Holbox

Holbox is a small, car-free island off the northern tip of Quintana Roo, inside the Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area. It is about a two hour drive from Cancún to the port of Chiquilá, then a 20 to 25 minute ferry ride, with departures roughly every hour from early morning to about 9 p.m.

For buyers, Holbox is a lifestyle choice: streets are sand, people get around by bike or golf cart, groceries cost more because they arrive by cargo ferry, and building heights are limited to 12 meters under the reserve's management plan. In return, it offers calm, shallow beaches, whale sharks in summer and a small, close community.

Areas to know in Holbox

Centro: the compact grid of sand streets around the main square, with most homes, shops, restaurants and services.

Playa Holbox and the hotel strip: the north shore along Avenida Damero, lined with boutique hotels, beach clubs and restaurants facing the shallow, calm main beach.

Punta Cocos: the quieter western tip of the island, the main spot for sunsets and for bioluminescence on dark summer nights.

Punta Mosquito: an undeveloped sandbar east of the hotel strip, inside the protected area, where flamingos and wading birds feed in the shallows.

Lagoon side: the south shore facing the Yalahau lagoon, with mangroves, fishing boats and the ferry crossing.

Chiquilá: the small mainland port where the ferries leave, with parking lots, small stores and restaurants.

Living on Holbox

The island has a 24 hour health center, expanded in January 2026. The regional hospital is in Kantunilkín, the municipal seat, and surgical cases are transferred to Cancún. Cash can be hard to get on the island and some places are cash only, so residents keep pesos on hand. Fresh water arrives through a submarine aqueduct from the mainland and power comes from CFE, and both have had service interruptions.

Holbox guides

Parks and nature | Arts and culture | Things to do | Restaurants | Shopping | Nightlife and entertainment

Buying in Holbox with a licensed buyer's agent

Playa Realtors is a licensed boutique brokerage that has represented buyers in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and across Quintana Roo since 2008. We work only for the buyer and never represent developers. Plan on closing costs of 7 to 10% of the purchase price, and ask us for a written estimate before you make an offer.

Holbox properties for sale | Isla Mujeres neighborhood guide | Talk to a buyer's agent

Banner photo, via Wikimedia Commons: Vanessa Priego, CC BY 3.0.