Holbox is a tropical hippie island in Mexico. Our people travel to it to find the Caribbean Sea, white beaches, beautiful bars and restaurants, relaxation and parties. Another 10 years ago it was a really unknown island, where there was no proper accommodation, water or electricity.
Today, the island is quite touristy. It is not yet comparable to what happened in Tulum, Playa del Carmen or Cancún, but it is definitely “on the highway to hell”. I therefore recommend going there as soon as possible. Praktické And practical tips on how to do this can be found in this article.
How to get to Holbox Island?
By ferry from Chiquila. The ferry departs almost every half hour, sometimes every hour (there are two companies that operate the ferries, the prices are the same, 220 pesos for one trip per person). There is always a lot of seats, you just need to buy tickets in the port, there is no need to deal with anything in advance.
Transport on Holbox Island
There are no cars on the island , only motorcycles, quad bikes and bicycles. You can either rent a quad bike and ride it or call it as a taxi. Taxi prices are relatively high, for example, from the place where the ferry arrives to the accommodation Blatha, they wanted from us 25 USD for 3 people (three people is the maximum capacity of the taxi).
If a taxi calls you from a local, it could be cheaper, we did it on the way from Blath to the ferry. The same trip suddenly cost $ 17, not 25. Maybe we were just lucky.
Holbox has no concrete paths. Everything is dusty and when it rains, there are huge bumps everywhere. Quad bikes can pass through them just fine.
It is ideal for me to walk or cycle. If you live far from the port, take a taxi on arrival, but if you have healthy legs, a bike or walking is the same.
Where on the island of Holbox is worth booking accommodation?
Holbox is not a big island and even a smaller part of the island where you can stay. Nevertheless, I have many relevant tips on this issue. As usual, this article must not lack a graphically extremely attractive map. It shows the individual parts of the island.
What to expect from accommodation in Holboxi?
You have to reckon with the fact that you are on an island. Many of the hotels are built from eco materials, similar to Tulum. However, I did not find Tulum’s luxurious eco-organic style on Holbox (and therefore also accommodation on Holbox is cheaper than in Tulum).
Tips for restaurants and food on Holbox Island
Gro restaurants can be found in the town. There you can expect all price ranges – from lowcost local restaurants to expensive tourist eco-organic grills with beautiful interiors. I can recommend a couple that we tried (and also one that we tried and it was bad: D).
- Most of the time we ate in French grills right next to our hotel. They only opened recently, but they have a famous breakfast at very great prices. Good French wine (also good prices) is a matter of course. The restaurant also had a mini market, where we bought basic groceries. They had pizza for dinner (good, but it’s still pizza, and in Mexico it didn’t suit me at all).
- For hipsters and coffee lovers, there is (up to) one super café on Holbox.
- Super breakfast is traditionally found in Painapol – but get ready for the wait, there are eternal advice on the table.
- If you want local and cheap grills, tacos and other Mexican food , try going here or to Las Panchas . Who likes ceviche, this place was recommended to me.
- If you go more and everyone wants to eat something different, the Holbox food market is great – but it’s a tourist hipster thing.
Of course, I must not forget the incredibly super Argentinian grate . They have a small menu – really a few specialties – and steak and other dishes, but they are fantastic. The wine is also excellent. We had a steak prepared in a salt crust and it was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Prices are slightly higher, but it’s worth it.
Beach clubs on Holbox Island
Like everywhere in Mexico, Holboxi has beach bars. If your accommodation is not directly on the beach and does not have its own beach club with sunbeds, you can either lie on the beach on a towel (but there is little shade, so you will be burned relatively quickly) or you will pay for a beach club. It is paid in the form of a consumer fee – you will pay the agreed amount per person upon arrival and then order. If you do not spend the minimum consumption, you will not get anything back, if you spend more, you will pay extra.
The average minimum consumption on the island is 25-50USD per person. Minimal consumption can be bypassed by sitting in restaurants on the beach. You do not have a lounger, but also minimal consumption.
What can be done on Holbox?
In addition to the obvious – lying on the beach and swimming, the island offers several great activities as tourists can enjoy time on the island.
You can rent bikes and bike along the beach or on the island, you can go to Punta Coco or on the other hand, to Punta Mosquito and see flamingos. You can also snorkel with white sharks, see bioluminescence (luminous plankton), kite surf (when the wind is good), go on a tour of 3 islands (Isla Pajaros, Isla Passion and cenote Yalahau).
Some trips you can take on your own (walks around the island), others you have to pay for trips. We did not pay for any trips, but there were plenty of companies in the city and on the beach that offered all possible trips. Prices are negotiated.
Payment on Holbox Island
I highly recommend you, take enough cash. Paying by card on the island is a rarity – due to the signal. 99% of shops, grills and hotels want cash and when you don’t, you have a problem. There is one ATM on the island, but it is usually empty because there is always someone who does not have enough cash. Take the cash!
How long is it ideal to stay on Holbox Island?
Someone turns for a day, someone stays a week. I would say that 3-4-5 days is ideal, especially when the weather is good. We were 4 days (3 nights), but we came at a time when there was a lot of wind and storms, so we did not have a very nice sea and it also blew and sometimes it rained. If it was tropical warm and the water was as blue as in most of the pictures, I would like to stay longer than 4 days.
