12+ Unique Things to Do on Isla Holbox Beyond the Beach
Discover the best activities and attractions on Isla Holbox in this list of the best things to do on the island and offshore.
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From swimming with whale sharks and kayaking through mangroves to searching for bioluminescent plankton and exploring the island by golf cart, there are plenty of unusual things to do in Holbox that make a trip to this paradisical Caribbean island so much more memorable than simply spending a few days on the beach.
We chose Isla Holbox as our final destination on our Yucatán Peninsula trip, and after 3.5 months backpacking Mexico, we were ready to slow down and relax. It quickly became one of our favourite islands in Mexico. But we were surprised by just how much there was to do beyond the main beaches. In this guide, we’ll share the most unique things to do on Isla Holbox, including wildlife experiences, boat trips, water activities, unusual natural attractions, and a few of the more adventurous ways to explore the island.
More from Holbox
The best things to do in Holbox
Isla Holbox is small, the streets are mostly sandy, and some of the best things to do here are as simple as cycling to the beach, wandering through town, or finding a hammock and staying there for a few hours with a good book. But there are plenty of organised tours if you want to get out on the water and see more of the stunning surrounding natural region. When you get off the Holbox ferry, you’ll arrive right in the centre of town, close to the main square, restaurants, tour operators, and the beach. Here’s what we wouldn’t miss.
Top Tours in Holbox
1. Chill out on Playa Holbox
Playa Holbox is the island’s main beach and stretches for miles along the northwestern side of the island, with soft white sand and shallow, warm water. The sea here is generally very calm, and its crystal-clear quality is so inviting, although the water can be quite shallow for a long way out, so it’s more suited to wading and swimming than dramatic waves or watersports.
There are plenty of beach bars, restaurants, and hotels along the shore, but you don’t need to spend money at a beach club to enjoy it. We found it was the sort of beach where you could easily spend half a day doing absolutely nothing, which is pretty much the point of coming to Holbox.
There are several other stunning beaches on Isla Holbox, which we’ve covered separately.
2. See bioluminescence at Punta Cocos
Seeing bioluminescence, which looks like sparkly blue lights dancing in the ocean and is caused by microscopic organisms, is up there with seeing the Northern Lights for us. It’s one of the most unique things to do in Holbox, and it’s possible at Punta Cocos, the tip on the southwestern side of the island.
For the best conditions, you need to visit during a new moon so it’s completely dark, and the calmer the conditions are, the better. Between June and August is also best, when warmer water temperatures make the microorganisms most active and visible, but anytime between May and October is fine, and we saw them in April.
It’s possible to visit independently – we simply did the 30-minute walk from town to Playa Punta Cocos one evening. From there, turn left at the sea and walk down the beach for 5-10 minutes until you reach the lagoon. This is the best spot for seeing bioluminescence in Holbox, here on Google Maps.
The tiny organisms that cause this phenomenon emit flashes of blue light when the water is disturbed, so you can see the water sparkle as you move through it. We could make out the blue effect if we splashed, and it was better in complete darkness, although it was rather annoying when others came along with their phone torches on full, as it spoils the effect and takes a little while for your eyes to adjust again.
It’s almost impossible to capture with a phone camera, but we could make out a tiny bit of blue on video. If you’re a photographer, you’ll want to use a tripod, a wide and fast lens, a high ISO, and a long exposure between 5 and 30 seconds.
There are also bioluminescent tours which will take you out to quieter coves to see the bioluminescence by kayak. You can book them online or in person at the tour huts outside Playa Holbox and in the main town. There are also golf cart taxis, which charge 350 pesos each way ($20 USD) to Punta Cocos, which we thought was quite steep, which is why we walked.
There are crocodiles around the island, so it’s worth being cautious around the water, but it’s very unlikely you’ll come across one. We met another couple at Punta Cocos and walked back with them, which made us feel a little safer, and saw no crocs – we did see a scorpion on the sandy road, though!
