Isla Holbox is a gorgeous island off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula that you just have to visit! Before I tell you any more about Isla Holbox, promise me you’ll keep this amazing place to yourself!
How to Get To Isla Holbox
Isla Holbox is located a 30 minute ferry (15 minute on the fast catamaran) journey from Chiquilá, which is also a 2 hour drive from Cancun! Holbox takes some time to get to, which makes it harder to reach for a lot of tourists to the Yucatan. Which is good news if you are looking to go somewhere a little less busy on your vacation!
We drove our rental car to Chiquilá and parked in a gravel parking lot near the ferry. We paid about €10for 4 days of ‘secure’ parking. There are public buses which drive to Chiquila numerous times per day from Cancun, Valladolid and other towns in the Yucatan. If you have a hotel booking on Holbox and no car, you can possibly have a shuttle bus organised to pick you up from Cancun airport and bring you to Chiquilá.
The Ferry and Catamarans run every hour between Chiquilá and Isla Holbox and. We just missed one ferry so we waited about 30 minutes for the next ferry on the ferry docks. The journey across is lovely and you have the chance to spot dolphins and flamingos. After arrival, getting to your hotel is easy. Get in line at the taxi queue and jump on a golf buggy – the islands taxi’s. Nowhere on the island is more than 5 minutes on the golf buggy (and the roads are all sand) so you’ll get wherever you are going very quickly!
What to do on Isla Holbox
Relax by the pool & drink mezcal margaritas
After arriving at our hotel – Villas HM Palapas De Mar – we knew we’d be doing very little on Isla Holbox besides chilling by the pool with a delicious cocktail in hand. Isla Holbox oozes relaxation, and we were happy to oblige! I became obsessed with mexcal margaritas whilst in Mexico and HM Palapas bartenders knew how to make a banging mexcal margarita! And as it was incredibly hot, they also make them frozen, not just over ice.
Catch a stunning beach sunset
Staying on Isla Holbox, we had one problem each day. Do we laze by the pool or do we laze by the ocean? Yes – I could certainly get used to that lifestyle! Whilst all decisions are correct, there’s one thing you had better make sure you do – watch a sunset on Isla Holbox on the beach. There’s something so perfect about watching the sun setting on another relaxing day in one of the most beautiful locations.
Swim with whale sharks from Isla Holbox
If there’s nothing else you may know about Isla Holbox – let the whale sharks be the thing! Whale Sharks can be found in the waters near Isla Holbox and Cancun where the plankton are living. We swam with these beautiful beasts while staying on Isla Holbox and it was one of the most amazing things we’ve ever done!
Find out more about swimming with whale sharks in this blog post
Rent a bike on Isla Holbox
Isla Holbox is very chilled out and as mentioned above – there are no cars. It’s an incredibly walkable town however if you want to see a bit more in your jaunt away from the beach/pool, renting a bike can be the perfect mode of transport! You can also ride the bike to the farthest points of the island to see the flamingos or the bioluminescent plankton glowing in the water at night.
Check out the Isla Holbox street art scene
Isla Holbox is littered with street art. If there is a wall, it’s been covered in a mural – no doubt about it! There are some amazing artworks across town and it is worth have a wander to see them all! On the local guide maps you can find at your hotel you’ll notice that all of the murals have been numbered and you can check them all out if you feel like it!
Food & Drink Recommendations on Isla Holbox
Painapol
I could eat at Painapol every day for the rest of my life. They make killer acai bowls, amazing iced coffee and we also ate delicious smashed avocado on toast! A very understated cool interior where you sit with your feet on the sand – it’s a real hippie kind of place. And perfectly fitting with Isla Holbox vibes.
Holbox Foodie Market
This small outdoor food market has some great food! With 5 different food stands ranging from tacos to fried chicken, sandwiches and salads – you can find something delicious! We also enjoyed some great cocktails with our food, too.
Tamashi Sky Bar
This is the sushi restaurant at the HM Palapas hotel – the restaurant being on the rooftop with a pool and stunning views over the ocean! The guys working there are also really fun and create divine food. This place cannot be missed for a fun evening.
Taco Queto
Serving all kinds of Mexican classics, this place is always heaving with people. You sit at plastic tables and share condiments with fellow diners. The food however is to die for. It’s as cheap as it gets but the quality is fantastic – and very real Mexican food. Don’t miss out on this local place!
Luuma
Cocktail Bar with very cool decor, from swing chairs and other quirky seating to cool lighting. It’s located right on the beach too and make excellent cocktails!
Where To Stay On Isla Holbox
We stayed at the stunning Villas HM Palapas Del Mar. Our villa was perched at the front of the beach so that our view from our rooms deck area was the ocean. We had our own little pool to take a refreshing dip in which had shrubs around it to create privacy. The main 2 pools of the property were about 8 steps away, featuring the best sun beds I’ve ever come across. They were like an actual bed.
Upon our arrival, the hotel found out we were on our honeymoon; and when we got to our room there was an ice cold bottle of champagne along with a plate of freshly cut fruit for us to enjoy in our private pool. we also organised massages to be had at the hotel – because, honeymoon! These were fantastic! We were led to a quiet area of the beach, under a pair of palm trees to have our massages.
And then there was the food
The main restaurant of the hotel served an amazing buffet breakfast with everything from yogurt, fruits, smoothies, eggs, waffles, pancakes, champagne etc all within your room fee. Lunch and Dinner were also served which we never tried – as we were always too full from breakfast!
The hotel also served lunch and snack items from the swim-up pool bar which you could order if you did not want the buffet at lunchtime. But my favourite meal at the hotel was from the rooftop sushi bar which was something else. We sat at the counter and watched our sushi masterfully made, chatted with the sushi chefs, tasted their random creations that they played with each night, and drank cocktails sat on chairs in the pool.
It was really a dream to be on the beach in our own private oasis! I would highly recommend staying at this hotel for any stay on Isla Holbox! We can’t wait to go back and stay there again!
Keen to head to Isla Holbox? Let me help you!
Make sure you get the cheapest flights via Skyscanner!
Need accommodation? Get your place booked on Airbnb! Or more of a hotel person? Search Booking.com!
Let me know if you are heading to Isla Holbox and if you have any questions for me!
Feel free to share your adventure with me via social media – too!
And above all – have fun!
Don’t forget to Pin for later!
Australian expat, married to a Dutch guy, living in Amsterdam. Previously lived in London for 3 years, too! Lover of travel, coffee, brunch, beaches, fresh flowers, and family. Now a new mum, navigating life with a baby!
One thought on “Isla Holbox: Mexico’s Must-Visit Island”
Makes you want to go there reading this