Holbox (pronounced Holbosh) is a very small Island located on the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula, only a couple hours from Cancun. It is very close to the mainland. It can be reached by ferry from Chiquila.
Holbox is kind of magic. The streets are made of sand and no cars are allowed on the island. I wonder if this will eventually change. There is a main road that starts from the ferry dock and leads through to the village and there are several back roads. It is easy to rent bicycles or a golf cart to get around.
Most of the locals make a living from fishing.
The main activities for tourists are snorkeling, sunbathing, walking and flamingos sightseeing. The elusive flamingos…unfortunately we did not see them. We might not have gone into the right spot.
From June to September the main tourist activity is snorkeling with the Whale Sharks. These gentle giants come to this area every year to feed on plankton. If you are in Holbox at this time, you cannot miss swimming with the Whale sharks.
We went at the end of January, a little bit too early for that.
Holbox is very artistic, every other building spots interesting drawings and paintings on their walls.
It is a great spot to escape the craziness of Cancun or Playa Del Carmen and to relax surrounded by beautiful natural settings.
How to get there
From Tulum there is a daily bus to Chiquila at 8am (journey time approximately 3.5 hours)
From Cancun there are few buses daily (journey time approximately 2 hours)
From Chiquila there are several ferries to the island (the crossing is approximately 20 minutes).
