Holbox -

Holbox

Holbox (speak as: Olboschh) is a cute little island somewhere in the north of the peninsula of Yucatan. It is the perfect island for relaxation swimming in the bright blue ocean, exploring the beautiful beaches and enjoying nightlife, Mexican style!

How to get there?

If you’re coming from Cancún, you can take an ADO bus (website) to Chiquila and from there take a boat. I would recommend the boat company ‘9 Hermanos’, because they also leave the earliest if you, at one point, want to get off the island again.

Food in Holbox

The food in Holbox is good! Bit more expensive than other places in Mexico for sure, but you’re on a touristy island so it makes sense. If you want cheaper food you can always get some streetfood from the stands around the main square.

Arte Sano – THE BEST restaurant on the island! Really good place with good vegetarian options, take the Chile relleno with ting de Jamaica (bit spicy but very jummy)
Empanada guy on the beach – Don’t look at this weirdly, there is an actual guy walking up and down the beach selling empanadas, and they are DELICIOUS! Take the mushroom one, it’s just soft, tender and super good
Mahi – Small, nice fish restaurant. Get a plate to share a big plate of fish with friends
Clandestine – Really good home made sourdough bread sandwiches. Oh, and their cakes are too die for… the Nutella cheesecake <3, do I need to say more? The coffee itself was a bit overpriced and has this new sour kind of coffee flavour. Which could be really good and stuff, but not for me. However, their Wifi is the best on the island, so if you need some work done then it’s a good place to chill in the airco.
Taco Queto – Best taco’s in town! Local taco place with really delicious tacos! Try the Taco Pastor or the vegetarian burrito… Whilst you’re reading this, taco pastor is a must try when you’re in Mexico, they even made a Netflix show about Tacos Pastor, no joke…
El Crustaceo Kascarudo – Gooooood luck with pronouncing this name! It is a really good restaurant named after the Crusty Crab from Spongebob, so you know you’re in good hands :). Their ceviche is to die for and the portions are amazingly big.

Losing my vegetarianism…

I was vegetarian when I left for my trip to Mexico. After 2,5 weeks I realised the food in Mexico is so much involved around meat (and so delicious) that it became very, very hard for me to stick to it… At one point, I was eating at Taco Queto and the tacos Pastor that went by my nose looked so mouthwatering good, that I decided there and then to give up my vegatarianism… Not the best thing I did for mother earth, but trust me when you see and smell the tacos Pastor at Queto, oef… Try and resist ;).

My friend that visited Holbox one year after me also lost er vegetarianism at exactly the same place, eating exactly the same taco pastor.

To do's in Holbox

There’s Zumba in the city center every day (except Sundays) from 19:00 till 20:00. Put on some sport clothes and just join the local crew with this intense and mega fun workout. The location is at the big square in the center, you’ll find the music guiding you to the right spot ;).
Watch the sunset at Punta Cocos – We saw flamingo’s here and it’s also a very cute, remote beach to watch the sunset. Do take a taxi back, they will be lined up there waiting and bring your mosquito spray. I have never been that badly attacked by mosquitos anywhere!
Pubquiz at Tribu hostel – So much fun! Even if you don’t stay in the hostel, you can still join this evening. Just check which day (when I was there it was always on Tuesdays) and join by yourself or with a team and a fun evening is guaranteed. Inside tip, get someone on the team who’s Mexican and I guarantee that your chances of winning just tenfolded
Animal shelter – There’s an animal shelter on the island where you can take a dog for a walk to the beach. Perfect for some furry company on a chilled day
Do yoga! There are many yoga places on Holbox, but I would recommend doing yoga with Holly. Follow her on her instagram and shoot a message, she gives lessons in several locations on the island from beginners to advanced… She’s also really really nice and gives great, supportive advise on her Instagram account as well #follow
Have sunset drinks at Zomay, they do a good sunsetsesh!
Tired of going out for dinner? There’s a local market provides you with occasional fresh mostly not so fresh fruits en veggies. Open till 14:00/15:00.

Where to sleep in Holbox

I stayed at Hostel Tribu and it has honestly been one of the best hostels I have ever stayed. The vibe, their activities, the location, the staff. Sometimes everything in a hostel just clicks and matches, and that is Tribu hostel. They have salsa nights, pizza nights, pub quiz evenings, walking with dogs from the animal shelter across the street, fun tours and so on… Just go there and have an awesome time.
The other hostel which is recommended a lot is Che Hostel. They have a swimming pool, which comes in handy in the hot climate of Holbox. They also throw parties and have fun activities.
If you’re not balling on a budget, go to Zomay. It has been recommended a couple of times. Good vibes, nice rooms and great food, Also, it át the beach! How good can it get?
Great value for money is Alcobas Del Mar. It’s also the aesthetics that are just purrrfect! Again, it’s not cheap, but there are little things cheap on this island ;).

Going out!

Hot corner bar – A bar on the (you can guess) corner. Good drinks, loud music and if you’re a cheap backpacker, (like me), you can get your drinks until 23:00 in the supermarket across the street and drink them juuuuust one meter outside of the Hot Corner area 🙂
Selma beach bar – This is the place you go to after hot corner closes. If you come before 24:00 there’s happy hour and those cocktails are dangerously good.
La Perla – I know I said only two places are worth visiting, however, if you fancy something different and dance with locals to reggaeton, then go here!