Isla Holbox travel guide
This winter felt never-ending, so Matt and I were dying for a hot holiday when January rolled around. After toying with the idea of the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, and various places in Mexico, we finally went with Isla Holbox, a low-key island on the Northeast shore of the Yucatán Peninsula. Quite a few of our friends have been and really loved it, so we had high hopes!
Having spent just shy of a month there, we totally get the hype. It’s a great mix of barefoot, easy lifestyle and bougie food. The people are lovely and kind, and we felt safe there the entire time. The bad news is it's growing fast. Here's hoping it can keep lots of that lovely island charm!
Where to stay
We needed somewhere that I thought was pretty (high bar!) and had enough space for friends to join us. Our airbnb was on the quieter side of the island; less than a two-minute walk to the beach and our favorite coffee spot outside of town. Town is a 20 minute walk or 10 minute golf buggy (it's actually car-free here), but we fell into a great rhythm with it.
Other good contenders are Nômade (the hotel we went to for breakfast most mornings) and Casa las Tortugas (also on the beach, but in town).
Where to eat
Breakfast
We'd start our days with breakfast at Nômade or Clandestino, if we were in town. Matt's quite the coffee connoisseur and claims the Clandestino coffee is on par with some of the best in London!
Dinner
Santos Fuegos - wood-fired fusion deliciousness with great roast chicken and the best steak empanadas we've ever eaten. We went back multiple times!
Luuma - one of our absolute favorites, both for the inventive fusion food and the atmosphere. It even has a great little boutique so you can shop while you wait. Heaven!
Virra - a lovely new Italian place with an in-house sommelier for delicious wine-pairings.
Street food
On the nights we were craving more cheap and cheerful food, the street food was our go-to.
Smashy burger - I'm legit dreaming about these burgers! There's one stall in town, and one a two minute walk from our airbnb. Get extra fries as the portions are not American size.
Taquería Mateo - Humble and delish tacos for $1 each. It felt like the kind of spot Anthony Bourdain would rave about.
Marquesitas - a kind of crispy toasted crepe filled with grated Dutch cheese (queso de bola) and nutella. You can get them from food carts all over the island. A crazy concoction but so tasty!
Where to bask
Most of the nicer places (like Casa las Tortugas) are guests-only and the busier, hotel-side of the beach definitely fills up on the weekends.
We would change things up based on the kind of mood we were in. Agua de Coco (a five-minute walk from our airbnb) is perfect if you're after peace and quiet, good food (and Diet Coke!) and iguana-spotting. It's also free, unlike most of the others.
If you're after something a bit more lively, La Playa de Ñaña and Mawimbi are both good options with tasty food. Both charge a cover but once you've got food and drink for the day, it usually evens out.
Where to drink
The sunsets on the island are amazing and golden hour at Bar Zomay is a must. It's one of the more touristy spots but well worth it for the amazing view. Our friend Andy introduced this star-gazing app to us and we'd sit there well after the sun went down, planet-spotting and watching the sky change color.
If 90's hip-hop and delicious cocktails are your thing, you'll love Lazaro. It's the best people-watching spot in town, with front row seats to the nightly volleyball games and zumba classes going on in the square.
Where to shop
Le Bazaar boutique - attached to Luuma. 90% of the stuff I bought home was from here! A great selection of jewelry, clothing and accessories.
Apollo - lots of pretty ceramics and really beautiful clothing (better than your average beach finds).
Pharmacy - the best one for semi-illicit rx, if you're into that sort of thing.
Honorable mention to the little carts they drag out onto the beach. We got some gorgeous linen bits there!
Helpful hint - if you like nice sunscreen, bring your own. I was disappointed with everything I could find on the island!
