Isla Holbox is a small, slender island just north of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico. Mexicans have long been in the know about this laid-back, go-everywhere-in-flip-flops getaway, but the news of Holbox's beauty and ease of living has started to get out. Though it's in the state of Quintana Roo not far from Cancun and Playa del Carmen, Holbox's vibe is more barefoot on the beach than late nights at the club. If that weren't incentive enough, it's also a gorgeousdestination, with clear green-blue waters in every direction.
Holbox is a small island that measures about 26 miles long and one mile wide, and it only has about 2,000 full-time residents. Many love the simple way of life, but that simple way of life can sometimes come with a price -- sanitation services are sometimes taxed by the high number of visitors at peak season, and it's not unusual to have power and/or WiFi blink out for days at a time if there's a lot of rain. Still, the latter scenario is often welcomed by travelers who are trying to get off the grid for a while.
The roads in Holbox are narrow and not all paved, which means that the primary way to get around is by golf cart (if you see a yellow one, that's a cab and you can hail it just like you would anywhere else in the world).Pedestrians and cyclists have the right of way, but you should still keep an eye out for the occasional truck coming around a tight corner or who doesn't have enough room to get around you.
Holbox is a great destination for street art. Many homes are painted in bright colors, and it's not unusual for local businesses to hand-paint signs or decor for their restaurants and shops. On top of that, artist visitors often leave their own work behind them. To see great street art simply begin walking -- you never know what you're going to find.
Each quadrant of the island is slightly different in terms of terrain, and the warm water is great for swimming. Along the northern shore, the water is often so calm that it feels like a warm, jewel-toned bathtub. There are stretches of sandbar visible at low tide, and most adults can simply start walking outward from the beach to the sandbar with the water coming no higher than their waists. If you want to just spend the day in a palapa reading a book, Holbox is the perfect place for that. But if you want to go stand-up paddleboarding, swim, hike, do yoga, kayak or snorkel, there's plenty of room for that too.
Many of the most beautiful discoveries are found along the northwestern shore of the island near the terribly named Mosquito Beach. You'll see a few ramshackle structures on the verge of toppling into the sea, hammocks or swings that are just inches above the water at high tide and bright letters spelling out "Holbox." Unsurprisingly, these are all great spots for Instagram, and it's hard to take a bad picture on Holbox with so much beauty accessible.
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