Holbox island: front of Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.. for the sport fishing, merlin, barracudas, grouper, catfish, and more!

Holbox Island

Holbox means "black hole" in Mayan, so named because the lagoon on the south side of Holbox has very dark water. According to historian Johaan Stephenson, the first Europeans arrived to permanently settle the island in 1856. Spaniards traveled to Holbox to harvest hardwood trees, and some stayed on to found a small village. This village was destroyed by a powerful hurricane which killed 100 people, and the survivors moved the town to the highest point of the island where Holbox Village is now located.

The island is currently populated by fewer than 1500 residents. They are a simple, direct people and their lifestyle has changed little from one generation to the next. Attuned to the sea and to each other, there is no crime and no mass tourism. Although the island is small, visitors will find everything they need for a relaxed vacation. Several small restaurants serve locally caught fish, conch and lobster along with traditional Mexican dishes. Small posadas offer rooms for the night, Although there are few cars on the island, motorscooters are available for rent.

Unspoiled Natural Beauty

Yalahao Lagoon separates Holbox from the mainland. Yalahao is rife with mangrove forests and wonders such as a lovely spring fed pool at the water's edge. Flamingos feed in the lagoon from April to October and may be seen throughout the summer. Schools of up to 30 dolphins are a common sight in Yalahao and the flats near shore are alive with tarpon and other game fish. Bird watchers and nature lovers will also enjoy boat tours out to Isla Pajaros (Island of the Birds) to see over one hundred species of birds, plus horseshoe crabs, iguanas, and other creatures.

Fishermen and Craftspeople

Holboxaneans are fishermen and have been since time immemorial, and most families on the island make their living fishing, or diving for lobster, octopus and conch . They fish the gulf for profit and the lagoon for sport, yours and theirs, and will gladly share their fishing tales with you. Sharks are caught by local fishermen for commercial purposes, formerly just for shark liver oil but now for meat, teeth and other uses. Boats are always available from the pier to take visitors deep sea fishing or fly fishing.

Divers and snorkelers can see a mixture of Gulf and Caribbean marine life because of Holbox Island's unique position between both bodies of water. Divers can take lobster most of the year, but not during mating season (March - June). Deserted white sand beaches ring the island, perfect for swimming and sun bathing. Shell collectors will marvel at the perfectly intact seashells washed up on shore. Local people collect these shells to make various handicraft for home decoration or to sell to tourists.

The "hammock house" is the oldest house on Holbox Island, and woman still gather together there to make beautifully colored nylon and cotton hammocks. All the woman on the island know how to make hammocks, and most of the island's residents sleep on hammocks to stay cool and keep insects away.

The population of Holbox has increased at a higher rate over the last three years, and 65% of the island's residents are young people. To serve the needs of the young Holboxaneans, there is a kindergarten, an elementary school, a junior high which specializes in fishing techniques, and the stringed instrument workshop. At the workshop, children learn to make and play instruments like guitars, mandolins, violins and special instruments from different Mexican states: jaranas, huastecas, and veracruzanas.

A trip to Holbox Island allows you to see a part of Mexico most visitors miss.
Please ask the tour to holbox island in flamingos cabins