Budget Guide to Isla Holbox : How To Spend A Week in Caribbean Paradise for $500

After living and working in Mexico for about 6 months, I took a budget vacation to Isla Holbox in Yucutan for less than $500.

So, I’m here to tell you — Caribbean beach vacations do NOT have to be expensive, luxury, splurge-filled affairs! While they can be all those things, they can also be done on a tight budget.

Let’s get into an insider’s budget guide to Isla Holbox to help you enjoy island life without breaking the bank!

Time Your Isla Holbox Trip For Off Season

When you choose to visit can determine the price point and weather of your trip.

Early December is the coolest and cheapest time to visit, but Christmas holiday and New Year will spike prices. November through March will be the best weather.

For flight timing, Tuesday departure and Wednesday arrival trips into Cancun are cheaper than other routes. Trips longer than 7 days will also have lower airfare costs. Budget airlines like Spirit and Viva Aerobus regularly run $100-200 roundtrip deals from major airports, or you can redeem your American Airlines or United points.

If you’re already in Mexico, flying domestic to Cancun can be super affordable. I’ve seen fares as low as $50.

Travel app Hopper says booking your flight to Cancun 15 days in advance can drop your price by a lot, but I might still recommend 2-3 months before departure. You can also try booking your flight on a Tuesday or Wednesay night for lower prices.

Cheap Transport Via Chiquila To Holbox

If flying into Cancun, you’ll need to arrive in the morning. I’d say 1pm flight arrival at the very latest. The last ferries from the port town of Chiquila to the island of Holbox are around sunset, and the drive from the airport to Chiquila is 3-5 hours depending on whether you bus or shuttle. Alternatively, you can arrive the night before and spend one night in Cancun.

If coming from other cities in the Yucutan peninsula, you can take an ADO bus for <100 pesos (<$5) from places like Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Merida to Chiquila.

If you’re arriving into Cancun airport, you have a few options.

Option #1: You can take the bus to Cancun town from the Cancun airport, then a bus to Chiquila, for a grand total of <120 pesos (<$6). Since this budget guide to Isla Holbox is all about ways to save some coin, we recommend this option.

Option #2: If you want to avoid the hassle and save time, you can spring for a shared island-based shuttle for 700 pesos roundtrip / 350 pesos one-way ( $35 / $17 ). You can call ahead to one of the services on the island and pay cash pesos when you arrive. Or, you can reserve direct online on one of the Holbox shuttle websites (NOT Tripadvisor, etc.). Online will usually have an upcharge.

From Chiquila, take the ferry to Isla Holbox for 180 pesos ($9).

Getting Around The Island

As far as transport around the island, I chose to walk everywhere for the most part. It’s only a few blocks from “town” to the beach, so even if you aren’t staying the hotel zone, you’re good to go.

Bicycles rent for less than 30 pesos/hr ($2) or $200 pesos/day ($10), with weekly discounts. My friends from the campsite rented bikes for one day to explore Punta Mosquito and Punta Cocos and really enjoyed it.

Golf cart rentals are pretty expensive at 1,000 pesos ($50) for a few hours and unecessary for the most part.

A golf cart taxi to and from the pier is something to consider if you have a lot of luggage and a long walk from the pier to your accomodation. Running price is about 120 pesos ($6) one way.

Note: There’s a 200% upcharge on the golf carts between 10pm-8am, which I learned the hard way getting to the 7am ferry for my departing flight!

Budget Accomodation

This is where the BIG SAVINGS come in, my friends. It all depends on how many creature comforts you need.

Campsites, cabanas, hostels, and budget apartments can keep your accomodation budget for a week as low as $75, though I think the sweet spot for a budget here is $150. I spent $100.

Flexibility here allowed maximum savings. I chose the campsite that had the best offer during that particular week, and chose the last night’s hotel based on what special offers and discounts Booking.com was offering.

Here are some good budget options (Booking.com USD prices):

• Kin Camping ($10-20/night, weekly discount)
• Tribu Hostel ($15-20/night, weekly discount)
• Che Holbox Hostel + Bar ($15-28/night shared room, weekly discount)
• Mapache Hostel + Camping ($15-25/night tent or shared room, weekly discount)
• Balam Ecocamping + Cabanas ($10-20/night tent or $35-40/night cabana, weekly discount)
• Casa Mech ($70-80/night apartment)
• Hostel & Cabanas Ida Y Vuelta ($35-100/night, bungalows on beach or suites)

So Where Did I Stay on Isla Holbox?

Kin Camping’s campsite was super clean, with a laid-back peaceful vibe, a morning view of palm trees, and lots of opportunities to safely meet new friends outdoors and at a distance. Their communal kitchen and provided breakfast (toast and coffee) helped me save a lot of money.

Puerto Azul was my discount hotel deal, but because of the massive seaweed pile-up on their beach front and problems with door locks, I wouldn’t recommend them. Instead, check to see what discount deals and promotions are available for budget properties on your favorite booking website.

Cheap Eats

You can find lots of affordable, healthy eals and good value fresh seafood on Isla Holbox, as long as you’re mindful in choosing restaurants. Here are some good options:

• Taco Queto
• Las Panchas
• Ceviches La Chingada
• Tortas del Carmen
• Las Empa Holbox
• Barba Negra
• Casa Mayahuel
• Tierra Mia juice and coffee
• Clandestino coffee roasters bagels and cappucinos
• Mangos and coconuts from vendors on the beach
• Food carts on the street in Holbox main square

Beachfront eating will almost always be more expensive than eating in town.

