HOLBOX
This remote island (pronounded Hul-bosh) that was once revered as Mexico’s best kept secret is many things, but a secret is not one of them. We first heard of Holbox in hush-hush tones from a couple we met at a rooftop party in Manhattan, who had taken their honeymoon there and lauded it as the anti-Tulum. I was intrigued, and Julian and I visited at our first opportunity. Holbox definitely had more of a genuinely rustic, bohemian, ex-pat vibe than I had expected, certainly making it an experience much different than Tulum. Still, you won’t have any problem hitting a trendy yoga class, finding the perfect smoothie or spending the day seaside underneath a palapa.
THE VIBE & WHAT TO EXPECT
First, Holbox is remote. To get there, most will have to fly to Cancun or a nearby airport in the Yucatan, rent a car or take a long taxi ride and drive the 2 hours to Chiquila, in order to catch the ferry to Holbox. Parking in Chiquila seem a little DIY, so expect to park in a dirt lot and hope the attendant stays on call for the duration of your trip to Holbox. Surprise - cars are not allowed in Holbox, so you’ll have to leave yours in Chiquila. We stripped our car of any valuables, but the attendants were great, our car remained in tact (albeit covered in layers of dust) and parking was reasonable. The ferry runs daily from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm, every half hour, and the trip takes about 20 minutes and costs ~ 7 USD pp. So just to get to Holbox and back, you’ll have to build in an extra day or more of travel.
Second, Holbox, once there, is relaxed. As mentioned, there are no cars and the muddy clay-like roads are unpaved, so you will either have to walk (many walk barefoot, and after ruining a pair of sandals you will understand why), or take a golf cart around town. There is a line of golf-carts waiting to pick up passengers from the ferry with their luggage, so that will be your first experience. Hang on!
Third, once you reroute your expectations and come to terms with what you signed up for, you should be able to enjoy the bohemian vibe on the island! Leave your heels in their dust bag, expect the bottom of your maxi dresses to get covered in mud, sign up for a few yoga classes and and excursion to see the flamingos, and hit the beach and town! It’s a really fun destination.
Last, we brought our puppy Louis on this trip. We had a major scare when he slipped out from our tent one night (this was on the Akumal leg of our trip) and even though we spent the entire night awake searching for him with security guards and flashlights, we didn’t find him until the next morning, because he seemingly got confused and snuck into a neighboring tent, where he spent the reminder of the night! But bringing him on the trip was worth it. Holbox has a ton of stray dogs on island, not all particularly friendly, and one of them ended up literally stalking our dog Louis and following us all around town. Some of these dogs have been “claimed” by the local shop owners, but many others are free to roam.
WHERE TO STAY
There are many options on Holbox, but a few clear winners:
Casa Las Tortugas ($$$$) - If you want to make the most of your experience on Holbox, stay here. The restaurants and bars here are the best, the beach is the best, the yoga classes are the best, and the vibe is reminiscent of a SoHo house. That said, you can experience all of these things (except snagging one of the natural linen-colored enormous beach “pillows” and cabanas that are to-die-for) even without staying at the hotel. But, if you don’t stay here, you will be jealous of the daytime beach scene!
Ser Casasandra ($$$$) - Another wondrous hotel with a beautiful pool, this upscale spot is just next door to las Tortugas and shares an adjacent beachfront. This hotel is an artsy destination, and less of a gathering spot, one where you won’t find televisions, telephones, alarm clocks or radios in the rooms, but it does have a beautiful restaurant.
Hotel Zomay ($$) - The rooms at this hotel are questionable, with low lighting and mosquito nets with holes, but this hotel is pet-friendly and the rooms are structured more like little cabanas, with private entrances and exits directly onto the beach. The beach is what makes this hotel a true winner. Second only to Casa Las Tortugas, the beach has a fantastic little restaurant and a beach bar that dreams are made of. The micheladas are some of the best I’ve had, and you can smell the fresh coconut and fresh pineapple in the are that are used to make literally the freshest and best pina coladas. I commandeered a beach swing here and could not be persuaded to leave.
Casa del Viento ($$) - This little boutique hotel is a dream. Bright, light and airy, with vines of ivy scaling the walls, the only downside is that it is not directly on the beach. However, it’s one a cute corner in town, it’s clean and bright, and the rooms are the same. Ours even had a hammock! This hotel is adults-only and not pet-friendly, and although I probably shouldn’t blog about this, when the owner saw how cute Louis was, he let him stay at the hotel with us, so this place holds a special place in my heart. If you don’t end up staying here, at least visit for the brunch.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
PAINAPOL - For breakfast, brunch and bomb smoothies, this is hands down the best morning spot in Holbox. It’s also vegan-friendly, if that’s your thing.
LUUMA - This is the best drinks spot in Holbox. A little hidden, tucked away in a narrow street just across from las Tortugas, LUUMA feels like you’ve stumbled on a secret garden, with lush greenery, palms and sandy floors. There is also one of the best shopping boutiques on the island here, with very curated items, and is seemingly open by chance. I would stop by LUUMA for late afternoon or pre-dinner drinks, or you can have dinner here. It’s so cute, the beauty of this secret garden is that you could easily miss it, but definitely shouldn’t.
Mandarina - The restaurant inside of las Tortugas is a great dinner spot. You would think that we are sponsored by las Tortugas for all that we recommend there, but we are not! It’s just that cute. Make sure you have a reservation, as it gets crowded, and try to get seated on the beach for a beautiful dinner with your toes in the sand, underneath the palm trees, and lit by twinkling stars and mini-lights for a dinner with extra ambiance.
Ser Esencia - The restaurant at Ser Casasandra is as stunning as the cuisine is praised. the dinner scene vibe is ethereal, especially if you visit before sunset, when the sky’s hues seem spun with gold, and the presentation of the food is gourmet. The NYT recommended this as one of the best places to eat on Holbox.
Beach Bar @ Hotel Zomay - This is such a tiny beach bar I don’t even think it has a website, but this bar is a gem, with swings and hammocks, and the drinks are all fresh and made with natural ingredients. It’s uncrowded, and exactly what a beach bar on a remote island should be.
WHAT TO DO
Rent a bicycle and cruise around the island and down the beach (especially at sunset!). These pastel-colored beach cruisers might be a little rusty from the rain
Shop Le Bazaar @ LUUMA or the other little boutiques in the heart of downtown
Admire a sunset at Punta Coco
Visit the fiery pink flamingos at Punta Mosquito
Take a boat tour to Isla Pajaros or Isla Pasion, where you can also visit spindly flamingos, blue herons or cranes, and during whale shark season (June to September) you can snorkel and glimpse the massive creatures. Julian will never get over that we visited in December, and missed whale shark season! At night, you can wade in the water amidst a sea full of bioluminescent phytoplankton and underneath the twinkling starts, fully splendid and visible without the light pollution of, say, Manhattan.