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Holbox Travel Guide – Holbox new Tulum?

September 10, 2019

What is Holbox?

For all those who have never heard of Holbox, it is a remote destination in Mexico that is completely comparable with Tulum (minus the crazy amount of people, overpriced .. everything and slightly overdone attractions). Holbox is a cute spot which you will most likely get to by ferry, just 2.5 hrs from the Cancun airport. If you are a seasoned Mexico traveller you will be completely surprised by what Holbox has to offer. You can the small town flair, coupled with the island vibes. Locals and tourists mingling together, amazing fresh seafood and beaches that remind of the tropical Maldives. Did I catch your interest yet?

Accommodation

We travelled to Holbox on a Sunwing Vacations package which included transfer to Holbox itself, which was absolutely convenient and for any first time visitor, this is what I would suggest doing. It is the most convenient, super easy and you pretty much do not have to plan anything but your amazing beach outfits! Holbox is less of an "all-inclusive" destination which really opens up the trip to explore local restaurants, beach bars and other vendors. We stayed at Mystique Blue Resort Holbox which has a restaurant/beach bar itself which is super convenient to grab breakfast/drinks/dinner or a snack if you feel like it. Click here for a full "What to Eat in Holbox" where I featured some of my favourite spots we explored. Keep in mind tha25t the island is super small and you are able to walk/bike/golf cart everywhere in no time. So when you pick accommodation just know that it does not really matter where you stay as the distances are very small, just if you stay at a beach front resort you will sure have amazing access to the beach and usually lounge chairs.

Must See

Exploring Holbox by bike was so fun for us as there is only a few cars on the island. Everyone else walks, uses a golf cart or just bikes as well. The place is small and quaint, so there is no problem of getting around. Your hotel can help you arrange bike or gold cart rental easily. I suggest you check out Playa de Coco which is a beach next to a Nature reserve where you can usually find wild flamingos. I say usually because the day we went there was none, but locals told us they are usually around there in the mornings. If you are eager to see flamingos you can also book a tour which will take you to see them in a more remote location.

With your mode of transport you can explore the island and I suggest you stop at Mandarina for a refreshing smoothie. It is a beach bar that is so absolutely chill, you will never want to leave. From Mandarina you can walk along the beach and stop at the multiple beach bars for cocktails, guac, ceviche and more.

Sunsets

Its is hard to miss the sunsets in Holbox, and once you watched one, you wont want to miss another. The perfect spot to watch the sunset is by the beach, either with a fancy sunset dinner at Fresco, or at the Zomay Beach Bar where a lot of locals have their nightly beer/cocktail. I have never experienced the mix of locals and tourists in any other place in Mexico and if felt GREAT. That night Holbox stole my heart because I was able to feel the energy from the locals in their everyday life. I feel that some destinations we visit are so "made up" for tourism, whereas Holbox is just what it is - a truly amazing place with amazing souls.