What to do on Isla Holbox with kids? Isla Holbox is a nice destination to rest in Mexico with kids at the beginning or end of your tour of Yucatan. It is a small island with wonderful tropical atmospheres and miles of pearly white beaches. It is a car-free island with roads made of sand. There is something for everyone on this island. We stayed on this island for three nights and this was enough for us. In this blog, we list all the fun children’s activities on Isla Holbox and give you all the information you need for a vacation on the island.
Best travel time Isla Holbox with kids
Year-round temperature-wise, Isla Holbox is a great place to be with kids. When it starts to get warmer, there is that wonderful sea breeze that provides cooling. The rainy season is from June through October, and November may have a tail of it. After the rainy season, the large pools of water on dirt roads and seaweed on beaches disappear.
Should you wish to go whale shark spotting, June through mid-September is the travel period. Most families with kids visit Isla Holbox because of the beaches, and then a bit of sunshine is nice. The best travel time to enjoy the sun is from December to mid-March. This is also when there is the least rain and you have a good chance of having an entire day of sunshine.
Transportation to and on Isla Holbox
The easiest way to get to Isla Holbox is by rental car. By ADO bus, shared or private cab is also an option. Most families with kids who go on a tour of Yucatan land at Cancun airport. You then drive from Cancun to Chiquilá in just over 2 hours by car, where you can catch the ferry toward the island.
If you go by car, it can be parked on the mainland near the port. As you drive toward the port, people everywhere are waving at you to park, don’t do this. Drive up to the harbor and then turn left. If you drive a little further, there is a large parking lot for a much lower rate. This parking lot is not to be missed.
After this you will take the ferry to the island. There are two shipping companies: “9 Hermanos” and “Holbox Express. One airline leaves on the half hour and another airline on the full hour. In terms of price, they are no different. The boat trip takes about half an hour. Once you arrive on the island, you can take a cab (golf cart) with your suitcases. The price is calculated according to your destination and the maximum fare is 150 Mexican Peso.
Most families with kids who explore Yucatan in Mexico do so by rental car and rent the car at Cancun airport. You can rent a car here through Sunny Cars. With this company, most insurance and often the deductible are included in the price, and you can rent a car at the airport through this company. For more information on renting a car in Cancun with Sunny Cars, take a look here.
Children’s activities Isla Holbox
#1 Beach walk towards Punta Mosquito
When it is low tide, it is very nice to take a nice beach walk towards Punta Mosquito from the village of Holbox. At low tide, sand banks emerge that you can walk across nicely. Meanwhile, you can find starfish and skeletons of horseshoe crabs. Very fun for the kids to go on a quest. You may also spot a flamingo near Punta Mosquito.
At one point you come across a sign that you are not allowed to walk any further to protect the birds that are there. Many people ignore this, but try to respect nature in this. You can also take a ride on a boat that will take you to this point, but the hike is really worth it.
Be sure to really walk at low tide, because at high tide the sandbars go away and you end up deep in the water. Also be sure to wear a cap and good sunscreen since you will be walking right in the sun. Because it ebbs at a different time each day, it is best to check online in advance to see when this is the case. You can find more information about tides on the island at this website.
#2 Strolling through the center of Isla Holbox
The village of Holbox is not very large and therefore easy to walk around. This is the place to be with your hotel as well, since all the facilities for the island are here. Spot the beautiful street art found on every street in the center. The most beautiful street art in Isla Holbox can be found around the village’s central plaza.
During your walk through the village of Isla Holbox with kids, you can make a nice stop in the center where there is a fun playground, even for the little ones.
#3 Swimming with whale sharks
This is truly a once in a lifetime experience to do the family! We were not here in season, but we were able to have this experience in another country. Seeing a whale shark is so incredibly impressive and completely safe. In fact, a whale shark eats plankton, so it does not view humans as prey.
He is also considered the big friendly giant of the underwater world. In fact, it grows to an average length of 12 meters. Of course, it remains an animal and we must continue to respect nature by not touching and feeding the animal. So look for an organization that honors the welfare of these animals on Isla Holbox.
