Holbox Island Expedition (from Riviera Maya)

Isla Holbox sits in a protected biosphere reserve at the northwestern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula — a car-free island paradise where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Caribbean and flamingos outnumber tourists. This 10-hour expedition from the Riviera Maya is one of the most rewarding long-day tours on the coast, offering a genuine escape from the resort corridor into one of Mexico’s most unspoiled natural environments.

Your day begins with a boat tour through the island’s pristine mangrove channels and coastal lagoons — a birdwatcher’s paradise home to cormorants, pelicans, herons, spoonbills and flamingos. The boat continues to Punta Mosquito, Holbox’s famous shallow sandbank where crystal-clear turquoise water barely reaches your knees and the horizon stretches endlessly in all directions. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you have the Caribbean entirely to yourself.

The afternoon brings a golf cart tour of the island — the only mode of transport on car-free Holbox — stopping at its most famous landmarks and an exclusive beachfront hotel where a generous international buffet lunch is served. The rest of the day is yours: swim in the shallow sea, relax by the pool or wander the sandy village streets browsing local art and handicrafts at your own pace.

This tour departs daily at 07:00 AM from hotels across the Riviera Maya. Joining from Cancun? We also run the Holbox Island Expedition from Cancun on Thursdays and Sundays.