Are you planning a trip to Holbox this winter?

Stepping onto the shores of Isla Holbox is like entering a secret club you wish you’d heard about years ago.

At 26 miles long and only one mile wide, this skinny fingernail of an island is located off the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, right where the turquoise of the Caribbean Sea swirls into the green of the Gulf of Mexico. Sandy streets, buildings bathed in Caribbean colors, and the sputter of golf carts — one of the main modes of transportation on the island — set the tone for a place unlike many others in Mexico. 

Truth be told, Isla Holbox is less of the rustic island escape it used to be. The allure of its Instagrammable hammock groves, yoga pavilions, and palapa-thatched bungalows worked well, and today, there are considerably more tourists and mainstream hotels than in years past. Still, this sun-soaked island, where cars are unwelcome and bare feet are preferred, is a worthy getaway from the mainland crowds of Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. 

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How to Get to Isla Holbox

Part of the charm of Isla Holbox is the legwork required to get there. The distance from Cancún helps to weed out the volume and preserve an idyllic atmosphere. Isla Holbox has a tiny airport for private planes, but most travelers will first land in Cancún. From there, you can drive or hop on the ADO bus to the port town of Chiquilá, the last mainland stop before Isla Holbox.

If you rent a vehicle, you’ll have to leave it in Chiquilá since Isla Holbox is car-free. There are small lots where parking fees are negotiable. You can take a taxi to the ferry terminal, but be prepared for steep fares. ADO is the most convenient and cost-effective option. 

ADO is one of the largest bus companies in southern Mexico. Its buses — which run to Chiquilá from around the Cancún region, including the downtown terminal, airport, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum — are safe and comfortable with wide, reclining seats and air conditioning. You can book tickets online, via the ADO app, or at the ticket counter at various bus stations. For reference, one-way tickets from Cancún to Chiquilá cost around 350 pesos (roughly $20), and the ride takes about two hours.

The next step is to hop aboard the ferry that leaves every hour from Chiquilá to Isla Holbox. The ride is a 15-minute skip across the calm channel on a comfortable (and air-conditioned) catamaran. Tickets are around 220 pesos (roughly $13).

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