Peninsule du Yucatan – Holbox

Yucatan Peninsula - Holbox

June 21, 2021

Mexico

Great arrival !

Travel near the window with full flights but on time. Everything goes well.

COVID

A simple form to fill out online. Check the QR Code and that's it !

WEATHER

It is raining it is raining Shepherdess ... but then in torrent. I'm making up for the rain that I haven't had all these weeks in Baja California 🤣

TRANSPORT

2 vols avec Aeromexico:
La Paz - Mexico City
Mexico City - Cancun (7 heure de voyage au total).
J'avais réservé un Airbnb pour une seule nuit pensant éventuellement prolonger selon les visites à faire sur Cancun. La propriétaire du Airbnb vient me récupérer à l'aéroport. Cool ! L'appartement est sympa mais sans plus, rien qui ne mérite de s'attarder dessus. Je vérifie la météo pour les jours suivants. Et bien, la météo annonce le même déluge les jours suivants. Holbox annonce mieux. Du coup, je bouge là bas.

WEATHER

The weather is fine after several days of rain apparently. It's cool !

TRANSPORTS

Cancun - Chiquila en bus avec la compagnie ADO (3h, 12 euros).
Les billets s'achètent directement à la station de bus.
Chiquila - Holbox en ferry avec 9 Hermanos.
Cette compagnie se partage les traversées avec Holbox Express. Ce qui donnent des ferries toutes les 30 minutes. La traversée dure 20mn pour 18 euros, une blague ! C'est vraiment cher mais pas le choix. A l'arrivée, des voitures de golf font office de taxi pour un coût de 30 à 50 pesos (1 à 2 euros).

Holbox

Holbox (pronounced Holboch )) is a small island in the Gulf of Mexico on the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Covering an area of approximately 56 km², it is 34 km long and approximately 1.6 km wide, more precisely 69 km northwest of Cancun.

Isla Holbox, still in the hippie spirit, has an exceptional singularity. This small island has a very personal character and charm. Fishing ports, golf carts as taxis, paradisiacal beaches, a shallow sea with astonishing shades of blue-green. Time stands still on this island.

I spent 4 days walking around the 4 barefoot corners, lounging on the beaches, drinking cocktails, eating divinely well and dancing in the street in front of the bar Hot Corner. This place is magical because every evening a DJ brings the neighborhood to life with his Latin music. So, people dance in the street.

Overall Holbox it looks like that ...

To do absolutely

Holbox the artistic

Holbox is a very colorful island ! The houses are painted in bright colors and above all, frescoes (street art) are to be found on every street corner. There are even painted concrete surfaces at the water's edge. The island is very focused on art, well-being, zenitude and positivism.A picture worths a thousand words…

Click on a photo to start the slideshow

But beware Holbox it's also that ...

Bumpy roads with big water holes… And this despite the lack of rain. Good for me, I arrived after 4 successive days of rain on the island. The roads are made of clay which makes it really difficult to absorb water. The streets are therefore slippery and impassable in places. Sidewalks (very high from the ground) are not always existing. So you will meet people with rubber boots, crocs, water shoes or barefoot (like me). The taxi carts are fully booked because imagine the ride to your hotel with your luggage. 🤣 Who says stagnant water says hello Gentlemen mosquitoes. Come loaded ahaha.

Housing

- Golden Paradise Hostel -

Pour réserver, cliquez ici

Accommodation being very expensive in Holbox, we can consider as good value for money this hostel which only offers rooms with bathroom. 30 euros / night a room with 2 double beds and terrace. I took what they had left. The staff is very nice and helpful.

Strengths of the establishment

Encounter

I introduce to you Malek, Franco Algerian. We met in a hotel when we were struggling to find a room. We hit it off directly. He has been traveling for 6 years, has done more than 90 countries. At the age of 31, it's amazing how much he's ever done. He recently opened his own online travel agency http://www.travel-moreandmore.com . He concocts tailor-made trips to his clients for any price range. He travels with a drone and good photo equipment. He will teach me several tips and even do a photoshoot. He's good, that's for sure!

Improvised photo shoot one morning on the beach

I am more and more passionate about photography. I would like to learn some techniques. Malek offers to accompany him for a photo shoot. Presentation, explanation of its equipment and settings. Use of the drone. I have the right to my own pictures. Great memory. A huge thank you Malek.

Bars & Restos

Here are some addresses on which I had a crush

PAINAPOL

Art… Simply art. This place is always full and we quickly understand why. Believe me, it's worthy to wait. A varied menu, only fresh products, healthy and tasty recipes, a bluffing implementation. The service is oiled up. And the icing on the cake, the owner is exemplary kindness. He bends over backwards for his guests. Everything is done with the heart here for the greatest pleasure of our eyes and our taste buds. I recommend it 200%.

We come, we come back and we come back and we come back ...

THE TAPATIA

Good and inexpensive Mexican food. An open space with a nice decor. Live concerts every evening. Nice !

Assessment

5 days during which I felt good. I lived by the waves. Even if the island is not as deserted as we are led to believe, the atmosphere remains very peace and love, we feel in a bubble apart from the world. Time really stands still. I mainly made very short meetings there because many come on a whirlwind trip. Malek continues his journey to Rio Lagartos then Merida. His rental car is waiting for him in the Chiquila parking lot. As this is the trip I planned to take, we decide to travel together. Very good !