How To Get To Isla Holbox - From Cancun And Beyond (2022 Guide)

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Whether you’re travelling from Cancun to Holbox directly, or from elsewhere in the country, find out how to get to Isla Holbox by bus, plane, car and bus.

Isla Holbox is one of my favourite places on the planet for relaxation, great weather and charm. It’s a mini paradise island, and just out of the way enough to not be overrun with tourists… yet!

I loved my time there so much that I wrote a mammoth Isla Holbox travel guide all about it. If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’ll definitely home in handy with your trip planning.

Sitting on the pier on Isla Holbox, Mexico

Sunrise in Holbox — Sunrise on Holbox Island

One of the biggest questions people have asked since is HOW to get to Holbox. So, first things first…

Contents

Isla Holbox Map
How To Get To Isla Holbox
Travelling to Isla Holbox by plane
Travelling to Isla Holbox by public bus
Travelling to Isla Holbox by car
Catching the Isla Holbox ferry from Chiquila
Travelling to your hotel on Isla Holbox
Important travel tips for visiting Isla Holbox
Isla Holbox Travel Guide
Where To Stay In Isla Holbox: Hotels for Every Budget
Best Restaurants In Isla Holbox – Where To Eat In Holbox
13 Best Beach Clubs In Isla Holbox
18 Pics That Will Make You Want To Visit Isla Holbox
How To Get From Merida To Isla Holbox

Isla Holbox Map

As you can see on this map, Holbox is located north of Cancun in Quintana Roo, at the top of the Yucatan Peninsula. While lots of the Riviera Maya is saturated with hotels and holidaymakers, this area is far enough away to have retained some real charm.

Planning your trip to Isla Holbox? Here are a few quick highlights:

Yalahau, Passion Island and Punta Mosquito boat tourThis is the most popular boat tour from Isla Holbox for a reason!
Guided sunrise kayak tour through the mangrovesOne of the most beautiful ways to get around paradise for early risers
Guided bioluminescence kayaking tourYou’ll be amazed by what you see
3-Islands boat tour with lots of wildlife and swim stops Amazing wildlife and crystal clear waters – what more could you want?
Private luxury transfer from Cancun Airport to Chiquila PortThe easiest way to get from Cancun to the ferry to Isla Holbox
Stay at Casa Las TortugasOne of the most stylish and luxurious boutique hotels on Isla Holbox
Book a mid-range hotel on the islandThe stylish Naj Casa Holbox offers very reasonable rates
Stay in a budget hostel in Isla HolboxChe Hostel has a very cool vibe and is ideal for backpackers

How To Get To Isla Holbox

There are several ways to reach Holbox. You could travel by car or public bus to Chiquila port and then catch the Holbox ferry across to the island. Or you can fly to the island by plane. Your plan will depend on where you’re coming from and how much you want to spend.

Travelling to Isla Holbox by plane

There’s a tiny airport on Isla Holbox, so you can reach the island by private plane. Most flights to Isla Holbox leave from Cancun airport, but you can also make arrangements to fly from Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel and Merida. The journey time is around 40 minutes, making it the quickest way to reach Holbox.

If you’re looking for cheap flights to Isla Holbox, you’re in for a shock! Prices start around 470 USD one way, and as the planes are small, there may be limits on how much luggage you can take. You can check out all the latest prices and info on the Flights Holbox website.

You’re guaranteed some incredible views too. These were snapped on a drone, but I figure they’ll be similar from a plane window!

Incredible aerial views over Isla Holbox (taken by drone)

Incredible aerial views over Isla Holbox (taken by drone) — Did you know you can fly to Holbox? You might see incredible aerial views like these

Aerial views of Isla Holbox, Mexico — Imagine travelling to Isla Holbox and seeing views like this

Travelling to Isla Holbox by public bus

The cheapest and easiest way to get to Holbox is by public bus. Rather than the collectivos (minibuses) you see all over Mexico, these are smart coaches run by ADO (Mexico’s main bus network).

If you’re wondering how to get to Holbox from Cancun, it’s pretty simple. The ADO bus from Cancun to Chiquila takes around three and a half hours, and when I looked, tickets started from $22 (375 MXN) depending on when you travel. The buses from Chiquila also go to Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, Valladolid, Merida and a few other places.

The buses drop you off at the ferry port in Chiquila, where you can buy tickets for the ferry to the island.

You can check out all the latest prices and info on the ADO website.

ADO bus mexico — It’s easy to travel from Cancun to Isla Holbox on the ADO Bus Mexico

CLICK HERE for my Isla Holbox travel guide

2024 costs of buses to Holbox / Chiquila Port (including journey time)

Cancun to Holbox – 378 MXN (2 hours 35)Playa Del Carmen to Holbox – 386 MXN (2 hours 10)Tulum to Holbox – 514 MXN (3 hours 30)Merida to Holbox – 600 MXN (6 hours 30)Valladolid to Holbox – 284 MXN (3 hours 40)

If you’re travelling from Merida, I’d recommend reading my detailed guide on how to get from Merida to Isla Holbox.

Travelling to Isla Holbox by car

As with the bus routes, if you travel by car, the furthest you can get is Chiquila port, where you’ll need to park up and hop on the Holbox ferry.

From Cancun, it’s just two hours by car to Chiquila. Once in the town, you’ll need to find somewhere to leave your car. While none of it feels very official, there are lots of small car parks – i.e. enterprising locals letting you park in their yards/garages for a small fee!

We picked one and paid 100 MXN per day, paying at the end when we collected our car. Everything was fine, but I’d recommend you take any valuables with you, just for peace of mind.

Catching the Isla Holbox ferry from Chiquila

There are two ferry companies operating between Chiquila and Holbox and funnily enough they offer exactly the same service, and cost the same price. The only difference really is that one runs on the hour, and the other on the half hour, meaning you’ll never wait long for the next boat.

The ferry to Holbox takes 15 minutes. We travelled on the Holbox Express on the way there, and caught the 9 Hermanos ferry when we left. Tickets for the Holbox ferry cost $300 MXN per person for adults and $200 MXN for children. It’s free for kids aged 0-2 years.

The ferries start at 5am and finish around 8.30pm. Check out the times and more info here.

Travelling to your hotel on Isla Holbox

When you step off the ferry you’ll be greeted by a row of golf carts, ready to drive you to your Holbox accommodation. You’ll pay between 20-30 MXN (around £1) to be driven the few minutes across the island to the centre.

If you don’t have much luggage, then the walk to the main square takes less than ten minutes. I felt like hopping on a golf buggy was all part of the fun of visiting the island though!

Golf buggies waiting at Holbox Ferry Port

Important travel tips for visiting Isla Holbox

ATMS – There are only a few ATMS on Holbox, and they’re unpredictable! Prepare for them all being out of service whether that’s for technical reasons, or that they’ve literally run out of cash. You can pay on credit and debit cards at plenty of places, but there’s no guarantee that will work either. There are also currency exchanges around the town, but the exchange rates were dreadful, so I wouldn’t recommend that if you can avoid it.

When we visited Holbox they were all broken for a day, which meant we had trouble paying for some of our food one evening! Things may have improved, but I’d recommend stocking up before reaching the island.

We also discovered that Chiquila didn’t have a working ATM, so it was a long drive to get any money.

I hope this guide helps you figure out how to get to Holbox. It’s genuinely one of my favourite places I’ve visited in the last few years. It’s colourful, cheerful and has a laid back charm that is hard to find!

Isla Holbox Travel Guide

Everything you could need to know about visiting Isla Holbox, from when to visit, how to get there and where to stay, to the best things to do on the island.