy sand roads.

Holbox is still relatively undeveloped for tourism, and that’s part of its charm. We hardly saw another American — most of the other tourists were European or Canadian — and everyone we met was friendly and welcoming.

While there are great hotels and restaurants to enjoy, along with white sand beaches and turquoise water, there are no paved roads. Some places accept credit cards, but quite a few local eateries only take cash (pesos or dollars).

How do you get to Holbox Island?

The closest airport to Holbox Island is Cancun International Airport (CUN), so we flew Southwest Airlines nonstop from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to CUN. After clearing immigration — a quick 15 minutes, thanks to the e-gates — we walked outside to find our prearranged shuttle transportation. (We asked our first hotel, Mystique Holbox by Royalton, to recommend a shuttle company. They suggested Nexus Tours, which also has an outpost in the hotel lobby where you can book activities. Shared transfers start at $42 per person.)

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The shuttle takes 2 1/2 hours to reach the ferry terminal in Chiquila. We learned the hard way that the roads can be quite bumpy, so if you are prone to motion sickness, be sure to bring appropriate medications. (It also helps to have a travel partner who packs nondrowsy Dramamine — thanks, Emily!)

Once in Chiquila, there are two ferry companies to choose from: Holbox Express (red and white) and 9 Hermanos (blue and yellow), which are completely interchangeable. Ferries depart every 30 minutes and take around 20 minutes to get to the island. The ferry costs 220 pesos ($12) one-way or 400 pesos ($24) round-trip. (There is a 40 peso — or $2.30 — service charge for using a credit card, which we did to preserve our cash for the island.) Once the ferry arrived on Holbox Island, we jumped into one of the waiting golf cart taxis — which are always waiting when the ferries are running — from the port to complete the journey to our hotel (200 pesos, about $12).

Daytrips are also available to the island through tour operators from towns like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum if you are staying elsewhere and want to visit for the day — we saw this online with shuttle companies, and tours were also available to book on Viator. Asking your hotel for tour operator recommendations is always a good idea.

Things to do on Holbox Island

We set out to explore Holbox Island two ways as we prefer different travel styles — an active vacation and a relaxing vacation. We were successful in finding activities that would fit both styles and could easily have added days onto our trip in order to fit everything in.

Because we didn’t realize that Nexus Tours (the company we used for shuttle transportation to and from the airport) could also book activities, we booked our excursions before our arrival on the island. Based on research and reviews, we chose the three-island boat tour and the nighttime kayaking tour to see bioluminescence and stargaze. We booked both through Viator.

3-island boat tour

This tour was booked through Viator for a 10 a.m. departure with VIP Holbox. We received an email confirmation right away, and then the tour operator texted through WhatsApp to provide details 24 hours prior to the tour. The morning of the tour, they also provided updates on wind conditions from the harbor master to let us know by 9:30 a.m. if the tour was able to take place.

This tour takes about three hours, and VIP Holbox has everyone meet at their office, “la casa amarilla,” or the yellow house. There, we met our guide and boat captain, Eddie, who escorted our group of nine passengers to the dock. After a quick safety briefing and donning our life jackets, we were off to our first stop — the protected nature reserve of Yalahau.

Eddie provided us all with yellow entrance bracelets for Yalahau and walked us down the wooden boardwalk through the mangroves. Signage in Spanish and English warns visitors not to feed the crocodiles (we only saw one!).

The main attraction here is the cenote, a freshwater spring where you can swim (life vests are required). There are plenty of hammocks and swinging chairs for you to relax in if you want to grab a drink at the on-site palapa bar.

Legend has it that the water is so pure that it makes you feel 10 years younger — we can’t say for sure; we only dipped our feet for a bit so we would have time to explore. We climbed up the stairs of the viewing tower, which offered 360-degree views of the reserve and sea.

As we departed Yalahau, we saw a crocodile resting on an overturned boat, a reminder that we would not be swimming near or venturing into the mangroves.

