Just an hour and a half from Playa del Carmen you will find the small and picturesque dock of Chiquilá. It is the ideal place to take the ferry and cross to the wonderful Holbox Island, this destination that has increasingly become one of the most popular attractions of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Holbox of the Mayan dialect and that in Spanish means “black hole” is formed by a sandbank which causes that beaches do not have a depth bigger than one meter. Long walks along the beach where the water does not pass your knees invite you to meet the island from end to end.
Soon you will realize that time has stopped here, the vibe is very relaxing so the activity that most visitors do is rest, you can find very cheap and basic accommodation to boutique hotels, you decide what you like most, some of them located in the center of the island and others at the foot of the beach, we suggest you do your research well so you can enjoy this beautiful place to the fullest.
Just walk around from Playa Cocos to Punta Mosquitos
You can also rent a bike or a golf cart to reach the extremes of the island, on the left side Playa Cocos which is perfect for renting a hammock and watching the sunset (a must-see) and on the right side Punta Mosquitos, which, if the tide is low, after parking your bike before crossing the river (you’ll see it, there is a huge sign) just spot the white path in the water and walk on it until you reach a small high point of sand in the sea, you’ll love to see how the water surrounds you.
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Island hopping tour
If you prefer adventure, there is a tour that you can hire with the local boatmen, they take you to know 3 points between the island and the Yalahau lagoon that you cross to get to Holbox:
- Isla Pájaros: which is a small islet covered by mangrove where a great diversity of birds live (flamingos, herons, frigates, pelicans, wild ducks, seagulls, among others), some of them in danger of extinction; so there are two viewpoints and walkways in order to minimize the direct contact with them.
- Passion Island: which is perfect to take pictures with the infinite sea, the water does not go beyond the ankles and you can find several old trunks dragged by the currents.
- Yalahau water eye: the third stop and the most refreshing one, you will be impressed by how crystalline the water is here that you will be able to see the bottom perfectly, there are people who believe it has healing properties. This tour will take you about 2 and a half hours and if you are lucky, you will be able to meet some dolphin family while crossing from point to point.
Taste local lobster at it’s best
Now, the gastronomic part, the locals practice fishing, among the most popular, lobster fishing so it will be very easy to find the traditional lobster pizza, it is delicious and you can find it in most restaurants, you will also find the traditional food of the region, salbutes, panuchos, and other Mexican variety.
So, finally, the recommendations: stay at least one night, give yourself the opportunity to get to know the island (it’s not that big) and explore it on foot or by bike, don’t miss the sunset, it’s quite a spectacle and you’ll see how people gather to contemplate it. You can get there by renting a car or by bus (ADO), arriving to Chiquilá you will find several parking lots, you pay $100MXN for the whole day, the ferry costs 300MX round trip and the tour $400MXN per person. Fall in love with Holbox, remember that people return to the places where they were happy.
