Of all the things to do in Holbox, slowing down into a true escape is one of the best reasons to visit.
Where rush hour is a blend of bicycles and barefoot travelers, where the palm trees sway in the salty ocean breeze and where hammocks are an essential part of each day, Holbox Island is an unspoiled paradise in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
When you visit Mexico’s slice of the Caribbean, you will be transported to your new carefree lifestyle that is going to be very hard to give up when you inevitably have to head home.
While only two hours from Cancún, Holbox is a primitive, tropical island a world away from the hustle and bustle and spring breakers.
Both post card perfect and an ecological oasis, Isla Holbox offers something for everyone.
Honeymooners will love the romantic sunsets. Ecotourism travelers will marvel at the protected bird sanctuaries where thousands of flamingos gather.
Night owls will bask in the bioluminescent sea after dark. Star gazers will be delighted by the lack of light pollution in the night sky.
And the brave can swim with whale sharks, the largest fish species in our oceans.
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No time to read? Watch my video and explore the best things to do in Holbox Island!
12 Activities and Things to Do in Holbox
One of the best reasons to visit Holbox is that you can just book a place, get there and then not worry about anything else until you feel like it.
No need to book anything ahead of time (besides your hotel) and you can plan your days as you go and how you feel.
If you’re the type of traveler that just wants to wake up, have coffee on your balcony and then wander the beach and see where it takes you, you can do that.
If it’s 10am and you’ve finished your morning mimosa and you feel like booking a tour for that same afternoon, you can do that.
To be more specific though, if you want an idea of what to do in Holbox, here is a list of my favorite activities:
1. Take Advantage of all the Hammocks
These are an essential part of island living in Holbox, so you must take part!
The famous hammocks in the water where you can hang out, sunbathe and get that epic pic for the ‘Gram.
My hotel that I stayed in even had one in the room overlooking the ocean and it was fantastic. Highly recommend Hotel La Palapa.
Some beach restaurants have them too…perfect for nursing that hangover!
2. Chill at a Rooftop Pool Bar
There are a few of these on the island, and they are so awesome. My favorite was the Alma Bar.
There’s a bunch of comfy seating, two cabana day beds that you can rent, and an infinity pool that any of the rooftop patrons can use.
And speaking of hammocks, yes there are 2 hammocks in the rooftop pool. It was very hard to leave this place!
Plus, if you like margaritas and mojitos, they have a great specialty menu and mix some really unique bebidas (drinks).
3. Check Out the Colorful Murals and Wall Art
Holbox is a vibrant and eclectic town that loves to show off its colors. In 2014, there was an international art festival that came to town, and ever since, artists have continued to keep the wall murals fresh and fascinating.
The painted buildings and string lights complement the natural vibrancy of its environment – white sand, emerald water, lush tropical green vegetation and golden hour hues in late afternoon.
Spend a whole day or small parts of each day wandering down different streets to find your favorite piece of art.
The street art in Holbox is always changing; the restaurant in the photo above used to be all pink!
Whether you’re an aspiring photographer or just love the colors of Mexico, taking yourself on a walking mural tour is one of the best things to do in Holbox.
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4. Catch the Most Amazing Sunsets You’ve Ever Witnessed
The sunsets here are one of the main draws and most talked about attractions in Holbox.
Unobstructed views from the main pier or at punta cocos beach provide dramatic mixes of cotton candy pinks or sherbet orange waves across the sky.
Travel tip: If you try to snag an ocean hammock to watch the sunset, just remember that the tide starts to come in pretty quickly at this time of day!
Another great spot to watch the sunset is from the Alma Bar rooftop.
No matter how many times you’ve watched the sun set in your life, it won’t compare to this one.
Read Next: Travel Tips and Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Holbox Island
5. Ride a Cruiser Bike Along the Beach
Renting a rusty cruiser bike and meandering through town and on the beach is a Holbox must-do activity; it’s just part of what you do there!
There are many places where you can rent bikes from, but since this is a popular activity you might find some vendors are sold out.
We had to visit 3 places before we found a shop that had them available.
Try to negotiate down to 150 pesos per bike for 24 hours. Many shops advertise 250 pesos, but we found a couple that were willing to negotiate.
Although the island is small, much of the beach and many hotels and restaurants are located lengthwise along the island, so I think it’s definitely worth it to rent bikes for at least 24 hours so that you can cover more ground.
For instance, if you want to watch the sunset at punta cocos, it’s probably a 30-40 minute walk from the central area of town.
And if you want to check out Alma bar, it’s located on the other side of downtown, which would also be another 20-30 minute walk, but only a few minutes on bikes.
6. Take a Dog for a Walk From the Animal Rescue Sanctuary
You can visit the Refugio Holbox and spend some time with rescued cats and dogs; they’ve even had raccoons there!
It’s volunteer run so they always welcome help from tourists to socialize with the animals, take a dog for a walk, clean the yard or to bathe the animals.
Some of the stories about the animals from the volunteer staff are heartbreaking, but quickly turn heartwarming when you see how happy each animal is to have a second chance at life.
