Your guide to 24 hours on Isla Holbox

If you’re travelling in Mexico, and especially the Yucatan province, you have to visit Isla Holbox. This idyllic island off the Peninsula hosts beautiful white sand with sparkling blue water and is the perfect place to relax and settle into island life. Here’s how to spend 24 hours on Isla Holbox.

After 3 days in Tulum, it was time to move on to our next location. My sister, Jo, recommended Holbox expressing how stunning and chilled it is. After visiting, I’m definitely in agreement with her, it’s just a shame we didn’t have more time.

How to get to Isla Holbox

Take an ADO bus from Cancun or Tulum to Chiquilá on the North side of the Yucatan province (roughly 2-2.5hrs). Next, grab a ferry for 220 MXN pp (£9) for 20 minutes from Chiquilá to Isla Holbox. Note: you’ll have to pay for the ferry in cash! The ferry runs regularly every hour at half past the hour eg. 1:30pm, 2:30pm etc. You need to arrive 15 minutes or so before the departure time to queue and they will store any large luggage items in a separate section for you. We sat on the top deck for the journey there and got surprisingly wet from the water splashing up. There was even some entertainment onboard with a singer greeting the crowd involved with well-known Mexican tunes! 

Where to stay 

We stayed at Cabañas Coconut for the night. It’s ideally located a 5-minute walk from the ferry port and a short walk from the centre of the island and beaches. I’d happily stay here longer as the room was cosy, clean, and cool. Plus, there’s a pool available for guests which is perfect for chilling next to while you finish your holiday read. There are a few accommodation choices on the island, from Air BnBs to resort hotels, but best to book early as it’s only a small town.

Where to eat 

Babra Negra 

With only 24 hours on Isla Holbox, there isn’t enough time to try all the foodie options, but no matter how long you have you can’t leave without trying Babra Negra.

Jo was quick on the recommendations for Isla Holbox. She came through with Babra Negra as the number 1 spot for tacos on the island and it did not disappoint! They’re open 1pm – 10:30pm daily and are nestled in with other food stalls so you can get a host of cuisine in one spot. 

We were starving, so we arrived at 1pm on the dot. However, they needed a little more time to open so we returned 45 minutes later. We then enjoyed delicious tacos that were prepared quickly. You can grab a plate of tacos all the same flavour or try a mix and match. I’d recommend the garlic & chilli octopus, chorizo, Baja-inspired cauliflower tacos – so good! 

Bah Bah

If you’re after somewhere for brunch, I’d recommend a visit to Bah Bah. This is a great little spot for coffees, egg & chorizo burritos and French Toast, among other things. There was some miscommunication when ordering so the French toast was actually an hour late once we’d realised they hadn’t added it to the order. Not ideal when the hanger begins to set in. But the food was tasty and in a nice setting.

What to do with 24 hours on Isla Holbox

Carolinda’s Beach Club

Island life is all about relaxation and there’s no better way to relax than spending the day at Carolinda’s. This cute beach club is a bit further along the beach than the main stretch, so makes for a much more peaceful setting. Enjoy chilling on day beds, loungers or deck chairs, sipping delicious cocktails while listening to dreamy tunes. It can’t get more picture-perfect than this, especially when happy hour is 3pm – 6pm! 

Hammocks on beach 

If you’re trying to keep costs low, why not hire a hammock for an hour or two. There are a few set up along the beach front and, for a small fee, you can swing the day away reading your latest holiday book or napping post tacos.

Watch the spectacular sunset 

Finish your day by watching the sunset at the beach. The colours are incredible and on a clear evening, the whole beach is full of onlookers enjoying the scene. The combination of the setting sun against the water makes for a moment you won’t forget. There’s no better way to finish 24 hours on Isla Holbox.

When you’re ready to leave, which trust me you won’t be, take the ferry back to Chiquilá. From there, we hopped on an ADO bus back to Cancun for 326 MXN pp (£13.40). Next, we picked up Tom and continued our travels with an overnight bus to Belize.

For the next instalment, read all about how to spend 1 week on Caye Caulker, Belize, here.

Catch up on all the travels by following me on Instagram @ellielwilliams. For more wanderlust, check out my travel tips and highlights here.

Els x