Explore The Island By Bike
Sitting still for too long is not our thing, so we decide to rent a bike by day 2 at the latest. The sand tracks are very shallow, so you can explore the island perfectly by bike. For 24 hours, it would cost you roughly 150 Pesos to rent a bike.
Our first stop took us east to Punta Mosquito. At low tide you reach the beach over a long sandbank. You can park your bike at the end. Get ready for an approximately 1-hour walk.
If youre lucky, you might spot flamingos at Punta Mosquito at certain times of the year. The best period for this is probably from April to October.
Back in the direction of the main town, we went west after lunch. There is another beach that is supposedly worthwhile: Punta Cocos. The bike ride takes about 30 minutes.
Unfortunately, the beach on the day of our visit was completely covered in seaweed, so we started the return journey earlier than expected and did not stay until sunset. In good weather and without seagrass, the Punta Cocos is certainly a great place to relax.
Getting Away From Isla Holbox
There is a ferry every 30 minutes back to Chiquila for a fixed price of 150 Pesos . From Chiquila there are loads of shuttles that are willing to take you directly to Tulum, Cancun and Playa del Carmen. You can buy the shuttle bus tickets on Holbox already. They are sold at every tour operator/travel agency. Ticket price for a shuttle is 300 to 400 Pesos . There are also busses of course, but I recommend you taking an ADO bus for 260 Pesos . Busses leave in the afternoon so you can chill for the day in Isla Holbox.
Looking for a boutique hotel in Playa del Carmen: Hotel Morgana. Check the link for a full review of my stay.
Best Places To Stay In The Baja Peninsula
I have always loved staying in Baja Sur. Its such a gorgeous area, and there are lots of towns to pick from that arent as rowdy as Cabo San Lucas!
Seven Crown La Paz Centro Historico
Best Airbnb in the Baja Peninsula: Bungalows Las Palmas
This Airbnb will be your own little slice of paradise. Situated in Cabo Pulmo, a quiet nature-filled area, where you can chill out and relax. All the amenities are up to date, with a kitchen and a little outdoor patio with a hammock.
Best Hostel in the Baja Peninsula: Baja Hostel
Baja Hostel is situated in Baja Sur in the town of La Paz. This hostel is actually built into a historic home from the 1920s and sits right in the city center. Its also just a few blocks from the Malecon, the street that winds along the sea of Cortez. This hostel is cozy and cute, perfect for relaxing after a day of exploring!
Best Hotel in the Baja Peninsula: Seven Crown La Paz Centro Historico
The Seven Crown La Paz Centro Historico sits just mere steps away from the La Paz coast. This hotel comes at a budget-friendly price, all while having luxurious amenities, like an outdoor pool, and all rooms come with a private balcony. The rooms are sparkly clean and the complimentary breakfast is divine there are even gluten-free and dairy-free options available.
Read our full review of the GRAYL GEOPRESS!
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Best Hotels In Holbox
The best hotels in Holbox, chosen by our expert, including luxury hotels, boutique hotels, budget hotels and Holbox hotel deals. Read the reviews and book.
- 9/10Telegraph expert ratingThis stylish beach-front hotel on idyllic Isla Holbox is run by an expatriate Cuban artist and is a perfect retreat from the hubbub of Yucatán’s busy beach resorts and archaeological sites. In summer, migrating whale sharks make the island an important wildlife-watching destination.
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- Beachfront villas and trendy pool bars make this the place to stay on the island. Slow down to Holbox pace and catch those magical Mexican sunsets from Tamashi, the hotels excellent rooftop sushi bar.
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- 8/10Telegraph expert ratingThis unstudied but decidedly chic hideaway exemplifies Holbox’s low-key glamour. It comes with simple pleasures: a beachside location, an excellent but easy restaurant, shaded daybeds for two, a yoga studio, a spa using local ingredients, a small pool and a shop for memorable keepsakes.
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Isla Holbox Where To Stay In Mexico On A Budget
Isla Holbox is a magical island. Really, its pure magic. Another rather mystical aspect of Holbox is that its ridiculously budget-friendly. The fairy godmother just waved her wand folks.
One of my favorite things to do on Holbox island is to rent a bike and ride over to Punta Mosquito. Its a white sandbank in the middle of the ocean that actually connects to Punta Mosquito.
Then, at the end of your day, head over to Punta Cocos for the best sunset around. Pick up a beer along the ride, and sit on the sand to catch the watercolor sunset sky.
Another honestly incredible aspect of Holbox is that it has a few bioluminescent beaches, where you can take a boat or go paddle boarding into the water and see glowing plankton sparkle in the water below you. I did promise you magic, didnt I?
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Kayak Through The Magnificent Mangroves
If you want to explore Isla Holboxs magnificent mangroves, there is no better way to do it than by kayak! A kayak lets you immerse yourself in the abundant nature all around you. There is lots of wildlife in Holbox to see while youll definitely get to see lots of different types of birds, you may even come across a crocodile or two!
Paddling peacefully through the mangroves was one of our favorite things to do in Isla Holbox, and is a great way to spend an afternoon if youre up for a little bit of exercise! We suggest going on a kayaking tour through the mangroves as the guide will lead the way and point out wildlife along the way.
