Copy My Trip: a girls' weekend in Mexico's Isla Holbox

15.06.2024 - 08:45 / lonelyplanet.com

Jun 14, 2024 • 6 min read

Lonely Planet’s marketing manager, Serina Patel, recently returned from her weekend in Isla Holbox, Mexico. Here she shares her trip highlights and what to prepare for before you step foot on the island.

What screams "30" better than a girls' trip? When my sister floated the idea of a weekend getaway for her birthday, she had one destination in mind – Isla Holbox. If you're craving a Mexican escape, minus the crowds, but with beach clubs, great eats and total chill vibes, then Holbox is calling your name. As soon as she finalized the dates, I mentally packed my luggage and imagined myself on a cozy beach chair by the ocean – I was so ready for this.

I’d done the typical Cancún family trip as a child, spent a lovely week in Mayakoba for my uncle’s wedding, and celebrated in Tulum for a bachelorette party, but I’d never ventured out beyond the popular spots in the Yucatán. Here is where Holbox comes in – I hadn’t met anyone who had visited, and I’m so thankful my sister introduced me to its beauty. 

Holbox is a hotel paradise, no doubt about it. On this car-free island, you zip around on bikes or hop on taxi buggies (pro tip: stash some cash, especially small bills). We chose hotel Punta Caliza, for its beach club, boutique feel and proximity to the ocean. It’s about a 5 minute buggy ride from the center and has a swim-up pool for every room, with breakfast included and a gorgeous lookout point. 

The Nômade hotel also caught my eye: it sits on the lower end of the island, so it’s a tad farther from the center (but still not far). The beach club, restaurant and property are stunning near Playa Punta Cocos (beach). On my next visit, I’m staying there. 

My advice: snag a hotel near the beach, bonus points if there's a beach club attached. Those beach chair reservations can pile up, so having them included will save you some time and money when it comes to locking one down. If not included in your hotel, chair reservations can range from US$20–65, but often the reservation cost goes towards food and beverage spending.

As a vegetarian who loves to eat, traveling can come with challenges. But, eating Mexican food – one of my favorite cuisines – in Holbox, I had some of the most delicious bites I’ve had in a while. I loved the healthy brunch at Painapol, and the mind-blowing six-course tasting menu at Milpa left us dissecting each dish for a good 15 minutes. Hello, gold-dusted lentil cracker and soy sauce caviar.

Over at Ser Casasandra's Mojito Beach Club, we ordered chile relleno tacos (with almond cheese) and tostones with guac. Just let me tell you…we had three orders and zero leftovers. We left our bones there. I truly haven’t been so impressed by food in a while – and this did it for