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Mexican Caribbean
Isla Holbox

Isla Holbox

Admire - Dream - Enjoy

Isla Holbox

A hidden gem between the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Twenty-five miles of sand island on the edge between the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, inside the Yum Balam protected area. There are no paved roads and no tall buildings.

You cross it on foot, by bike or by golf cart, and the sea is so shallow you can walk out into it for a long while.

Right now
26°Cloudy
Best for
Switching off, wildlife and sunsets
Best season
Whale sharks, 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 hours by road from the port of Chiquila, where the ferry leaves.

  • Private shuttle Direct transfers from the airport to the port, timed with the ferry schedule.
  • Bus There are daily coaches from the Cancun terminal to Chiquila.
  • Car rental Chiquila has guarded car parks: 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 Chiquila takes about twenty-five 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

Knee-deep water

Holbox's north shore is one continuous sandbar: shallow, warm, waveless, with hammocks strung inside the water and sunsets that take their time. At Punta Mosquito the bar stretches out and the flamingos appear. From November to May the wind picks up, and Punta Mosquito and Playa Las Nubes become the island's kitesurfing spots.

Palapa and hammocks on the beach in Holbox

Nature

Whale sharks, flamingos and a sea that glows at night

From May to September whale sharks feed off the island. The rest of the year there are the flamingos of Isla Pájaros, the Three Islands tour, the Yalahau cenote and the bioluminescence that lights the water on moonless nights. The reserve also shelters the turtles that nest on its beaches and the birds that reach its wetlands.

Group of flamingos in shallow water off Holbox

The island

No cars, and murals instead

Transport means bicycles and golf carts, and the sand streets are painted with murals and street art. The routine is walking barefoot and following the light.

Cyclist in front of a whale shark mural in Holbox

Island flavor

Lobster, conch and the day's catch

Holbox cooks from the sea and a wood-fired oven, served on tables set in the sand, and in the kitchens of its boutique hotels, where chefs from elsewhere work with Yucatecan and Maya ingredients. Lobster pizza, born on the island, is still its best known dish.

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

26°Cloudy
91%10 km/h
Best time to visit
  • Sat29°26°

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@visitholbox_mx