Isla Holbox
A car-free sandy island at the northern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula, with shallow seas, flamingos, whale sharks and bioluminescent water at night. It is a more unspoiled getaway than Cancun.
Isla Holbox lies within the Yum Balam (Holbox) Biosphere Reserve in the Mexican Caribbean. Getting around is by golf cart and bicycle, and its sandy streets and painted houses have a laid-back charm. On summer nights, the water off Punta Cocos on the north shore glows with bioluminescence, and at the sandbar of Punta Mosquito you can wade in the shallows and watch flamingos on foot. From June to September you can head out to sea to swim with whale sharks.
From Cancun, it is about 2 hours by car or ADO bus to Chiquilá, followed by a 20-25 minute ferry ride. Day trips are possible, but it is worth staying 1-2 nights.
Opening hours
Open all day; ferry approx. 6:00 AM–9:30 PM
Nearby sights
- Isla Contoy
- Isla Blanca
- El Meco Archaeological Site
- Mercado 28
- Parque de las Palapas
- Isla Mujeres
- Nichupté Lagoon
- Cancún Underwater Museum of Art (MUSA)