3. Walk the sandbanks at Punta Mosquito
Punta Mosquito is a protected area at the northeastern end of Holbox’s beach, where you can walk out along shallow sandbanks surrounded by clear water. The area is known for its wildlife, particularly pink flamingos and other birds, so it’s one of the best things to do in Holbox if you love wildlife like us.
At low tide, large expanses of sand are revealed parallel to the shore, and you can walk out onto them and along them to the nature reserve known as Punta Mosquito. Isla Holbox is part of the Yum Balam Protected Area, a huge protected area covering the island and surrounding wetlands, mangroves, beaches, and coastal waters. This protected status helps preserve the island’s wildlife and natural habitats, including the areas around Punta Cocos and Punta Mosquito.
To get to Punta Mosquito, walk to the end of Playa Holbox to Hotel Villas Flamingos, then wade out about 100 metres (330 ft). From there, it’s only around 0.6 miles (1 km) to Punta Mosquito. You can make it even shorter by walking, cycling, or taking a golf cart to Las Nubes de Holbox, and then walking out from there.
You’ll likely see a couple of stingrays on your way, so it’s best to shuffle your feet as you walk so you don’t step on them. We saw our first-ever rays here – they were pretty skittish and shot off immediately, but we were glad to be shuffling our feet, so we didn’t step on them.
4. Do a DIY graffiti walk
There’s lots of cool art around Isla Holbox, and by taking a leisurely walk or cycle you’ll find loads of beautiful murals and paintings. Apparently, it started back in 2014 when the International Public Art (IPA) festival hosted “Dreaming of Holbox”, bringing artists from around the world to paint the village.
Today, the town is covered in street art, with artwork adorning walls, buildings, and even some of the less obvious side streets. You can simply wander around with your camera and see what you find. Many images depict local life, Mayan heritage, and wildlife like whale sharks, flamingos, and crocodiles.
A couple of noticeable pieces include:
5. Take a picture with the many signs
Isla Holbox has several colourful signs and sculptures that have become popular photo stops, so you’ll probably come across a few while wandering around town:
6. Walk a rescue dog
If you’re missing your furry friend while travelling, you can spend some time with a rescue dog by volunteering with a local animal welfare organisation. The Refugio Animal Sanctuary works with rescued dogs and other animals, and helping out can include walking the dogs that need exercise and attention.
We always try to do this now when travelling, because we’ve seen first-hand what a difference it can make – and it’s fun for us too.
There’s no need for an appointment – just pop by between 7:30 AM and 1:00 PM or 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM to see how you can help.
7. Swim with whale sharks
Swimming with whale sharks is one of the main reasons people visit Isla Holbox during the summer, when these enormous but harmless filter-feeding sharks gather in the waters around the Yucatán Peninsula.
The official tour season varies slightly each year, but trips generally run from around June to September. Tours usually involve several hours on a boat searching for whale sharks, followed by the chance to enter the water with them under strict rules about how you interact with the animals.
You won’t necessarily see them every day because they’re wild animals and conditions can affect where they are, so we’d be wary of any operator promising a guaranteed sighting. You should also be a strong swimmer, as conditions aren’t always calm and you need to properly swim to keep up with them.
From our research, it’s a popular activity, with tours also leaving from Isla Mujeres and the mainland, and we read reviews of the whale sharks being crowded by too many boats. If you’re looking to swim with whale sharks in Mexico, we’d recommend swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, where the area is better regulated, and it’s actually cheaper and easier to access the whale shark zone.
8. Rent a bicycle and cycle
Renting a bicycle on Holbox is one of the easiest ways to get around, especially because the island is flat and most of the roads around town are sandy rather than paved. You can cycle between the main village, the beaches, Punta Cocos, and other parts of the island without needing to rely on taxis or golf carts.
There are countless shops in town and off Playa Holbox offering bike rentals, and you can expect to pay about 200 pesos (~$11 USD) for a day.
Just be prepared for some very soft sand and occasionally flooded streets, which isn’t particularly easy to cycle through, and don’t expect the same smooth ride you’d get on a paved cycle path.
