Holbox, Mexico: A Hidden Gem
- Mar 8, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: Mar 10, 2024
If you're wanting to plan a trip to Mexico but avoid the tourist trap that is Cancun, you may be considering Holbox. While the travel to get there is a little more tedious than the major cities, you'll get a more authentic experience with a third of the tourists there.
There are tons of blogs that go over the 'best things to do' here but in normal 'us' fashion, we are going to keep this guide as real and simple as possible for you. So, let's break it down.
Getting There
No need to sugarcoat - the journey to Holbox is the only negative about the trip. That and...getting back. The major airport to fly into is the Cancun airport, which is a nightmare in itself. If you've flown into this airport before, I am sure you already know what to expect. This was my first experience there. Holbox itself has a tiny airport for private planes, so if you have the money to spend, I'd look into it. However, most realistic travels will involve landing at Cancun airport and then traveling to Chiquila.
You can either hop on a bus or hire a private shuttle to drive you from the airport to Chiquila. If you can splurge a little on the private shuttle, I highly recommend it. The trip is a 2 hour ride and a lot of times the private shuttles will at least stop and get you snacks or let you go to the bathroom, if necessary. Additionally, it's less people and less shared air which is important for this ride. The drivers know the roads well so they aren't exactly driving slowly on these gravel roads. Therefore, the ride can be bumpy and if you're prone to car sickness like I am, take some dramamine before hand.
Once you get to Chiquila, you'll need to go on one more journey to get to Holbox. Since the shuttles and drivers job is to be part of a transfer to Holbox, they already drop you off right by the port. Nearby you'll be able to buy a ferry ticket for the next available ride. Just like you may experience at the airport, there will be several locals waiting around trying to offer you help for cash. We got stopped by three different people wanting to give us a bike ride from where we bought the tickets down to the ferry dock. It took us maybe a total of 5 minutes to walk, so unless you're absolutely exhausted, don't fall for it.
The ferry is called Holbox Express. While you can buy your tickets ahead of time, I don't recommend it as you don't get a refund if you miss that ride. The ferry operates every 30 minutes, so even if you have to wait a little bit, it's not long. From Chiquila to Holbox will take about 30 minutes. Once you arrive at Holbox, you can either hire a bike or golf cart taxi to bring you to your hotel, or walk. We opted to walk, but looking back, we would have used a service. It wasn't the distance of the walk that was bad, but more so the quality of the roads and how that impacted dragging our luggage around. I'll go into more detail on the roads later.
In total, after landing in Cancun, expect another 2.5-3 hours of travel. Lengthy, I know. And full transparency, it's exhausting. But, this leads to part of the charm of Holbox. Many people won't do this and that helps weed out a majority of the tourists.
What to Know
I cannot stress this enough: cash, cash, cash. This island is not as developed as Cancun or other areas and the majority of businesses and services require cash. Because of this, the few ATMs on the island are typically out of it. There is one bank that will give you cash and I stood in line for almost two hours to get it. Hotels and restaurants don't necessarily fall under this rule but some stores and food or snack stands do. So, bring cash with you - specifically pesos, and do not rely on getting some when you get there.
Know Spanish or have Google Translate ready. Those same local services that only take cash typically don't speak English either. When it came to things like massages, transport, small stores, etc...we had our translation app ready to go.
The roads are in rough shape. Holbox doesn't spend a lot of money or time on maintaining their roads as the majority of the residents walk or ride a bike. Another beauty of the island is that cars aren't allowed (there is an exception for a few). We rented a golf cart to get around and it was a very bumpy and muddy ride so we learned quickly to not wear shoes that we want to keep clean. This is certainly not a complaint, but more of something to prepare for.
Anticipate ISLAND life. What I mean by that is the infrastructure of this island isn't developed as much as some other places in Mexico, or just in the world in general. Air conditioning may or may not be available in your hotel and even if it is, it might not be great. Why? The seals on your windows, your doors, the floors...they may not be tight. This could also mean some little bugs in your room. Your sewage may not be equipped for flushing everything as well. These are not any qualities to turn you away from coming here. It is just something to note and prepare for so you can fully embrace an island that isn't solely built to appease tourists, yet (it's on its way).
Bring or buy bug spray. Our favorite bug 'spray' we have ever used was actually bought here and it wasn't a spray...it was a gel. A lot of places you sit to eat and hang out are going to be outside and bugs are ready to attack. Definitely be prepared and don't wait until they've had at you to get some.
What to Do
There are so many blogs that give you this long list of recommended activities and what I find so funny about a lot of them is that they include things like watching the sunset or walking the beach. Holbox is a beautiful, small island with crystal blue water so of course those are things to do. This isn't the place to go to have a full itinerary ready, but more so a place to relax and enjoy a few activities along the way. Besides the obvious leisure, I'll tell you the best ways to explore.
Renting a Golf Cart
The entire island is only 26 miles long, but that doesn't mean the entirety of it is even accessible by a bike or cart. I recommend a golf cart so that you can see more, faster. Plus, it's hot. So, a bike didn't sound ideal to us. There are several places to rent golf carts from and don't bother checking reviews prior, they're all bad. A lot of companies will apparently try to blame people for some dings or dirt on their cart. I will say that it can be hard to keep the cart clean as I mentioned previously, the roads aren't in great shape. There are mud holes everywhere. However, I saw for myself several people driving their golf carts full speed through the mud and they'll probably wonder why they got hit with a cleaning fee. You can avoid holes for the most part and those that you can't, you can go slower to avoid a bigger splash. Do your best to take care of it and you won't be able to be blamed for anything. We weren't.
