Travel guides
Holbox Island [whale shark home] Quintana Roo Mx
Isla Holbox An excellent destination to relax in Mexico, it is also the home of the whale shark because they migrate to these waters during the summer. More than 90% of the island is natural area, becoming ideal for bird watching, sport fishing, kayaking, enjoy and relax in paradise.
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How to get
How to get to Isla Holbox by public transport:
From Mérida, Yucatán
In the city center you can take a bus in the terminal ADO TAME (69 street between 68 and 70) or ADO CAME (70 street between 60 and 71) in the direction of Chiquilá town where you will take a ferry to cross to Holbox Island.
Bus tour 4 to 5h.
When you arrive in Chiquilá you will find several options to cross to the island, either by small boat or ferry; regularly the prices are similar. (Approx $ 240 mxn round ticket).
Chiquilá ferry timetable – Holbox Island: Every 30 minutes from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM
From Cancun, Quintana Roo
Take a bus to the town of Chiquilá in the ADO plant, it is located on Tulum Avenue, corner with Uxmal Avenue, in front of the Comercial Mexicana supermarket.
Schedule bus single exit Cancun-Chiquilá: 8:59 AM
Bus tour 3: 30h approximately
Price $ 208.00 mxn approx
When arriving at Chiquilá you will find several options to cross to the island, either by small boat or ferry; regularly the prices are similar. (Approx $ 240 mxn round ticket).
Schedules of the ferry Chiquilá-Holbox Island: The ferry crosses every 30 minutes from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm
How to get to Isla Holbox by car:
Note: When you arrive in Chiquilá you will find several private parking lots to protect your car in enclosed spaces.
From Mérida, Yucatán
Free road
From the city, drive towards the Motul village of Carrillo Puerto and follow the route: Motul de Carrilo Puerto -> Temax -> Buctzotz -> Tizimín -> Kantunilkín (when you reach this village turn left to go north) -> Chiquilá .
In this route you avoid the house payments, saving $ 320.00 mxn approx.
By highway
From the city of Mérida, drive towards Cancún on the road that leads to Valladolid following the signs of Cancún Cuota, later on there will be a detour to Holbox.
This route is much faster, making the journey in about 3 hours.
Cost of the booths $ 320.00 mxn approx.
From Cancun, Quintana Roo
Free road
From the city, drive towards the town of Leona Vicario, passing this one, there will be another very small town and then you will see the deviation towards Chiquilá on the right side.
Approximate travel time 3: 30h
Services
Ferry Chiquilá-Holbox
Price: $240 mxn aprox, round ticket
Schedule: $240 mxn aprox, round ticket
Descripcion: $240 mxn aprox, round ticket
The town of Chiquilá is very small and the ferry is not difficult to find.
Note: $240 mxn aprox, round ticket
It is highly recommended to take the ferry and take a seat at the top to observe the brackish lagoon between Chiquilá and Holbox.
Activities
Fishing
Price: From $3,500 mxn
Description:
On the island there are several suppliers and tour operators to take a boat trip. Some prices: Mini-fishing $ 3,500, fishing in Cabo Catoche $ 4,500, deep-sea fishing $ 8,000.
Note:
The prices are cheaper if you buy the tour directly on the island.
Swim with whale shark
Price: From $1,800 mxn aprox
Schedule: Only in season JULY-AUGUST
Description:
It is a boat ride through the Caribbean Sea around Holbox, this tour lasts almost all day. The trip consists in navigating the sharks that visit these waters during the summer, after swimming with the sharks, visiting some islands to observe migratory birds
About of
Destination | Attraction:
Holbox
Country:
Mexico
State:
Quintana Roo
Municipality:
Lazaro Cardenas
Meaning of the name:
The words of the Mayan language Jool = pit and Box = black gave name to this island, thanks to a spring that had a dark background, when Castilianized it was named Holbox.
Description:
The island is 41 kilometers long and 2km wide, forming a strip very close to the coast; It has a wide area of mangroves and coastal flora.
It still maintains a natural environment due to the lack of modern buildings, since the town occupies a very small area compared to the whole island.
History:
Holbox was an island populated from prehispanic times, first inhabited by the Mayans, at the time of the colony when the caste war happened (1847-1901) many Mayan rebels fled to this island avoiding battles.
Isla Holbox in danger
In 2014 companies tried to seize the island to build hotel complexes that would break the atmosphere, since the island belongs to a natural protection area “Reserve Yum balam”, protest was held with legal help obtained by the inhabitants of the island, Protest actions were carried out as human chains in June 2014.
For now, the island is safe, because organisms intervened inefficiently to save it, still at risk of being converted into giant tourist complexes.
Prices for tickets, activities and transportation may vary over time.
Weather
The weather in Holbox Island
Temperature 24 – 26 ° C, rains between 0 – 1 500 mm Warm subhumid with rains in summer, with higher humidity (40.14%), subhumid warm with rains in summer, medium humidity (30.36%) and warm subhumid with rains in summer , of lower humidity (29.50%).
