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Mexican Caribbean
Isla Holbox

Isla Holbox

Admire - Dream - Enjoy

Isla Holbox

Sandy streets, turquoise sea and an unhurried pace.

Isla Holbox is an island just 26 miles long and 1.2 miles wide, with sandy streets, colorful façades and turquoise waters that melt into the horizon.

Surrounded by the Yum Balam Nature Reserve, it is a haven for flamingos, seabirds and the majestic whale shark, and an ideal destination for those looking to unplug and reconnect with nature.

Right now
27°Drizzle
Best for
Switching off, wildlife and sunsets
Whale shark season
May to September

Getting here

Airport

Concourse of a terminal at Cancun International Airport, with shops and passengers

Airport

Cancun International Airport

Cancun International Airport is about two and a half hours by road from the port of Chiquilá, where the ferry to the island leaves; by bus it is about three hours.

  • Private shuttle: Direct transfers from the airport to the port, timed with the ferry schedule.
  • Bus: There are daily buses from the Cancun terminal to Chiquila.
  • Car rental: Chiquila has guarded parking lots: no cars run on the island.

Ferry

Wooden pier over the sea, with boats moored alongside and a palapa at the end

Ferry

Chiquila terminal

The crossing from Chiquilá takes about twenty minutes, with departures every half hour.

  • Luggage: Porters take bags from the pier to the hotel; there are no conventional taxis on the island.
  • Last sailing: Worth checking the day's timetable: service ends in the late afternoon.

On the island

Family in a golf cart on a sandy street in Holbox, by the beach

On the island

On foot, by bike or by cart

Holbox has no paved streets and no private cars.

  • Golf cart: The local transport, available at the pier and in town.
  • On foot or by bike: The whole town is walkable, and the island is flat end to end.

The beaches

Playa Holbox, Punta Cocos and Punta Mosquito

White sand and water so shallow you feel like you are walking on the sea. Playa Holbox runs along the town; Punta Cocos, just over 1.5 miles from the center, is the place for sunsets; and at Punta Mosquito, on the northern coast, the sandbanks stretch to the horizon and the flamingos arrive.

Palapa and hammocks on the beach in Holbox

Nature

Whale sharks, flamingos and bioluminescence

From May to September you swim with whale sharks off the island, always with a guide. Flamingos are seen from April to October, and the Three Islands Tour visits Isla Pájaros, the Yalahau spring and Isla Pasión. On moonless nights, bioluminescence lights up the water.

Group of flamingos in shallow water off Holbox

The island

Sand streets and murals

There are no paved streets, traffic lights or private cars: you get around on foot, by bike or by golf cart. Colorful wooden façades and murals turn its streets into an open-air gallery.

Cyclist in front of a whale shark mural in Holbox

Island flavor

Lobster, conch and the day's catch

As a fishing island, Holbox cooks with what comes out of the sea each day: lobster, octopus, grouper and local fish, with the influence of Yucatecan cooking (pibil, achiote and habanero) and the flavors brought by those who came to stay. Lobster pizza, born here, is its best-known dish; lobster is off the menu from March to June, its closed season.

Lobster pizza served at a restaurant in Holbox

More about Isla Holbox

Aerial view of an island in the Mexican Caribbean

September 30, 2024

Discover the Magic of Mexico’s Caribbean Islands

A quick guide to Mexico’s Caribbean Islands: Cozumel for divers, Isla Mujeres for slow days, Holbox for nature and Contoy for birds.

Read the article
Beach in Holbox

September 29, 2024

10 Things to Do in Holbox

Discover the top 10 things to do in Holbox: white-sand beaches, whale sharks, bioluminescence, flamingos, lobster pizza and unforgettable sunsets.

Read the article
A meal shared at a table in Holbox

September 29, 2024

Gastronomy in Holbox: Flavors You Can't Miss on the Island

Gastronomy in Holbox: lobster pizza, ceviche, street tacos, beach-bar cocktails and coconut pie. Where to eat on the island, from the square to the sand.

Read the article

Isla Holbox

27°Drizzle
78%25 km/h
Best time to visit
  • Thu29°26°

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