Jump to content

Isla Holbox

Hollywood

By Hollywood
in Food and Travel

 Share

Recommended Posts

ChiTownDoc

ChiTownDoc 21154

Posted
Posted

The wife knows many who have been and rave about it.  We just did Playa and Mexico City...Holbox is not as convenient but totally worth it.  It's on the agenda.  

I'll throw in a shameless plug for Mexico City.  My spanish sucks, wife a little better...still, we had an amazing time.  Stay in Roma.  Easy 3.5 hour direct from Chicago.  Great food and culture.  Sorry, didn't meant to highjack the thread with that plug.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hollywood

Hollywood 342

Posted
  • Author
Posted
10 minutes ago, ChiTownDoc said:

The wife knows many who have been and rave about it.  We just did Playa and Mexico City...Holbox is not as convenient but totally worth it.  It's on the agenda.  

I'll throw in a shameless plug for Mexico City.  My spanish sucks, wife a little better...still, we had an amazing time.  Stay in Roma.  Easy 3.5 hour direct from Chicago.  Great food and culture.  Sorry, didn't meant to highjack the thread with that plug.  

Mexico City is on the list this year also. Will be without kid though. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SimonBolivar

SimonBolivar 10958

Posted
Posted (edited)
26 minutes ago, ChiTownDoc said:

The wife knows many who have been and rave about it.  We just did Playa and Mexico City...Holbox is not as convenient but totally worth it.  It's on the agenda.  

I'll throw in a shameless plug for Mexico City.  My spanish sucks, wife a little better...still, we had an amazing time.  Stay in Roma.  Easy 3.5 hour direct from Chicago.  Great food and culture.  Sorry, didn't meant to highjack the thread with that plug.  

There's quite a few of us on here that love CDMX. I could go once a year just for the mango margaritas that seem to be the hot drink right now. My impressions is that Holbox is where you go if you want no crowds and no amenities just a kickass beach. I've never been though.

Edited by SimonBolivar
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wood

wood 11226

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, next2naus said:

also, Friends swear by it, sy they would never go back to Tulum after going there

Give it time. The Tulum trendy hipster assholes will fuck it up eventually. But then again, there isn't abundant wifi for their phones & IG & other bs, so who knows...

BTW, are there any cenotes near Holbox? That's a major attraction for us around Tulum/Akumal.

Edited by wood
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wood

wood 11226

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Not sure where they're going to build up the infrastructure to support Holbox being like IM anytime soon.

On CDMX, bring the kids.  It is a very kid-friendly city.

MxC is definitely on the 'soon' list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hollywood

Hollywood 342

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, wood said:

Give it time. The Tulum trendy hipster assholes will fuck it up eventually. But then again, there isn't abundant wifi for their phones & IG & other bs, so who knows...

BTW, are there any cenotes near Holbox? That's a major attraction for us around Tulum/Akumal.

https://en-holbox.com/yalahau/

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4402

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, texasdago said:

Not sure where they're going to build up the infrastructure to support Holbox being like IM anytime soon.

 

I remember when the only way to get to Isla Mujeres was via private fishing boats. The locals corralled sea turtles in pens and charged people for rides.

Shit changes fast in Mexico when they think there's money to be made.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4402

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, wood said:

Give it time. The Tulum trendy hipster assholes will fuck it up eventually. But then again, there isn't abundant wifi for their phones & IG & other bs, so who knows...

BTW, are there any cenotes near Holbox? That's a major attraction for us around Tulum/Akumal.

Yalahau/Yalahao is the only reasonably close one. You'll need to drive towards Valladolid for anything better.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Buzzrock

Buzzrock 14921

Posted
Posted
The wife knows many who have been and rave about it.  We just did Playa and Mexico City...Holbox is not as convenient but totally worth it.  It's on the agenda.  
I'll throw in a shameless plug for Mexico City.  My spanish sucks, wife a little better...still, we had an amazing time.  Stay in Roma.  Easy 3.5 hour direct from Chicago.  Great food and culture.  Sorry, didn't meant to highjack the thread with that plug.  


What the actual fuck...



You got married?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Buzzrock

Buzzrock 14921

Posted
Posted
Lol.  I’ve been for almost 8 years.  I still get my monthly trips with the guys.  And she’s not a fan of the boat in summer - for good reason. Lol.  Great wife.  


Mind blown.

So anyway I’m interested in this thread too. Isla Mujeres is one of my favorite places on earth, but I like the idea of a scaled back version as long as it still has pretty beaches, simple but good food, and casual bars to sit at and slowly pickle myself. Where are the best places to stay? What’s the production like to get there from CUN?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4402

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Buzzrock said:

 


Mind blown.