9. Go island hopping
Taking a boat trip from Holbox is one of the best ways to spend a day. You’ll likely see ads for the classic three islands tour, which combines several nearby islands (islas) and sandbanks into one day, including:
If you’d rather avoid joining a larger group, you can also book a private boat tour and have more flexibility over how long you spend at each stop and what else you visit.
10. Eat mango on a stick
You can’t spend much time in Holbox without seeing mangoes being prepared on sticks and covered in chilli, lime, and other toppings. They’re sold by street vendors around the village and on Playa Holbox and are a cheap, refreshing snack when you’re wandering around in the heat.
A couple we met in Tulum actually gave us this tip, and it paid off – Dan was obsessed. The combination of sweet mango, sharp lime, and spicy chilli is particularly good after a morning at the beach, although you might want to keep a napkin handy because it gets messy.
11. Sip cocktails on the beach
Isla Holbox has plenty of beach bars where you can grab a cocktail, put your feet in the sand, and watch the day go by. You’ll find everything from simple bars with plastic chairs and hammocks to more upscale beach restaurants serving cocktails and food.
We think the best way to do it is to find somewhere you like the vibe of, order a drink, and settle in rather than trying to visit lots of different places in one evening. Holbox is much more enjoyable when you slow down a bit, and that’s exactly what we did on our final day, listening to live music and sipping cocktails.
12. Watch the sunset
Because Holbox faces west, the beach is a great place to watch the sun go down, and you don’t need to book a sunset cruise or find a specific viewpoint to enjoy it. Head towards the western end of the main beach or find a spot at one of the beach bars and watch the sky change as the sun disappears over the water.
You’ll see it’s almost a community event as the beach is littered with tourists and locals alike bidding the last rays of the day’s sun goodbye. It’s also obviously completely free, doesn’t require any planning, and is worth doing at least once while you’re on the island.
Other fun things to do in Holbox
We’ve covered the main things to do in Holbox, but there are plenty of other activities if you have a few extra days or fancy doing something different:
Things to do on Isla Holbox FAQs
To help you choose what to do on Isla Holbox, we’ve answered these frequently asked questions.
What are some fun things to do in Holbox?
Some of the best things to do in Holbox include relaxing on the beaches, taking a Three Islands boat tour, swimming with whale sharks in season, and looking for bioluminescence after dark. You can also explore the sandy streets by bicycle or golf cart, kayak through the mangroves, look out for flamingos around Punta Mosquito, and watch the sunset at Punta Cocos.
What to do in Isla Holbox for a day?
With just one day on Holbox, we’d focus on the beach, exploring the island by bike or on foot, wandering through the colourful streets, and watching the sunset. If you arrive early enough, you could also join a three-island boat trip before spending the evening in town.
Are there any free things to do in Isla Holbox?
You can spend the day on Playa Holbox, walk the sandbanks at Punta Mosquito, explore the street art, find the colourful signs around town, and watch the sunset without spending anything.
What are some romantic things to do in Isla Holbox?
Watch the sunset together, have cocktails on the beach, cycle around the island, or take a private boat trip. Seeing the bioluminescence at Punta Cocos is another good option for couples, particularly if you want to do something after dark. We visited as a couple and loved it.
What to do in Isla Holbox with kids?
Holbox is a good choice for families, particularly because the water around Playa Holbox is shallow and generally calm. Kids can also enjoy cycling, looking for street art, eating mango on a stick, taking a boat trip, and swimming in Yalahau Lagoon.
What to do in Isla Holbox at night?
After dark, you can head to Punta Cocos to look for bioluminescence, eat at one of Holbox’s restaurants, or find a beach bar for cocktails. The town is also lively enough for a few drinks and some music, without needing to plan a big night out.
Read next:
A Traveller’s Guide to Isla Holbox: Where to Stay, Eat & Play
6 Best Beaches on Isla Holbox + Top Beach Clubs & Bars
How to Get to Isla Holbox (Easiest & Cheapest Ways) + Getting Around
