Everyone has their own style of travel, usually influenced by personal levels of comfort. Over time, we have learned to combine two different types of travel into one trip. The first half will usually be dedicated to being on the move, visiting locations we are most interested in, pushing our confidence and experience levels, while covering as much ground as possible; the last half is dedicated to rest and recuperation. For us, this strikes the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation.
The second part of this trip started with a return drive on the toll highway headed for Merida. This time, we exited at the junction for Highway #5 and headed north for the town of Chiquila. From Cancun, it’s approximately a two and a half hour drive along jungle lined roads, interspersed with small villages along the way. Once you arrive in Chiquila, the main economy seems to be parking lots for travellers catching the ferry to Isla Holbox. For approximately 100 pesos per day you can leave your car in a relatively secure car park and walk the few blocks towards the ferry terminal.
There are two passenger ferry companies that operate this service, Holbox Express and 9 Hermanos. They generally run opposing schedules, so there’s a good bet you can catch a ferry about every half hour. We took one company there, the other on the way back and there’s really no difference between the two, just pick one that works with your schedule. There’s no need to purchase your tickets in advance, you can get them at the terminal.
What is not covered very well in travel blogs yet is that you will be met at the entrance to the ferry dock by some local government representatives to collect an environmental tax from each person boarding the ferry. This almost feels like a scam, however, they give you a wrist band that you can show to your hotel on the island who will then deduct the amount from your daily environmental tax that is charged by all hotels.
When you arrive at Isla Holbox you will find it very rustic; however you’ll be able to walk to wherever your final destination is. The streets are not paved and there are very few cars on the island, but there is no shortage of all-terrain vehicle taxies, which are the primary means of transport. When we initially arrived we walked to our hotel, but on departure we ordered a taxi because most of the streets were flooded from rain. I found it a bit pricey but I suspect their rates fluctuate depending on how busy they are.
I’m not aware of any all-inclusive hotels on the island, but that’s not really what this place is about. There are plenty of smaller boutique hotels, most near the ocean where the miles of pristine beaches are absolutely spectacular. We stayed at a little place called Puerto Holbox. It’s a beautiful little property, with condo style rooms, each with terraces overlooking the ocean. There’s a well groomed palapa area for property guests and the beach itself is just a few steps away. The swimming pool on the property is small but perfect for the size of the hotel and oddly, guarded by three iguanas that were in the same spot every single day. Our breakfast was included at the restaurant adjacent to hotel, and a great place to order snacks from during the day while we lounged by the beach. In town, there’s lots of restaurants and cafes, but I recommend enjoying the street food vendors or open air cafes. Meals at these locations were very reasonable, while sit-down restaurants tended to be a bit pricey.
A really nice feature at our hotel was that they had a potable water station where we could fill up our own water-bottles whenever we wanted, but there are lots of little grocery stores in town where you can get snacks and drinks, or browse through the numerous souvenir shops. There’s also a currency exchange in town which came in handy because not every business takes credit cards. You do need to be careful using your cards anywhere in Mexico, and never loose sight of them. A good example of this is gas stations, always pay cash, they are infamous for skimming cards.
Isla Holbox is the type of place where you come to disconnect and enjoy the beauty of nature. You are able to purchase tour packages to see local sights, but unless you’re doing an activity that requires a boat, the nature sites on the island are free, accessible and within walking distance. This is a great place to set out and explore on your own without being restricted by schedules. Our hotel was central to the town itself, and once you’re on the beach you can head northeast to Punta Mosquito (Mosquito Bay) where the flamingos typically are, or southwest along the beach to Bioluminiscencia (Bioluminescent Bay) where at night you can see the bioluminescent aquatic species light up the dark water. Almost like an underwater fireworks display.
For me, the journey to Punta Mosquito was the most enjoyable part of the excursion. Once you reach the edge of town you’ll wade out onto a sandbar that’s about 200 metres off shore. You follow the sandbar all the way to Punta Mosquito, approximately 3 kilometres one way, wading through turquoise blue, crystal clear water. I recommend taking binoculars with you to get better views of the flamingos, but on the walk there you’ll enjoy passing through schools of fish, barracudas and stingrays, not to mention a seemingly endless variety of birds.
At night, we made the hike in the other direction to Bioluminescent Bay, which is a 2 kilometre hike in the opposite direction. You can get there by following the beach or navigating down any of the dirt roads. However, a word of caution, during the rain the roads will flood and you will see parts of town with crocodile warning signs. While we were walking to the bay we came across one of these signs on a flooded road and sure enough, there was a crocodile in the middle of the flooded road, so you need to be careful! Another tip worth mentioning is when the sun goes down the mosquitos come out. Coming from the Yukon we are used to these little pests, but this is a whole other level of nuisance. You need to use copious amounts of bug spray to be out at night, otherwise it will be completely unbearable. There’s also very few street lights, so at night it is pitch black. We planned for this and brought our headlamps with us, which came in very handy, but the lack of light pollution allows you to witness the swarms of lightening bugs flickering in the darkness like a switchboard turning on and off. It’s a real testament to the fact that at night the often ignored nocturnal world comes alive.
What truly makes this remote island wonderful is the way tourism and local life intermesh. You can’t help but enjoy the opportunity to be part of the community. After dinner one night, my wife and I stopped by a ball-field where a local softball game was going on. Some locals at the entrance welcomed us in and pointed to the stands where there were some empty seats. We hung out for a while to watch the end of the game and enjoyed chatting with people in the crowd. Such a wonderful experience and a great way to get a real sense of the authentic local culture.
Isla Holbox is very underdeveloped by resort town standards and that is exactly what makes this one of my favourite places in Mexico. The environment is stunningly beautiful, wildlife is abundant, and it has a very rustic, unpretentious atmosphere, that really allows you to relax and simply enjoy your surroundings. Given the number of European travellers selling bric-a-brac on the beaches, I suspect its become a good place for people to perpetually hide out in a tropical paradise; maybe that’ll be my retirement gig?