Our next stop was the crystal-clear water and sandbar of Punta Mosquito — this beach is on the north side of Holbox Island, past all of the beach resorts. There is a giant sandbar where you can venture off the boat and walk in the shallow water toward the beach.

The last stop was Isla de la Pasion — a tiny island that’s part of the Yum Balam reserve. The attraction here is the birds — depending on how far out they are, you are able to see flamingos, pelicans and herons just offshore. The only other thing on the island is the remnants of a wooden structure.

Overall, it was a great way to see areas around the island we would not have gotten to without a boat, and it was a perfect day to enjoy the beach and a boat ride.

Tips: Be sure to have cash on hand to tip your guide and boat captain. Bring a hat, water and sunscreen, and wear your bathing suit or shorts that you don’t mind getting wet. No snacks are provided, and you are back at the main Holbox port in time to grab a late lunch after 1 p.m., but we recommend packing a snack.

Bioluminescence night kayaking tour

One of the unique attractions of Holbox Island is its bioluminescent bay, one of only five in the world, which naturally glows at night. (Bioluminescence is light that is produced as a result of energy released during a chemical reaction in some phytoplankton.)

Of course, you must venture out in the dark to see this phenomenon. We booked a night kayak tour through Viator with the company Holbox Xtreme. The tour cost $105 for two people and included transportation between our hotel and the tour’s beginning point, all our kayaking equipment and the one- to two-hour tour itself, which was led by our guide, Abraham.

We were disappointed to learn that the bioluminescence is far less prevalent early in the year, and the best time to see it is when the weather warms up later in the summer. This made for an extremely dark paddling adventure between Holbox Island and the sandbar that was our destination. Still, we got to see some bioluminescence thanks to some tricks Abraham taught our group, like immersing a light towel in the water and shaking it. The real highlight, however, ended up being a remarkable view of the stars in the night sky as a result of the minimal light pollution.

Overall, we didn’t find the stress of kayaking in the dark worth the payoff, but you might feel differently if you go later in the year when it’s easier to see the bioluminescent glowing water. For our part, we would have been just as well off to find a good spot to stargaze that didn’t require navigating crocodile-infested water.

Beach time

Many of the beachfront resorts have restaurants, palapa bars or some sort of beach club where guests and nonguests can grab a lounge chair and enjoy the beach and cool off in the sea. We made time at both of our hotels, the Nomade Holbox and Mystique Holbox by Royalton, to enjoy the beachfront amenities and a margarita.

Since we were also balancing activities with relaxation, we fit a lot into our two full days on the island, but you could devote all of your vacation days to relaxing by the water and have plenty of spots to choose from.

Additional activities

For a tiny island, there was never a shortage of things to do. While we didn’t rent bikes or go stand-up paddleboarding (two popular island activities), we did make time to explore Centro — the central part of town with shops, restaurants and market stalls — and do a little shopping. We also went on a hunt to spot the colorful murals found all around town, and we took a shelter dog for a walk on the beach.

Refugio Animal Holbox, the dog shelter near the beach, rescues animals from the island and the surrounding area. Between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., you can visit and volunteer to help out by taking a dog for a walk in town or on the beach. Additionally, you can just go by and pet the dogs or help clean kennels.

Where to stay on Holbox Island

Food on Holbox Island

Seafood is plentiful here, and we ate our fair share of fish and shrimp tacos, but Holbox is also known for its lobster pizza.

There’s actually quite a rivalry among local eateries on the island, and searching for “best lobster pizza Holbox” pulled up a list of eight local restaurants, all highly rated for their version. We decided we had to try it and went to Pizzeria Edelyn — the original spot serving the dish since 1985.

We were skeptical about the lobster pizza, mostly because we came to Mexico for tacos — not pizza. But it seemed like an essential part of the Holbox Island experience, and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Picture lobster mac n’ cheese, but in pizza form. It’s definitely worth adding to a Holbox “must-do” list for anyone visiting the island.

