Holbox is a word of Mayan origin that means “black hole”. But regardless of the etymology, the truth is that anyone who has the immense fortune of visiting this Mexican Caribbean island, once they get to know it, every time they dream of paradise, images of Holbox beaches will come to mind.
Watching a sunset over the Caribbean waters is one of the best memories of Holbox.
We are going to tell you a little more about this special place, but we warn you that reading this text will have two effects. First, a hopeless envy for not being there at this very moment. And secondly, the desire to pack our bags and go to discover it in person.
If so, know that you must fly to the international airport of Cancun, and from there travel by road about two hours to reach Chiquilá where ferries depart in half an hour you will disembark this Caribbean paradise, belonging to the state of Quintana Roo.
Holbox hotels
Several hotel establishments await you there, but none of them belonging to the big groups of the industry. These are hotels like Casa Sandra, Las Nubes or Casa de las Tortugas, where their owners want to share paradise and the reasons why they fell in love with this place. In other words, they are the most welcoming lodging options.
In Holbox there are no big hotel chains, only cozy boutique hotels.
And also, like the vast majority of businesses on the island, they are extraordinarily respectful of their natural surroundings. This is the norm in Holbox. Enjoying this privileged nature, but respecting it in order to preserve it. Just one piece of information proves it. The island of Holbox is 2 kilometers wide and 40 kilometers long. Well, to move around it there are no vehicles other than bicycles and electric golf carts.
The stay in Holbox
In addition to enjoying the facilities of these hotels. You should also take the opportunity to enjoy the local gastronomy. You will find different restaurants scattered throughout the locality. We expect establishments as personal as the hotels, and dishes that are the essence of the Caribbean. Can there be anywhere else a lobster pizza made in a wood-fired oven? Well, that is Holbox’s specialty.
El Café Colibrí, another of Holbox’s establishments
But there are many other delicatesen to try. Of course the dishes use the freshest seafood and make memorable ceviches. And eating shrimp and more shrimp is a must. Although not everything is seafood, you should also try the tasty cochinita pibil. In short, we recommend spending about five days here and changing places to eat. We recommend going to Roots, Las Panchas, Mandarina, El Sabor de las Nubes, Bar Maiz or Viva Zapata.
Punta Coco and Punta Mosquitos
Going to Holbox is a trip to the Caribbean, to the best Caribbean and that comes to mean enjoying immense beaches of fine white sand and coconut trees for shade. It is one of the dream places of the Riviera Maya, where the views are always to an immense horizon dominated by the clarity of the waters of the sea. Clear and also very calm. With hardly any waves, in fact they are barely deep and it is possible to walk on them.
Looking for relaxation? Punta Coco beach is an ideal place.
This one of the most placid activities to do on the island, walking along beaches that you will always want to return to. So buy a good picnic and head to places like Punta Coco and Punta Mosquitos. There, just enjoy the moment. Just that, without doing anything, just watch the sea, walk, rest, … and of course put on plenty of sunscreen. These hours will be one of the best memories of this trip.
More activities in Holbox
We still have more ideas for your stay in paradise.
One of the most special is to go on an offshore excursion. The goal is to reach the waters where the largest fish in the world swims: the whale shark that can reach up to 12 meters long. They are mostly around here in summer. Do not miss it if your trip is from June to September. And you should always go with a responsible company. Guides and boats that make sure that these sightings are as harmless as possible for these giants of the seas.
Impressive image of the whale shark.
If the whale shark is only visible in summer, another of the local wonders can be seen all year round. We are referring to the bioluminescent effects that occur in some of its beaches. Microorganisms that possess a molecule called luciferin, capable of emitting light if it comes into contact with oxygen, arrive there. Natural magic and a wonderful spectacle that can be enjoyed any night of the year, although much better on moonless nights.
On one side the sea and the beach, and on the other the mangroves of the Yalahau lagoon.
And another essential activity during a vacation in Holbox is a little kayaking to navigate through the mangroves of the Yalahau lagoon to reach Isla Pájaros. The name of this islet already gives us a clue of what awaits us there. An infinity of birds, from pink flamingos to pelicans, herons, cormorants, seagulls… A waste of nature, as we said at the beginning: a true paradise!
Photographs courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism of Quintana Roo