The period to see whale sharks on Isla Holbox is from June through mid-September. These tours take about 6 hours in total, so you do spend most of the day on them. More information about this tour you can book on Isla Holbox with kids can be found here.
#4 Walking Asylum Dog
Do the kids really like dogs? Then this might be a nice idea. In fact, there is a shelter on Isla Holbox where you can walk the dogs. Unfortunately, the staff themselves often do not get around to giving all the dogs the time and attention they actually need. You may pick up a little dog and walk it, but you may also come there to cuddle with the other animals.
All help and donations are welcome. There are not just dogs in the shelter. They welcome any animal that needs help on the island. Should you want to find them, this is the address: Av. Pedro Joaquin Coldwell + Calle Tintorera. The shelter is just a bit outside the center, but still very walkable from downtown. Tip: download the app maps.me in advance and pinpoint the address of the shelter there.
With this app, you can always navigate without the need for internet. This is a very fine app that you can actually use very well anywhere in the world and which allows you to always know your way around without internet. You can also use this app instead of the rental car’s navigation, for example, which you often have to book separately with the rental car. Then again, you save some money.
#5 Beaches
Isla Holbox has miles of white beaches, so plenty of room to lay out your towel. Surely the more famous beach is near the village itself (Playa Holbox). Here you can also find all the beach clubs where you can get a bite to eat and a drink. Most places also allow you to rent a beach bed.
Should you want to go a little more outside the center, you can rent a bike or golf cart to go to Punta Coco or find another quiet spot. It is also possible to have the cab drop you off at Punta Coco beach and walk back to the center.
Punta Coco is a beautiful beach and there are hammocks hanging by the sea here. Why this beach is so family-friendly is because the water of the sea slopes very gradually. This allows you to walk quite a distance into the sea with children, without it becoming very deep right away, and makes it easier for kids to go into the sea on their own.
Family-friendly restaurant Isla Holbox
When we were in Isla Holbox with our kids, we did not look specifically at children’s restaurants. There is plenty of choice of restaurants at the beaches where the kids have a good variety of good food and playing in the sand. You can therefore keep a close eye on them, should they be playing by the sea.
Carioca’s Restaurant & Beach Club: here we had a great meal with our feet in the sand. While waiting for dinner, the kids enjoyed playing in the sand. They have a playhouse there and some swings. These are actually meant for that beautiful Instagram photo, but of course they are also fine play equipment for the kids.
The food and cocktails here were good and at reasonable prices. They also have great deals here that are described on a board on the beach. In this restaurant you will find Mexican food and delicious dishes with fresh fish.
Taco Mokieras: if you want to eat where the locals eat, this is your place! The restaurant is not especially for kids, but it is a real taste experience. Incredibly friendly staff and delicious food. Here we ate the most delicious tacos of our vacation. The price was cheap compared to the rest of the restaurants on the island and we went to our apartment with a well-filled belly.
When you get your plate, there is another bar with extra toppings that you can add to your “antojitos” for free. The restaurant may not look fancy with the plastic chairs and concrete base, but it is really worth it. Side note: You can only pay with cash here and this restaurant is only open from 7 p.m. onwards. By the way, this is with most restaurants in Isla Holbox.
Family-friendly hotel Isla Holbox
You can stay in Isla Holbox with kids just fine. There are several family-friendly accommodations on the island that you can book with your family. We’ve listed the family-friendly accommodations in Isla Holbox that are super well-reviewed by families with kids. We have provided options for each price range. Press the blue link for more information!
Budget hotel: Bhoga Boutique Hotel
Mid-range hotel: Hotel Boutique Naj Casa Holbox
Luxury hotel: Palapas del Sol
Are the above 3 accommodations on Isla Holbox not suitable for you? Then check out the full list of family-friendly accommodations on Isla Holbox.
About the author: we, Chris and Ruben, together with our boys, try to make as many great memories and experiences as possible for life.