A great lunch option that’s frequented by the locals is La Barracuda — a cash-only lunch spot just off the main road in town serving fresh seafood and tacos. It was already on our list of spots to check out, but then our boat tour guide also recommended it. A three-taco plate was only 240 pesos ($14), so we each ordered a plate — one of grilled shrimp and another of fish tacos — plus an appetizer of guacamole and chips. The total with bottled water and the service charge was 780 pesos (around $44).

Weather on Holbox Island

We visited the island in April, and the weather was relatively mild, with sunny days and temperatures in the 80s. There was a bit of humidity, but most days still had cool breezes. It can be windy, which can cause activities like boat and kayak tours to be canceled. On our departure day, the wind was pretty intense, causing a few whitecaps on the sea between Holbox and the port of Chiquila as we rode the ferry. We were thankful we weren’t trying to do any boat tours that day.

Later into the summer, it generally gets hotter and more humid. Temperatures don’t fluctuate much throughout the year, though, staying between the high 60s (winter) and the high 80s (summer).

How long to stay on Holbox Island

If your goal is to have an active vacation with a full itinerary (and no beach time), you likely won’t want to stay more than two or three full days. However, if you wish to lounge on the beach and sample the island’s many eateries, you could easily spend a week or more here.

We arrived at sunset on a Sunday and had active days on a Monday and a Tuesday before departing on a Wednesday morning. We could have easily added one or two more days for beach time, which would have allowed us to sample more of the restaurants on the island as well.

Is Holbox Island for you?

If you’re looking for a beach vacation destination that feels largely untouched, Holbox Island is a great option — especially if you want to frequent locally owned restaurants and hotels. However, if you want minimal travel, recognizable dining options and a smooth ride between your hotel and dinner, you’ll likely find Holbox Island a bit more rustic than you prefer. And if you want a fully packed itinerary of island activities like surfing, diving and copious hiking options, you’ll want to choose a bigger island than this one.

Things to know before you go

Here are a few tips if you are planning to visit Holbox Island.

Money

Bring cash with you since this is the preferred method of payment for many restaurants and shops, and ATMs are scarce. We had read that there’s only one ATM on the island and it was often empty. We weren’t sure how many restaurants would take credit cards and didn’t want to take any chances, so we ordered pesos ahead of time from Bank of America (very easy and convenient).

We did pass a CIBanco on the main road that said it had an ATM, but we recommend checking with your banking institution ahead of your trip so you can avoid having to look for an ATM (or worse, standing in line at CUN to exchange money). We heard that many places accept U.S. dollars, but did not try that as we had pesos in hand.

Sunscreen and bug spray

We didn’t check any bags, so we both carried small 3-ounce bottles of sunscreen lotion and spray. That was plenty for three days. As far as mosquitos and bugs go on the island, one of us never got bit and the other was the bait.

There are a few shops and pharmacies in town where you can buy full-size sunscreen or bug spray if needed.

When to go

We visited in mid-April, which was ideal for a relaxing trip. The crowds were relatively low, and the weather was perfect — warm enough to lie out on the beach but still early enough to have a cool breeze.

However, we were there too early to see the whale sharks, a draw for many visitors to the island. If you want to see them, you’ll need to come between late May and early September. Our tour guide also told us that the bioluminescence is much brighter and more prevalent during the summer, thanks to the warmer temperatures in and out of the water.

Still, the rainy season is from June to October, and the lack of drainage systems and paved roads on the island means possible flooding when it rains. You’ll want to consider all these factors to decide when to plan a trip.

Bottom line

Holbox Island is a very different experience than many other beach resort areas of Mexico. It definitely takes more planning than just heading to an all-inclusive resort in Cancun or Tulum, but in our opinion, it was totally worth it to experience this slice of rustic paradise for a few days.