AN ISLAND NOT TOO TOURISTY YET
WHAT TO DO IN HOLBOX? MY JOURNEY
To go to Hoblox Island, take the boat at Chiquilá. There are two boat companies at the same prices and leave every hour. Before getting on the boat, people will accost you to pay a kind of environmental tax for the protection of fauna and flora. At the time we didn’t know if it was a scam, but a guide later confirmed to us that it’s a new thing that they are doing in order to protect the place.
Round trip price with the boat company 9 Hermanos: 400 pesos.
Environmental tax for the island: 58 pesos.
CITY CENTER
City center of Holbox
Street Art in the city center
Street Art in the city center
When you get off the boat, you’re immediately caught in the atmosphere of the island. Golfettes from everywhere, bikes, road work, unfinished sidewalks, restaurants and small hotels everywhere. A particular mix between development of tourism while trying to keep the charm of the island. In the city center there are a few small shops, pretty cool bars, street arts in some places. It’s nice to walk around in these lively little streets. You can go around the island by bike, but if it rained the days before, I don’t necessarily recommend it because the streets remain flooded for several days (because of the huge holes).
To eat, I have two cheap and good restaurants to recommend:
- Taco Taqueria: a restaurant at a slightly street food with delicious tacos
- La Conquista Empanada: a wide choice of delicious empanada (between 20 and 35 pesos)!
BEACHES
Playa Mosquito
Playa Mosquito
Punta Cocos
As you can guess, the island has a lot of beach! There are a lot of beach clubs near the city center (which we haven’t done) but there are above all two beaches not to be missed!
Punta Cocos beach for its beautiful sunset! You have hammocks next to the water available to admire the beautiful view. Be careful, as soon as the sun begins to set, it’s a mosquito invasion!
Playa Mosquito beach is my favorite! You start the walk from Las Nubes bar, and there you will see people walking in the water towards a sandbar. Look before for the high and low tides because the water can rise quite high, and I don’t recommend to find yourself stuck on the way. We were low tide there and the water went to the top of our knees. You walk for an hour with water all around you. It’s impressive! If you are lucky, you can even see small rays (be careful, their color is almost identical to sand). The walk and the beach are really beautiful! The colors are amazing! If the tide allows it, arrive before 10 a.m. to don’t have all the tourist boats on the sandbar.
Holbox is an island that will become very touristy (even if it’s already the case). For the moment it’s still cute, beautiful beaches, a city center that has its charm. The opinions are mixed for this island, personally I find that it’s still worth the detour.
WHEN TO GO?
We were there at the end of October, and we had a great weather!
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OK | OK | OK | OK | OK | OK |
HOW LONG?
Two days are enough to go around the island and take full advantage of it.
WHERE TO SLEEP?
POSADA LOS ABUELOS
Calle Paseo Kuka s/n between Carito y Sierra,
77310 Holbox, Mexico
Price: 69€ / night for 2 double beds in a private room.
Not very far from the city center, this accommodation isn’t expensive if you’re traveling with other people. The room isn’t the best we have had, with a lot of humidity and work in the garden. But for the price, it’s not expensive at all for the island!
MY 3 TIPS TO VISIT HOLBOX
- If you can, book your accommodation in advance so you don’t pay too much.
- Go early to Punta Mosquito to avoid tourist boats (paying attention to tides and rays).
- If there were heavy rains the day before, the roads are likely to be flooded.
