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ISLA HOLBOX
Isla Holbox is a lovely, small, incredibly colourful island located in the north of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Isla Holbox is undoubtedly beautiful, peaceful and amazing without being spoiled by the massive crowds of spring breakers and resort-seeking tourists. Holbox has beautiful beaches and is the ideal place to escape from the city life and just rest, relax and recharge batteries.
Life on the island is very laid-back and traditional. There are no supermarkets, no Wall-Marts, no McDonalds’s. Just a healthy dose of authentic Mexican restaurants, fruit stands and mini-marts. The crowd on the island is mixed; there are a lot of budget, hippy travellers in funky clothes and dread-locks, laid back locals and sun-drunk expats. One thing is for sure though, everyone is here to relax and have a good time.
When you arrive at the Holbox Island port, you’ll immediately notice the complete absence of cars. The entire island is car-free in order to protect the environment. The streets in Holbox are very clean and made of sand. Therefore, the preferred mode of transportation in Isla Holbox is either golf cart, moped or bicycle. You can rent a golf cart or take one of the yellow golf cart taxis to move around if you are going to the other side of the island, or just not in the mood to walk.
Furthermore, Isla Holbox is a haven for wildlife. From May to September the amazing whale sharks visit the island and they are normally accompanied with dolphins and turtles. Pink flamingos also like to pop up by and of course there are iguanas. The best place to see the flamingos, pelicans and other exotic birds is at the Mosquito point on the north side of the island, just east of the main town. Since the birds are heavily protected, you can’t get close on the land so best and probably the only viable vantage point is from a boat.
Tip: The sunsets in Isla Holbox are one of the most beautiful in the world. Enjoy a cold beer from a swing at the bar or hammock on the island while watching the sun dip below the water.
How to get to Isla Holbox?
To get to Isla Holbox, you’ll first need to get to Chiquila where you will take a ferry to Isla Holbox. It’s about a two hours drive from Cancún. If you go by car, go west from Cancún on the free highway until you hit the town of El Ideal. Watch out for the signs for Isla Holbox then turn North to Chiquila. You can park your car safely and easily in the lot near the ferry for under €5 a day. If you go with public transportation, you can take a bus from ADO station in Cancún to Chiquila.
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The Ferry to Isla Holbox runs about every thirty minutes and is under €9. I advice to take the red ferry to Isla Holbox because this ferry gets you to Isla Holbox in about half of the time than the blue ferry.
Another (more expensive) option is to travel to Holbox by airplane. Aerosaab offers private flights from Cancún, Playa del Carmen or Cozumel.
Where to stay in Isla Holbox?
Don’t expect to find the high-end, luxury resorts on Isla Holbox like you would in other destinations in the Riviera Maya. There are more than 60 privately owned properties, where you will find a place to stay on any budget. They have hip and stylish hostels for backpackers to more luxurious rooms at beachfront hotels but of course also mid-range properties.
Some recommendations: Casa Tortugas and Los Cocos.
ONE THING TO CONSIDER:
There are a lot of mosquitos in Holbox! Because Isla Holbox is unspoilt there is a lot of vegetation around which means lots of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, it is mosquito season all year round but the mosquitoes are the worst in June. The mosquitos are so tiny that you don’t see them so come prepared to Holbox! A tip: slather yourself in baby oil. The mosquitos tend to get stuck in it and don’t get the opportunity to bite you.
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