Holbox (, "black hole" in

Yucatec Maya Yucatec Maya ( ; referred to by its speakers as or ) is a Mayan languages, Mayan language spoken in the Yucatán Peninsula, including part of northern Belize. There is also a significant diasporic community of Yucatec Maya speakers in San Fra ...

) is an island in the Mexican state of

Quintana Roo Quintana Roo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, constitute the 32 administrative divisions of Mexico, federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into municipalities of ...

, located on the north coast of the Navraj Singh Peninsula. It is approximately long and wide, and it is separated from the mainland by 10 km of shallow

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...

that is home to

flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes () are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbe ...

pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before ...

s and other rich birdlife. Holbox Island is part of the Municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas and also part of the Yum Balam Biosphere Reserve. The island's main industry is

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

. However, the island is developing a growing tourist industry in the form of

whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter feeder, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known Extant taxon, extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of . The whale shark holds many records for ...

viewing.

Lobster Lobsters are Malacostraca, malacostracans Decapoda, decapod crustaceans of the family (biology), family Nephropidae or its Synonym (taxonomy), synonym Homaridae. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on th ...

is the main product of this fishing and many of the dishes made on the island center around lobster or other seafood. The island is accessed by ferry from the mainland town of Chiquilá, and has virtually no cars, with transport by most residents and tourists by

golf cart A golf cart (alternatively known as a golf buggy or golf car) is a small motorized vehicle designed originally to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course with less effort than walking. Over time, variants were introduced t ...

moped A moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. Historically, the term exclusively meant a similar vehicle with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle eng ...

. A few charter airlines fly to Holbox from

Cancún Cancún is the most populous city in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, located in southeast Mexico on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is a significant tourist destination in Mexico and the seat of the municipality of Benito J ...

and Playa del Carmen; there is a small

airstrip An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...

called Holbox Aerodrome that can accommodate five-seater and 13-seater

Cessna Cessna () is an American brand of general aviation aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of the Cessna Aircraft Company, an American general aviation aircraft manufactu ...

aircraft. Vehicle entry is not allowed at Holbox in order to protect the environment and to prevent the streets from accumulating sand. Holbox has several alternatives to enjoy nature, but the one that attracts most visitors is the experience of swimming with the impressive

from June to September, an opportunity found in very few parts of the world. During hurricane season, the island is often evacuated as it can get directly damaged by hurricane winds.

History

The first written mentions of the island were in 1852 from a document sent by Don

Bartolomé Magaña Bartolomé may refer to: People * Bartolomé Abdala (born 1964), Argentine politician * Bartolomé Bermejo (c.1440–c.1501), Spanish painter * Bartolomé de las Casas (1484–1566), Spanish priest * Bartolomé Castagnola (born 1970), Argentine pol ...

to the Governor of

Yucatán Yucatán, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate municipalities, and its capital city is Mérida. ...

. The adjacent mainland was frequently attacked by the

Maya Maya may refer to: Ethnic groups * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (East Africa), a p ...

therefore people sought refuge on this island. The government wanted to keep people from living on this island but the citizens refused to leave their homes. Hurricanes in 1886 completely destroyed the island, but the island was rebuilt afterward. Electricity reached the island in 1987. The island was registered ecological reserve ( Yum Balam Biosphere Reserve) in 1994. Starting in the 2000s, a real estate boom changed the island's economy, mainly led by the charm of the remote island. In 2020, ''

El País (; ) is a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. is based in the capital city of Madrid and it is owned by the Spanish media conglomerate PRISA. It is the second-most circulated daily newspaper in Spain . is the most read newspaper in ...

'' reported 20 ongoing litigation to dismantle the island's protected status.

Kiteboarding in Holbox

Holbox has one of the safest beaches for learning how to kiteboard. Conditions are ideal for beginners, as the beach has shallow waters, no big obstacles on the wide and long beach, many days of wind during the winter months, and a nearby school with professional instructors. Advanced riders can find also very good conditions when the north or south winds reach 25 knots or more. The climate is subhumid warm, creating a stable and consistent temperature year-round.

Geography

75% of the island is made of wild mangroves and empty beaches. At the western tip of the island, there is a lagoon called Punta Cocos, where

bioluminescence Bioluminescence is the emission of light during a chemiluminescence reaction by living organisms. Bioluminescence occurs in multifarious organisms ranging from marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some Fungus, fungi, microorgani ...

can be observed on dark nights. Whale sharks season is from June to September. Flamingo season is from April to December.

Urbanism

Holbox is a car-free island. People drive around in golf carts. There are no paved roads on the island. The island's many sandy pathways are not recognized and thus indexed on Google Maps. Buildings may not be higher than 40 feet.

Conveniences

There is no postal service and are no banks on the island. Around 50 restaurants are located on the island (2020), and around 75 hotels.

Gallery

Palms,_Beach_and_the_Sea_(5307721736).jpg, Palms, Beach and the Sea Beaches of Isla Holbox (42877731844).jpg, Holbox city aerial Sandy streets of Holbox (42877671074).jpg, Sandy streets of Holbox Aerial of the island of Holbox, Mexico (28707744657).jpg, Aerial view of Holbox Holbox-31.jpg, Holbox beaches Dream Sunset on Holbox, Mexico (43595368241).jpg, Sunset in Holbox, Mexico File:Holbox aerial.JPG, Aerial view of Holbox File:Holbox-21.jpg, Sandbank in Holbox

References

External links

Municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas
{{Authority control Islands of Quintana Roo Geography of Mesoamerica Populated places in islands of Mexico Places with bioluminescence Islands of Mexico Car-free islands of North America