So anyway I’m interested in this thread too. Isla Mujeres is one of my favorite places on earth, but I like the idea of a scaled back version as long as it still has pretty beaches, simple but good food, and casual bars to sit at and slowly pickle myself. Where are the best places to stay? What’s the production like to get there from CUN?

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g616319-i10828-Holbox_Island_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wood

wood 11226

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

I remember when the only way to get to Isla Mujeres was via private fishing boats. The locals corralled sea turtles in pens and charged people for rides.

Shit changes fast in Mexico when they think there's money to be made.

Yeah the first time we went to Isla was on a fishing boat from the Cancun Hotel Zone. Took like an hour & we got soaked. Isla is still awesome, but it was an absolute paradise back then. Wish we wouldn't have waited so long to start going there again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hollywood

Hollywood 342

Posted
  • Author
Posted


Mind blown.

So anyway I’m interested in this thread too. Isla Mujeres is one of my favorite places on earth, but I like the idea of a scaled back version as long as it still has pretty beaches, simple but good food, and casual bars to sit at and slowly pickle myself. Where are the best places to stay? What’s the production like to get there from CUN?


Pretty sure we are going to pull the trigger and are going to airBNB it.

Likely here with another fam:
https://abnb.me/iZAwB99bkT

Also found this place, but certainly not kid friendly:

http://puntacaliza.com/home/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4402

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Buzzrock said:

If I wanted to hear from anonymous internet idiots I’d go to Trip Advisor. I want to hear from the surly sophisticates.

Hey dipshit, if Holbox was frequented by surly slapdicks, there'd be a 20 page thread extolling its virtues.

Since there isn't, I provided a link to info from people who've actually been there.

And if you can't figure out how to filter the idiots on TA, you shouldn't be on the internet without adult supervision.

Edited by rage-a-holic
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChiTownDoc

ChiTownDoc 21154

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

I remember when the only way to get to Isla Mujeres was via private fishing boats. The locals corralled sea turtles in pens and charged people for rides.

Shit changes fast in Mexico when they think there's money to be made.

When was that?  My parents took us there on a small fishing boat in 1993ish.  My dad was cheap so there may have been other means but that's how we did it and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I actually have never been back but heard it's completely different. 

Tulum is a blast to party now especially the big weekends like around new years...but if you liked the old Tulum, you're probably like wtf is this shit...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
texasdago

texasdago 7573

Posted
Posted

I get the feeling though that what will keep Isla Holbox slow to develop is that there is nothing out there... you have to either take a puddle jumper from CUN or catch a ferry from a sleepy town nearby.  Isla is right across from a city of 1M.  Also, Holbox is a barrier island (easily wiped out by a hurricane) whereas Isla is a rocky island that isn't' going to erode away.  Holbox seems like a risky play for big development.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
texasdago

texasdago 7573

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Liquor and Poker said:

Huh.  I’ve always thought it was even less kid-friendly than most big cities. 

Taken our kids 3 times in the past 2 years... Lucha Libre, Chapultupec, the museums, Coyoacan/San Angel, Xochimilco... all great... and the people are super nice to them and you can take them to most fancy restaurants without an issue.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Liquor and Poker

Liquor and Poker 3659

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Taken our kids 3 times in the past 2 years... Lucha Libre, Chapultupec, the museums, Coyoacan/San Angel, Xochimilco... all great... and the people are super nice to them and you can take them to most fancy restaurants without an issue.  

That's all fair.  But to me it feels a bit like Cairo or Istanbul,  not like Berlin, Paris or London (well maybe some of East London).  Kind of need to have your guard up and know you're on your own. 

Now that my kids are teenagers it's back on the list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
texasdago

texasdago 7573

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, Liquor and Poker said:

That's all fair.  But to me it feels a bit like Cairo or Istanbul,  not like Berlin, Paris or London (well maybe some of East London).  Kind of need to have your guard up and know you're on your own. 

Now that my kids are teenagers it's back on the list.

Where do you stay?  Yes, you have to be aware but man, its not freakin' Cairo.  We would walk around at night in Condesa, feel safe walking in reasonable neighborhoods, took Ubers everywhere.  I got taken on more "rides" in Brussels or Athens than I ever did in Mexico City.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Liquor and Poker

Liquor and Poker 3659

Posted
Posted

I still think of Cairo from the 1990s rather than how it is today, so fair on that.  Let's say Naples.

As far as where I have stayed, mostly Centro.  I did spend a night in Tepito once but that's not some place I would consider rationally. 