It’s free to visit and play with the animals, but they’re always looking for donations to cover expenses, so consider leaving some pesos on your way out as well.
7. Have Fun Drinks at a Swing Bar
The micheladas are very popular in Holbox. This drink is basically a beer served with a mix of tomato or clamato juice, splash of lime juice and a bunch of spices and Worcestershire, and Tabasco.
If you like caesars or want to try a beer with a little kick to it, you will love these.
Or there are lots of fun cocktails to try, like the cilantro-cucumber mojito I had at the Rosa Mexicana restaurant. They’ve got swings for chairs at some of their tables!
If you’re looking for something to do in Holbox when it rains, grab a seat at the swings here, order a drink and people watch!
This is how we spent a couple hours one afternoon and the rain didn’t seem to bother us after a mojito or two…
Looking for More Mexico Hidden Gems? Read This – 26 Things to Do in Mérida, a Hidden Gem City
8. See and Swim in the Bioluminescence at Night
You know, the little bacteria that glow in the water! Yes, Holbox is one of the best places in Mexico to see the bioluminescence!
Tours usually start after 8pm and run until 10:30 pm. Stop at any tour booth of your choosing to check availability.
You can choose to take a guided kayak or paddle board tour off of the coast of the punta cocos beach where there are the fewest lights away from the hotels.
You get to swim at night with the tiny organisms that glow in the water. The vibrancy of the glowing water does depend on the weather and time of the year.
This will only be worth it when there is no moonlight as you need complete darkness to see the glowing water.
And leave your camera at the hotel. You can’t really photograph the bioluminescence unless you have a full frame camera with high ISO capability, and a wide aperture lens on a tripod using long exposures.
The best time to see the bioluminescence in Holbox Island is in August, and that’s when you experience the water that glitters.
In December and January when we visited, the bioluminescence is more like one large diluted glowing area, not the individual sparkles.
9. Take a Boat Tour to See Dolphins, Flamingos and Other Wildlife
One of the most popular tours to do in Holbox is the three island tour.
You can choose morning or afternoon departures and a boat takes you to three different islands over the course of 3 hours.
This tour is where you can see the flamingos!
There are usually dolphin sightings as well. We were lucky to find an entire family of dolphins swimming and showing off in front of our boat for about 10 minutes.
After that, you get to swim in a natural freshwater pool on a small island that I would describe as half lagoon, half-cenote; it’s called Cenote Yalahau.
After walking through some dense mangroves, a murky emerald-blue waterhole reveals itself on the middle of the small island.
While this cenote isn’t the crystal clear water you would expect to see like in other cenotes, the water is full of restorative minerals.
After swimming in this lagoon for about 30 minutes, we left feeling refreshed and calm just as if we had been in a natural hot spring back home in Canada.
10. Swim With the Whale Sharks
Whale shark season in Holbox is from June to August. Every year they migrate to the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from May to September, which is why peak season is June to August.
And while they are found in other tropical parts of the world, the Yucatan sees the highest gathering of whale sharks each summer due to the high amounts of food available in this region.
Don’t be afraid, they won’t hurt humans!
These gentle giants are only found in a few places around the world, but Mexico offers the best ways to experience them.
If you missed them in Holbox, you can go snorkeling with whale sharks in La Paz, Mexico, too!
11. Live Music at the Hot Corner
For the best nightlife in Holbox, the Hot Corner is the place to be. There’s also live music or a loud DJ spinning every night, and everyone shows up.
If you want to experience Holbox like a local, grab a beer/drink at the Six corner store and have a seat outside on the raised sidewalk and enjoy.
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12. Enjoy being on Island time doing nothing and living your best life!
Apricate your worries away on a beach lounger or take a midday siesta in a hammock. Check out the beach swings too! If you consider yourself a slow traveler, this is the destination for you.
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WHERE TO STAY IN HOLBOX
Mid-Range and Best Location:
Beachfront La Palapa. We loved this hotel because our room had it’s own hammock in front of our private balcony with a great view of the sea.
With a private beach area for guests and less than a couple blocks from restaurants and the downtown, the location can’t be beat.
Villas Tiburon. If you prefer to be a little further away from the noise of downtown, this hotel is a great choice.
Plus the rooftop Alma Bar with an infinity pool is perfect for sunset cocktails.
Best Budget Options:
Tribu Hostel. Probably the most colorful lodging option in Holbox, Tribu offers quick access to the beach and has live music or jam sessions most nights!
Hotel Beach Inn. If you’re looking for the best value option, you can get a great private room here at a very reasonable price.
Higher-End Option:
Villas Flamingos. A collection of private bungalow villas complete with hammocks and pools, this hotel is the best option if you want to splurge.
There are great vegan menu options at the restaurant and bikes are free to use to cruise around town. Plus, this hotel has the ocean hammocks right in front.
From the sandy streets, friendly dogs who roam around town, the vibrant murals and perfect golden hour every night as the sun sets, Holbox is the perfect place to spend a few days to round our your Mexico vacation.
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