- Holbox Mangroves Tour | 4-5 Hours $60 Book Online Now
In 2015 Antonia Quirke Visited Isla Holbox And Found A Curiously Named Mexican Isle Of Shamans And Storytellers
Electricity only arrived on Mexico’s Isla Holbox recently, and its barefoot shores are still as lo-fi as a box of frogs
Isla Holbox lies about 12km across the water from the dog-eared port of Chiquilá on the northern tip of Mexico‘s Yucatán Peninsula, separated from the mainland by a flamingo-dotted lagoon. It’s only a kilometre and a half wide and about 40km long nobody seems certain of its precise dimensions as its geography was altered during Hurricane Wilma in 2005. And yet this confusion merely adds to the island’s mysterious vibrations. Over on the mainland people speak of it wistfully, as though it might only exist in the mind.
Struggling along potholed highways from Cancún to the coast to catch a boat to the island, I pass shabby jungle villages with shacks selling old tyres strung up to be inspected like dead chickens. Gaggles of Indian schoolgirls in knee-length white socks buy mottled tangerines and delicious cornbread from women cooking on braziers at the side of the road, its smell so acridly sweet it reminds me of my grandmother’s perfumed drawer-liners. It comes off the pan in massive, lardy crusts. ‘Where are you going?’ the girls hoot, with gusts of pre-teen curiosity, as piglets truffle about our feet.
Wherever you are on Holbox, you are just moments from the coral-sand beach that stretches all along its northern perimeter
It’s been said that you can feel Mexico before you see it, that its pulses somehow possess the sky.
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Rent A Bike In Isla Holbox
Renting a bike in Isla Holbox is one of the best way to get around Isla Holbox, as the island is small enough that youll be able to go everywhere by bike. Rentinga bike is easy most hotels provide guests with bikes, or go around the main square and ask around. Renting a bike will cost you 20-40 pesos an hour or 150-200 pesos for a whole day .
Enjoy The Beautiful Sunsets
Something we always love to do is sit on the beach with a drink and some snacks and enjoy the sun setting. We have been to many different places but the sunset here is really cool! The big advantage is that you only share the beach with few people and if you walk for a couple of minutes you are completely alone.
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Casa Las Tortugas Petit Beach Hotel & Spa
Holbox Hotel Casa Las Tortugas is one of the family-run hotels on Holbox Island located right next to the beach. Its one of the most well-known and loved places to stay in Holbox, and for good reason.
When you think of classic Holbox beach-chic accommodation this is it. Its especially popular with people looking to merge their stay on the island with a mini-retreat as they also offer yoga and a range of spa treatments.
Featuring hut-style rooms, a hammam, hot tub, and outdoor pool, the hotel rooms have ethnic furniture and bamboo frames. There is a bar by the pool, and the hotel restaurant serves a wide range of foreign cuisine.
Walk To The Flamingos In Holbox
Part of the Yum Balam Nature Reserve, this place is as Caribbean as it gets in Mexico. An idyllic white sandbank in the middle of the ocean brings you right to Punta Mosquito, where if youre lucky youll be able to spot the beautiful flamingos. Dont expect anything like the Arubas flamingos though these are wild animals, and wont let you get very close to them. Locals say you can find some all year round, but officially the Holbox flamingo season is between April and October.
Getting to the flamingos in Holbox isnt super easy, but the walk is beautiful. Park your bike or golf cart at Las Nubes de Holbox hotel and get ready for a 1-hour walk. From the beach, walk towards the sandbank which is easily visible and just keep following the sandbank till you get to the tip. You will walk through water but its usually ankle- or knee-deep its a good workout!
Just beware that the tide goes up in the early afternoon. You wont drown if you stay longer but if you have electronics with you it might not be the smartest idea. We did indeed get stranded with the drone and had to cross a crocodile-infested lagoon but thats a story for another day. Dont be like us!
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Oaxaca One Of The Most Unique Places To Stay In Mexico
Oaxaca is one of the places where all of the historical periods of Mexico shine through. From the pre-Hispanic period to the colonial period to the modern period, you can see plentiful examples expressed in nearly every street. With archaeological sites to visit, bio fluorescent lagoons to check out, and gastronomic delights to be hadOaxaca is definitely the best city in Mexico for unique experiences!
Let me start off by discussing the culinary scene of Oaxaca. Its where tons of innovative chefs are taking the local cuisine to the next level even street vendors. The most renowned Oaxacan dishes that you simply cannot miss out on trying are: memelas, tlayudas, tetelas, tamales Oaxaqueños, and well, um, chapulines aka grasshoppers.
When in Oaxaca, there is also so much to see! Make sure to visit the Temple de Santo Domingo de Guzman, a truly impressive church from the 16th century. Also, if you are up for a drive, just 90 minutes from Oaxaca city is the Herve el Agra which is actually a petrified waterfall!
Theres a cool hike to enjoy around the falls, and mineral springs at the top to take a quick dip in. Also, just a short drive from Oaxaca City is Monte Alban which is an incredible archaeological site and the former site of the ancient Zapotec City which dates all the way back to 500BC!