All of the rental companies take, you guessed it, cash. And you need your license too. So come ready with both in hand. Some rentals can be for the day and some can be for multiple days. We kept ours for our entire stay and we are glad we did.
Having a golf cart is not only just fun, but allows you to really travel the entire island in a short time. So, if you are staying in the east but want to spend your day in the west, you'll get there in no time. Riding around at night is also a great time. The city center really comes alive at night with food stands coming out, music playing, and tons of locals hanging out. It's fun to be able to park and walk around with no plans.
A Beach Front Massage
There are several huts along the beach that will offer you massages. You really can't go wrong with any of them and you will probably never get a cheaper massage anywhere else you visit. Most huts have several options available and don't worry - they have curtains for privacy when undressing. Take a guess at what you need to have for it? Yep. Cash.
Use Your Hotel (or another's) Beach Club
If you are going to spend a day, or several, lying on the beach, I highly recommend utilizing a beach club. If you are staying in a nicer hotel, most likely they have their own that is included with your stay. If not, there are several available that offer a day pass for you to hang out. Using a beach club will allow you to order food, drinks, and listen to music while laying out. Typically they also have a shaded area so that you can take a break from the sun. Plus there are so many that are just such a vibe that it really makes a beach day that much better.
Walk a Shelter Dog
While this may not be for everyone, it certainly brought us happiness while in Holbox. The island's dog shelter, Refugio Holbox Animal Sanctuary, allows visitors to stop by and take a shelter dog on a walk along the beach. We did this a few times and got to meet several good boys and girls. We let them run through the water, gave them some treats, and lots of belly rubs before bringing them back. This shelter does amazing work and the dogs surely enjoy getting out of the shelter and out on a walk. If you already have plans to walk on the beach, why not bring a pup with you?
Visit Punta Mosquito (Large Sandbar)
By far one of the most beautiful stretches of sand and water is Punta Mosquito. This is located on the most northern tip of the island so if you are staying where the majority of the hotels are located, this could be a 1.5 hour walk. This is another example of why a golf cart, or bike, would be of great value. On your route there, you will hit a point where golf carts are no longer allowed, but you can park it right there, and walk the rest of the way.
This is obviously a huge stretch of sand, so space is vast. Therefore, you can have plenty of room to just yourself, but nonetheless, this area is popular so expect a lot of other people venturing that way. If you can manage it, I would recommend coming here in the morning to get as much clear space as possible.
Self Explore
There are so many great spots on the beach, mangroves, and wildlife to see. You don't need to visit this island with a full list of things to do. I promise this is one place to visit to just explore for yourself and not listen to all of us.
Hotels & Food
There are so many amazing hotels and restaurants central to the island that it can definitely be hard to pick where to stay and what to eat. I can promise that you won't find much disappointment in many choices. To give you a quick recommendation, I will tell you where we stayed (and loved) along with the other hotels that we admired while exploring. As well, there were a few restaurants that blew us away which deserve honorable mention...although we enjoyed every meal we had.
Hotels
We stayed here and absolutely loved our experience. The staff were attentive and friendly, the food was delicious and we appreciated the authenticity, and the location was just right (not necessarily central like many hotels). Their beach club was set up nicely and we only had a few minutes of walking to get to the beach.
We also admired these hotels:
Food
A unique dining experience and one that feels like you're at a Michelin star restaurant. This
is probably the most expensive meal you can get on the island, but well worth it (and still reasonably priced). I'll let you discover the secluded back patio for yourself rather than ruining it, but it's such a cool place.
A restaurant that one may just walk by if you didn't know...but we had some of the best tacos of our lives here. It's got a fun atmosphere but the food speaks for itself.
This restaurant can be easily missed as it's a local spot but you do not want to neglect coming here. If you are craving fresh, authentic Mexican food then this is going to be your favorite place.
Pro Tip: Head to the town center in the evening to stop at a local marquesita stand. You can customize your ingredients and it is made right in front of you. If you haven't heard this from me enough...you'll need cash.
Closing Remarks
Many blogs that write about Holbox haven't been within the past 5 or so years. I have seen a lot of complaints from people who have gone more recently regarding the general upkeep of the island. As always, my promise is to keep it transparent. The overall neighborhood and streets of the island certainly are not the prettiest. There is a lot of trash build up and construction debris that you are going to run into. For a somewhat difficult to get to island with a lacking infrastructure, it's to be expected. The beauty of the island doesn't lie on the upkeep of the roads, homes, and streets but rather the gorgeous stretch of beach that seems infinite when you're on it. If you're avoiding Cancun or Tulum, you're looking for something a little more authentic anyway, right?
Many trips we take require a lot of planning. That means mapping out activities, picking picture locations, searching for the best restaurants. This trip is one that you can put away the itinerary for with confidence that the only thing you really need to plan out is transportation arrangements to and from the island. Take advantage of that.
If I can recommend any additional planning, it will be on items to pack:
Portable fan (great to have in general)
Mesh beach bag (super compact for travel)
Also, have Google Translate downloaded for offline use in the event service is lacking.
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