Holbox, Mexico
Lying just off the northern coastline of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Holbox is an island paradise that I want to visit!
No cars, no paved roads, miles, and miles of pristine undeveloped beaches. It’s still largely raw and undeveloped, but it has a nice little town with restaurants, hotels for most budgets, and everything else you really need as a tourist.
Holbox is a cozy and small island in the north of the Mexican Caribbean, nestled within the Yum Balam ecological reserve, declared a Protection Area of Flora and Fauna. With beautiful beaches and a crystalline sea of very shallow depth, of colorful wooden houses and sandy streets. A true paradise of tranquility, ideal for a pleasant rest in an ecological environment in total contact with nature.
Everything mentioned before sounds great to me!
THINGS TO DO
Water activities (Kayaking and sport fishing)
Swim with whale sharks
Kitesurf
Bird watching
Paddle-board
Natural and themes parks
See Bioluminescent Water At Night.
Caused by microscopic phytoplankton, the water glows blue when agitated by waves or splashing. The best ways to experience the bioluminescence are by night snorkeling or night kayaking. Check out these tours bioluminesence night snorkeling tour and night kayaking experience
Street art walk
Snorkel with Whale Sharks
Holbox is one of the most famous places in the Caribbean to see the massive (but friendly) whale sharks! These exquisite creatures eat plankton, so no need to worry about getting scarfed down in their presence. Scuba diving with the sharks isn’t allowed so you’ll need to book a snorkeling tour with an operator that will take you out to find the beautiful creatures.
Three Islands, one of the must-see activities when you go to Holbox:
Isla Pájaros (Bird Island): It is a small islet located in the Yalahau Lagoon, a refuge for a great diversity of birds, such as pelicans, frigate birds, white ibis, ducks, herons, storks and flamingos in certain seasons. It is a protected area so access on foot is not allowed, it is only possible to observe them from the viewpoint.
Cenote Yalahau: It is an eye of water surrounded by mangroves and lush vegetation that is possible to admire from the top of the viewpoint, in addition to that you can also swim in its sweet and crystalline waters. According to legend, its waters have healing properties, which is why it is known as the "source of eternal youth."
Isla Pasión (Passion Island): It is a small island ideal to relax and enjoy the sun and the sea in total contact with nature.
HOW TO GET TO ISLA HOLBOX MEXICO
The closest airport to Hotbox island is Cancún International Airport Cancún 74.24 km.
The easiest and fastest way to get to the island is by private shuttle, have a driver waiting for you at the airport or pick you up at your hotel. You’ll need to book online in advance to arrange and get the cheapest rates. If you are traveling with several people or a lot of luggage a private shuttle is often cheaper and much more comfortable. We recommend booking online with this company, they have several different vehicle types.
The ferry to Isla Holbox from Chiquila is super quick, it takes only 15 minutes. There are two Holbox ferry companies that run ferries daily from Chiquila to Holbox and back. Both ferries charge the same price, you’ll get the same service, they just operate on different schedules.
They both run daily starting at 5 am and leave every 30 minutes, one departs on the hour, and the other ferry leaves on the half-hour. The last ferry is at 8:30 pm. Read our complete Holbox ferry guide here.
Just show up at the Chiquila pier (click here for google maps location) and ask for the next available ferry to Holbox. Holbox ferry ticket prices are:
Adults & Children over 4 feet: $150 pesos
Children under 4 feet: $100 pesos
Children under 2: Free
You can easily rent a car and drive yourself to Chiquila and catch the ferry. Rental cars in Mexico are super cheap, we typically pay $5 per day from the Cancun Airport. For the cheapest prices click here to get prices on Rentalcars.com, if your travel plans change they offer free cancelations.
Cancun to Holbox / Chiquila
Toll Road 145 km | 1 hr 55 minutes
Playa del Carmen to Holbox / Chiquila
Toll Road 123 km | 1 hr 45 minutes
Tulum to Holbox / Chiquila
Toll Road 186 km | 2 hours 30 minutes
Colectivo to Chiquila
1. Take Colectivo to Chiquila. This option costs a little over $12 and takes a bit over two hours to reach Chiquila. Pick up is in Central Cancun near the Soriana car park.
2. Take ferry to Holbox (see below)
WEATHER
Most of the year we have a warm and humid climate. The average annual temperature is 26 ° C, the average maximum temperature is 33 ° C and it occurs in the summer months (April and August), the average minimum temperature is 17 ° C during the month of January. The rainy season is from May to October.
The tropical climate in Holbox is quite predictable and easy to make plans around. Without much of a temperature difference throughout the year, (the average temperature lingers around 83 degrees F) it’s the rainy hurricane season that most travelers need to pay attention to.
January – April
Perfect weather-wise, but sees the highest influx of tourists. If you are not a people person, consider this.
May – October
The hottest and most rainy months of the year but still plenty of sunshine and fantastic warm water for snorkeling & diving. Also, the hurricane season peaks in September and October so keep an eye on the forecasts and definitely get travel insurance just in case. Fewer tourists mean you can typically expect lower rates at hotels, resorts and tour companies during this time.
November – December
The autumn-winter months are considered by many to be the best times to visit. The hurricane season has passed by this time and the humidity is low. Can be a little “chilly” in the evenings.
Sources:
https://www.mexicancaribbean.travel/travel-information/things-to-know/