How To Get Around Isla Holbox
There are a few ways to get around this small island if you want to travel further afield than the small town.
- Rent a Bike This costs about $10 USD per day or you can rent it by the hour. Some hotels have bicycles that they offer for free to their guests.
- Rent a Golf Cart Everywhere seems to rent out golf carts to tourists. The rate I saw everywhere was $50 USD per day. I assume you also have to pay for whatever fuel you use.
- Golf Cart Taxis The taxis are all these insanely loud, off-road looking golf carts that youll see and hear everywhere you go. They are bright yellow so you cant miss them. If you have a lot of luggage or its too heavy to carry, theyll take you to and from the ferry to your hotel.
- Your Feet Duh, you can pretty much walk everywhere on the island. Its so small you could easily and quite safely get around everywhere on foot if youre feeling energetic.
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Rent A Bike Or Golf Cart And Explore The Island
As there are no cars on the Island, your only option to explore Isla Holbox is to take a golf cart taxi or rent a bike or golf cart yourself. Both cycling or bumbling along in your own golf cart are lots of fun.
Its impossible to get lost or tired as the island is so small! Cycling along the beach is a dream, with the waves lapping at the shore and the white sands lying before you. Golf carting your way around is also lots of fun, and is one of the quickest ways to get from Point A to Point B on Isla Holbox.
- Price to rent a bike: MXN 20 30 per hour. MXN 150 200 per 24 hours
- Price to rent a golf cart: MXN 150 per hour. MXN 1000 per 24 hours
If youre renting for more than one day try and negotiate for a better deal for a longer duration. Some good deals can be found on one-week rentals. There are tons of rental places in town just shop around for the best prices.
Flying To Isla Holbox
If budget is no concern consider flying to Holbox. There are no shared flights but instead, you can rent a private plane! You need to arrange flights in advance and they can depart from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel, or Merida. Flights start at $470 per plane and go up based on where youre departing from.
to check rates or request a booking.
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Go On A Fishing Trip In Isla Holbox
Holbox is very popular for fishing trips, and you can easily book a tour at one of the many places selling tours in the town centre.
For about MXN 800 per person, you can enjoy a fishing tour in Holbox. Many people say fishing is one of the best things to do in Holbox!
The fishing tours take approximately 3-4 hours, and during the time, you get to catch small and big fishes such as sea bass, snapper, Mojarra and others.
You will also get to taste the freshest ceviche you have ever tried.
It is a fun way to spend the day if you have the budget otherwise, grab snorkelling gear and swim with the fish you might even be able to spot some turtles.
Isla Holbox: One Of Mexicos Most Beautiful Hidden Gems
Escape your stressful everyday life and leave all your worries behind on dreamy white beaches. Enjoy a couple of days on one of Mexicos most beautiful islands with a good book and delicious food. Does that sound like the kind of vacation you need right now? Isla Holbox offers you just that!
The small island of Holbox in Mexico is the perfect place to relax without a care in the world. This island is no longer a secret insider place, but with such beauty, word gets around quickly. Nevertheless, the island is far from being visited by as many tourists as other parts of Mexico. So hurry up as long as it is still quiet. There are no long sightseeing tours to big cities or action-packed excursions like in other holiday resorts. Instead, there is peace and quiet that you can enjoy in hammocks on the beach or strolling through alleys with artistically painted houses. In this article, you will find everything you need to know about Isla Holbox!
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The Best Travel Period For Holbox
The best time to visit Holbox is during the dry season from . During this period, it does not rain so often and is usually pleasantly warm. We say mostly because the tropical weather does not always go according to forecasts: during our visit in December, for example, it only reached a maximum of 24 degrees Celsius during the day, which is rather low for a beach holiday location. In the evening it was pretty cool and you couldnt get by without long clothes.
From May to June, the rainy season slowly starts to begin. Of course, during the rainy season you can also go to Holbox, but then you have to adjust to a bit more rainfall. The sea can also get a little bit rougher during the rain and hurricane season .
What To Do On Isla Holbox
For the most part, Isla Holbox is about the opposite of doing something. Its such a laid-back place youll love simply laying on the beach and getting your fill of endless seafood dishes . But there are a few fun things to do in Isla Holbox that you wont want to miss.
Rent a Bike: This was my absolute favorite day that I spent on Isla Holbox. I rented a bike for $10 and road around the whole island. I stopped when I was hungry or thirsty or needed to cool down in the ocean. I parked it up and walked to the very tip of the island where I spotted pink flamingos and walked out to an enormous sandbar. I highly recommend spending a day riding bicycles around the island.
Learn to Windsurf: The island is the perfect place to learn to windsurf or to practice your trade. The water is really shallow in parts and the wind isnt too crazy, just crazy enough. I saw tons of people out there having a blast .
Hang with Whale Sharks: I put this here because I know it is one of the most popular activities to do in Isla Holbox, but I highly recommend doing your research on how this activity affects the whale sharks before you sign up to take part. The tours are roughly $100 per person and they should be booked at least 6 months in advance because they book out very quickly.
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