How to Get to Isla Holbox, Mexico

Holbox Island, in Quintana Roo, is a must-see during your next visit to Mexico, that's why we explain how you can get there from Cancun Airport or Playa del Carmen. The island's roads are not yet paved and cars are not allowed, so getting to Holbox requires a bit of planning. Fortunately, it's not too complicated a matter and there are a range of options for every budget.

Here’s how you can get to Holbox:

1. Rent a Car

One of the more popular options is to rent a car at the Cancun International Airport and leave it at the Port of Chiquilá parking docks during your stay at Isla Holbox- remember, no cars allowed on the island! The cost of parking at the Chiquila docks is around 5-10 USD per day.

2. Shared Shuttle

The best way to get to the island if you prefer to avoid the hassle of a rented card, is the shared transportation service from Cancun to Chiquilá. The journey then is only about 2.5 hours long. You can pre-book the shuttle to pick you up from the airport and drop you off at the port of Chiquilá where you can catch the ferry to the island.

3. Private Plane Charter

If you’re in for a more comfortable and faster trip then you should consider this option. It’s possible to fly to Holbox from Cancun Airport as there’s a small Isla Holbox airport. However, keep in mind that unfortunately, these flights are not cheap.

4. ADO Bus

For a transfer on a budget, this is the best option but it is also the option that will take the most time and perhaps the one that requires the most logistics. You will have to go to the ADO Bus Station in downtown Cancun and then buy bus tickets to take a bus to Port of Chiquilá and then catch the Holbox ferry to Holbox Island.

This is the cheapest way to get to Holbox. The tour can last between 2 and 3 hours, depending on the traffic in the area.

The ADO bus (from Cancun Downtown Station to Chiquila) has six daily departures: 8:30 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, and 3:30 pm.

5. Ferry from Chiquilá to Holbox Island

Once you have arrived in Chiquilá Port, the only option to get to the island is by ferry; the trip lasts around 15 minutes. The trips start at 5 am and run every 30 minutes. Two ferry boat companies operate in Holbox. And have slightly different schedules which are convenient for all arriving passengers.  There is no need for reservations. All you have to do is show up at the port and buy the ferry tickets.

6. If you do not wish to pay the toll, you have the option of taking an alternative route by going up to Puerto Morelos and heading up the highway to the inland town of Leona Vicario, from where you will reach highway 180, continue to highway 5, from which you will you will go to ferry terminal.

6. Take an alternative route by going up to Puerto Morelos 

If you are in Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, and want to go to Holbox without paying tolls, head up the highway to the inland town of Leona Vicario, from where you will reach highway 180, continue to highway 5, from which you will you will go to ferry terminal.

If you take the 305D road, in the direction of Mérida, you will pass two toll booths where you must pay in cash. The approximate cost for both is 300 Mexican pesos.

This alternative route, your route will be 160 kilometers, with an approximate duration of 2 hours and a half.

7. Transfers with Ser Casasandra Hotel

The Ser Casasandra Hotel offers you two alternatives to facilitate your transfer to the island of Holbox. Here we detail them:

Private transfer: if you choose to take a flight to Cancun or Playa del Carmen, one of our representatives will wait for you at the airport, you just have to notify the flight number and the time of arrival and departure.

Private flight: you can take the trip on a private flight with us. The plane will depart from the private airport of Cancun FBO, located 5 minutes from the main airport.The fare for a small plane is USD 980 for a one-way trip and between 1 and 4 people can travel, with 15 kg (30 pounds) of luggage for each person.

Flights operate from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. m. to 5:00 p.m. m. and they last 25 minutes from Cancun to the island of Holbox. During the transfer you will be able to admire the natural beauty of the Yucatan peninsula.

If you want to know more about this service, contact us through our website and we will tell you all the details.