If you are coming to Mexico, and more precisely Holbox island, consider booking a boat day around the island and nearby natural reserves! You’ll get to explore and swim in the beautiful Yalahau Cenote, visit Isla de la Pasión and Isla Pájaros, spot flamingos, pelicans and discover Punta Mosquito with its pink sand banks.
Basically any hotel in Holbox will organize this kind of tour if you ask the reception.
If you’re looking for a great hotel, the one we stayed at was absolutely perfect – I highly recommend it!
Casa del Viento by ÓOL Hotels was perfectly located, very quiet with a stunning pool and outdoor area, and they organized this tour for us very smoothly.
This was a group tour and we met people from different hotels.
This 3-hour boat tour takes you around Holbox Island and includes four main stops:
- Punta Mosquitos: to see the flamingos in their natural habitat and to explore this pinkish sand bank.
- Isla Pasión: mostly known for its beautiful sandbanks and shallow turquoise waters, but there is also a nice viewpoint.
- Isla Pájaros: a birdwatching viewpoint with a many kinds of migratory birds.
- Yalahau Cenote: an open-air cenote perfect for a refreshing swim in the middle of nature.
Price of the boat tour: 550 pesos per person (usually to be paid the day before at the hotel), plus an additional 55 pesos per person for the entrance fee to the natural reserve, to be paid in cash at the port before getting on the boat.
The first stop to Yalahau Cenote has an additional cost of 100 pesos per person, to be paid in cash at the entrance.
That brings us to a total of 700 pesos or around 32€ per person.
First thing to think of is some cash to pay the entrance fee of the reserve and the cenote. Near the cenote is also a bar/restaurant, so bring extra cash if you plan on getting a snack or refreshment.
Definitely bring sunscreen, as it gets hot from the first hours of the day until sundown. Of course, don’t forget your swimsuit, beach towel and sunglasses.
You will meet the crew at the port where you arrived in Holbox via ferry.
The journey starts with a short boat trip to reach the first stop. The Yalahau Cenote is a little paradise among nature, with the transparent and fresh water:
There is a viewpoint tower on the island to get a beautiful view from above, as you can on the first picture.
I’d recommend getting your swim first while there is still only a few people, and then explore the rest of the island. There are many spots to relax, our favourite being the hammocks under the shades and a bit far away from the main area.
If you take a walk on the wooden pontoon over the mangroves, you might even see some coatis, which are similar to racoons :
We then continued to see Isla Pájaros, a birdwatching viewpoint with a many kinds of migratory birds, including flamingos :
You will then stop closely at Isla Pasión. While it is mostly known for its beautiful sandbanks and shallow turquoise waters, there is also a nice viewpoint. We started by going up to see the beautiful view (see picture 1 to 3 below) and then enjoyed a relaxing swim in the lagoon.
Finally, you will end the tour at Punta Mosquitos. This secluded stretch of sand and shallow turquoise waters is only reachable by walking along the sandbar at low tide or by boat.
You will get to see the flamingos in their natural habitat (a bit far away in the last picture below) and explore this pinkish sand bank. The pink colour is mostly due to pigmented Microorganisms that thrive in high salinity.
And that concludes this breathtaking boat tour in Holbox !
I would definitely recommend booking a boat tour if you are coming to Holbox island. You will see incredible landscapes, flamingos and enjoy some of the most secluded areas of the region.
If you need more inspiration you can check out my articles about A boat day in Bacalar or A day tour in Sian Kaan as well.
If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.