But it's more the areas around the attractions in Centro that I'm talking about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
texasdago

texasdago 7573

Posted
Posted

Tepito... uh, yeah, decidedly not very kid-friendly.  Did you stay in Scampia in Naples?  The centro has some great areas but you get into rough areas very quickly.  Went to a jazz club late at night in the centro... was fine by the club but you didn't want to venture far from the main streets.  You need to really see Mexico City.  You've just scratched the surface.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Buzzrock

Buzzrock 14921

Posted
Posted
Hey dipshit, if Holbox was frequented by surly slapdicks, there'd be a 20 page thread extolling its virtues.
Since there isn't, I provided a link to info from people who've actually been there.
And if you can't figure out how to filter the idiots on TA, you shouldn't be on the internet without adult supervision.


Username checks out
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
  • 5 months later...
drifter379

drifter379 1106

Posted
Posted

Booked flights and a house for Christmas.
How are y’all getting to the island?
Shuttle van with cold beer seems the most likely.
Looking at the puddle jumpers but there are only 4 of us and I’m a big man.
Some say rent a car and park it at the ferry but that would be my last option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4402

Posted
Posted

Shuttle from CUN to Chiquila. No reason to rent a car unless you're gonna explore the Yucatan. If you speak some Spanish, hire a panga to go from Chiquila to Holbox. Will be cheaper and faster. Otherwise sit on the slow ferry with the rest of the tourist hordes.

But do the puddle jumper if you have the cash.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
drifter379

drifter379 1106

Posted
Posted
Shuttle from CUN to Chiquila. No reason to rent a car unless you're gonna explore the Yucatan. If you speak some Spanish, hire a panga to go from Chiquila to Holbox. Will be cheaper and faster. Otherwise sit on the slow ferry with the rest of the tourist hordes.
But do the puddle jumper if you have the cash.

The couple we are going with did the shuttle. Said we could drink on the way so I like that plan. I like the plane idea better for the shorter trip but I’m not surly 1%. yet
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chopper

Chopper 17236

Posted
Posted

The couple who blog as "texmex expats" has a good post about Holbox from their visit last month. Lots of good pics.

 https://texmexexpats.com/isla-holbox/

I was just thinking about Holbox the other day because HGTV had an episode of Mexico Life featuring a couple from Arizona looking for a place there. I think they went with a 650 sf 1 br wooden shack on the beach but  I can't recall the price...either 250k or 450k.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hollywood

Hollywood 342

Posted
  • Author
Posted

We went in March and loved it. Beat of beating to get to from CUN, but we rented a private shuttle and then took the ferry and then taxis to the house. Once settled we could walk to town and then explored via the golf cart.

Our house
14256e67c7882de98d25405bef5a2285.jpg

Our view:
61cd40d059e820f939d00032a10a10d0.jpg

Other photos:
7c3c28e038e8b9fdb86be45c0757e373.jpg178e87f785a456217234772ec43c0921.jpgbd32ca4d5cf4752fd1b0184e63de3f77.jpg
8b3e6a6d8f6ab0db1a63d827f715592e.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 months later...
drifter379

drifter379 1106

Posted
Posted

This is the dirtiest, sketchiest, unfriendliest, hardest place to get to. I would recommend that everyone stay away and never advise anyone to come here again.

 

And if you do tell someone to come here definitely don’t come next Christmas.

 

 

Rudolph waiting on the barco.

52cea8f0f9846e872519b5446fdd888f.jpg

 

My favorite mural

 

4fb479ec4b96741fc8319fc58de6f430.jpg

 

When Miguel brings you 20 ice cold Tecate lights after fixing the broken water line that floods one of the bedrooms at 10:00pm on Christmas Eve. You drink 20 ice cold Tecate lights. Really helps keep you hydrated.

 

Christmas day. ALL DAY!

9dd1c14a66a1160a390b1eb0983746df.jpeg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
drifter379

drifter379 1106

Posted
Posted
Are all of your toe nails black? we arrive on Holbox on January 23 for a long weekend.   I can’t wait.  Staying at Hotel La Palapa. 

 

I went with blue on my toes for this trip but they are usually chrome. (For the added horsepower)

 

the the water was a little murky and the beach had sea grass, I believe, because of some storms that passed through. They were nice and blue again on Saturday. Also we weren’t hanging out at a beach bar with attendants to rake it up.

 

We were in Casa Icaco right behind la palapa de mar. Palapa sol was a little farther out of town.

 

Pura Vida has the best margaritas we found on the island. They are made with rosemary.

And my favorite meal was at https://www.laparrilladejuanholbox.com

 

6 people with apps, meals, deserts, and drinks. $6600mx including tip. You can eat a lot cheaper but I thought it was worth it.

 

Luuma was also incredible.

 

It’s a steak house and the service and food was top notch.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
htown85

htown85 159

Posted
Posted

Going in 2 weeks for my honeymoon.  
 

staying at casa tortugas

 

Tentative plans to eat at Mandarina Beach Club, Roots, Parador 33, La Tortileria, and Big Fish
 

Plan on kayaking the mangroves and/or a cenote

 

Any holes in my tentative itinerary? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...