Why Holbox Should Be Your Next Vacation Destination: Insights & Travel Advice
So you’ve heard of Cancun, obviously but have you heard of Holbox, Mexico? It’s time to think beyond the typical tourist spots like Cancun. Let me introduce you to Holbox, an underrated treasure north of the Yucatan’s party central. This laid-back island swaps cars for golf carts and skyscrapers for palm trees, offering a slice of paradise with less crowd and more character.
Most of your time will truly probably be spent relaxing by the beach. Staying in a hotel like Hotel Hau you won’t have any need to reserve a spot at a beach club because there are plenty of chairs, towels, and food! Running back and forth between lounging on the beach, jumping in the pool, swimming in the ocean, and hanging out in the rooftop pool - my time was taken up quickly.
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Getting there
You’ll want to take a shuttle & then a ferry over to the island. Bookaway is great that they offer a ticket with the shuttle + the ferry which makes it super easy! If you’re traveling from Cancun (shuttle + ferry linked here) they even pick up straight from the airport.
Once you get off the ferry hop on a golf cart taxi! Keep pesos on you to pay!
Where to stay?
Holbox Hau was a DREAM. This beach front property was stunning, they had amazing breakfast, some of the best mojitos I’ve ever had (plus a great happy hour menu), a rooftop pool, and beautiful rooms. Starting at $140 per night, your money is going to take you a lot further in Holbox than in would in Cancun. Additionally, if you attend during shoulder season (right before peak season), you can enjoy a rooftop pool to yourself & a private sunset view.
Hotel Hau was a bit further out of town, but a fifteen minute walk on the beach to & from town was actually super nice. Taxis via golf cart are also available and the hotel will call one for you. I’d recommend doing this to & from the ferry as it’s about a twenty minute drive. However, since it is a bit further outside of town you’ll find a nearly almost private beach with the most beautiful view of the sunset!! This was my favorite place we stayed in the Yucatan!!
Brunch at Painapol
You all know a vacation isn’t complete without a beautiful brunch. Painapol is the spot for all your brunch dreams to come true. Their smoothie bowls are as colorful as the island itself, and the avocado toast is chef's kiss. It's the fuel you need for a day of exploring.
About sunrise…
We heard on the east side is beautiful however we did not make it over there. On the west side it wasn’t great but still nice to walk on the beach.
About sunset…
YES! Holbox is genuinely the place I saw the most gorgeous sunset ever. Park it at a beach club or restaurant to watch sunset, go for a swim to watch it, or your hotels rooftop pool!
LET’S GO DANCE!!
We went over to the Hot Corner for dinner & drinks which was great but the live music was everything. After we finished dinner we spent the night dancing in the streets and just picking up some beers from the convenience store across the street. This was such a fun experience, even on a Monday during shoulder season the streets were packed!
Marquesitas
If you’re traveling through the Yucatan you’ve likely already tried one of these but I cannot write a Yucatan blog post without mentioning them! I ate about five during this trip, SO GOOD!
It's essentially a crispy rolled-up crepe, made from a batter similar to that of a waffle or crepe, cooked on a special iron until it's thin and crispy. The traditional filling is Edam cheese, but as a dairy free gal I filled it with Nutella, fruit, and on occasion peanut butter!
When to go: June - September is whale shark season, thus I will absolutely be going back to swim with some whale sharks. We went during April and it wasn't too crowded at all. Seems we went in-between the spring break + summer crowd! If you’re going in June - September here are a couple tours that looked great! Get your guide whale shark!
Things that are on the list for next time:
Punta Mosquito: we heard sunrise here is awesome! It is a massive sandbar but honestly we felt like the entire beach even outside of our hotel was much of a sandbar.
Rent bikes: I cannot remember if our hotel had bike rentals but there was plenty of spots to do so!
Bioluminescence: typically present year round, there are many tours to rent kayaks & do such!