Non-budget: You’ll hear alot about a super famous lobster pizza spot on the island, but in my experience it wasn’t worth the $20.

As with any destination, you can save a lot of money by cooking 1 or 2 of your meals each day. I’d start with the basics like rice, beans, pasta, bread, eggs, milk, cereal, etc. at Dunosusa supermarket, then pick up some fruits and vegetables at produce stands.

Free Activities

There’s so much to do on Holbox without spending a dime! Try out some zero-cost activities on the island.

• Volunteer to walk a rescue dog from the local animal sanctuary, Refugio Holbox. (esp. great for solo travelers!)
• Take a picture with the infamous HOLBOX sign on the beach.
• Walk across the sandbank in front of Las Nubes hotel.
• Some social activities are usually provided by campsites and hostels.
• Bring a towel down to the beach! Punta Cocos and Punta Mosquito are totally public, and the two must-see beaches on the island. On the hotel strip, you can find an open spot between beach clubs and hammock rental stands.

Budget Activities

• Rent a hammock or lounge chair on the beach, usually for 80-120 pesos/hr ($4-6).
• Rent a paddleboard or kayak and adventure out on to the ocean, usually for 200-300 pesos/hr ($10-15).
• Do a self-guided tour of the bird sanctuary at sunrise with a rented kayak. When I did this, it took about 2 hours, so about 600 pesos for the rental total ($30). Be super mindful of sandbars and flamingo habitats.
• Find a shared budget-friendly “Three Island Tour” for about 600-800 pesos/person ($30-40). Shop around on the beach near the Holbox sign and you’ll see some options, plus a few tour offices in town. They’ll take you to Isla de los Pajaros, Isla de la Passion, and sometimes Yalahu cenote or other bonus stops.
• Rent a bicycle for the day to travel between Punta Mosquito and Punta Cocos, or explore the island in general, usually 200 pesos ($10).
• Eat at Raices, a seafood restaurant on the beach famous for their “slow food” – especially the delicious ceviche. Budget 300-400 ($15-20) to load up on huge portions of seafood and a few drinks. I recommend mixed ceviche, catch of the day, and margaritas.
• Take advantage of Happy Hour and 2-for-1 drink deals all up and down the beach in the late afternoon.
• For open air nightlife, swing by The Hot Corner for drinks and live music. Average 40-60 pesos ($2-3) for beer and 120-140 pesos ($6-7) for cocktails.
• Take a bioluminescence tour at night, usually about 600-800 pesos/person ($30-40).

*For the best deals on gear rentals and bioluminescence tour, I recommend my buddy Juan’s bright yellow shack. You can Whatsapp him at +52 984 127 7104 to get what you need.

Be Prepared: BYO Cash and Supplies

No matter what your budget is, you’ll need to bring enough cash pesos with you for the whole trip — plus extra in case of emergencies. The only 2 ATMs on Holbox are out of cash more often than not.

The pharmacies are pretty limited and can have stocking issues, so be sure to bring what you need – prescription and generic. For example, I couldn’t get a refill of my generic universally available prescription, and my hunt for contact solution also came up empty.

It would be best to bring an unlocked phone and TelCel SIM card with you, and pre-load it for all of your island days, as purchasing one on the island can be a pain. You can get this in Cancun or any other larger towns on your way. I paid about 200 pesos/month ($10) for my TelCel plan.

Cell service on Isla Holbox is limited. Wifi is rare and slow. This is not the best digital nomad destination in Mexico, but a great vacation spot on any budget.

Try to enjoy unplugged island life!

My Personal Budget

I took a trip to Isla Holbox for 9 days and 8 nights in January 2021 .

The personal budget for my own Isla Holbox vacation was 10,000 pesos ($495). I actually spent a little less.

TRANSPORT: 3,655 pesos ($181)

• 410 pesos ($20) Bus from San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City
• 65 pesos ($3) Didi from bus station to airport
• 1,600 pesos ($80) Flight from Mexico City to Cancun one-way
• 900 pesos ($45) RT transport Cancun Airport – Chiquila
• 360 pesos ($18) RT Ferry Chiquilia – Holbox
• 320 pesos ($16) Golf cart taxi to and from pier on travel days
• 8,500 American Airlines AAdvantage miles ($0, but ~$100 value roughly) Flight from Cancun to Dallas one-way

ACCOMODATION: 2,030 pesos ($100)

• 1,180 pesos ($58) Kin Camping 7 nights *note: with weekly discount and pandemic pricing
• 850 pesos ($42) Puerto Azul hotel 1 night *note: with Booking.com special promotion

FOOD & DRINK: 2,200 pesos ($110)

• 120 pesos ($6) groceries at supermarket
• 145 pesos ($7) produce at fruit/veg stands
• 1,960 pesos ($98) eating out

ACTIVITIES: 2,000 pesos ($100)

• 300 pesos ($15) hammock and beach lounger rentals
• 250 pesos ($12) paddleboard rental
• 600 pesos ($30) kayak rental for self-guided tour of bird sanctuary and flamingos
• 800 pesos ($40) bioluminescence night tour
• ~50 pesos (~$2) guide tips

Have you been to Isla Holbox? Share your experiences, budgets, or tips below in the comments.