Is Holbox Safe? Know It All Before You Go (2023)

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If you’re considering a trip to Holbox, you’re probably wondering if Holbox is safe.

Quick Rundown on Holbox

Holbox is a small island on the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s known as a great destination to slow things down and relax. The beaches of Holbox have nice clear water and a sandbar that goes out further than anywhere else I’ve been.

You can walk a long way out into the sea before you have to worry about your feet not touching. This means the waves aren’t too violent, so it’s a nice place to have a leisurely splash in the ocean.

Holbox is an interesting place and there are some things you should know before you go in order to have to safest and best vacation possible.

Is Holbox Safe?

The answer to this question is absolutely yes! It’s a small island that depends heavily on tourism, so the crime rate is very low. It makes our list of safest places in Mexico.

As always, it’s a good idea to check travel advisories before planning your trip.

The island is home to around 3,000 people, most of which are involved in some way with the tourism business. Whether at restaurants, bars, or tour companies, a high percentage of locals depend on tourists to make their living.

While the crime rate is very low indeed, there are some things you’ll want to know to make sure you stay safe while visiting Holbox.

Luckily, I’ve been there and scouted everything out for you, so let’s get into it!

Tips to Stay Safe In Holbox

While Holbox is a safe place to travel, you should still use caution and common sense as you would when you travel to any destination.

You’ll also want to do some research on how to get to Holbox, as it is a bit more difficult logistically than just flying into a destination city.

I’ll give you some Holbox-specific tips to make sure you stay safe.

Beware of the Dirt Roads

This is important to know. The roads in Holbox are not paved. That’s right, the whole island is composed of dirt roads.

It rains a lot in Holbox, so oftentimes there is standing water on the poorly graded roads. I strongly advise you to not walk through this water. The water is dirty and muddy, so you don’t know how deep it is.

Try to go around the edges, or if it’s not possible, take a detour backward and to the next street over. It’s not worth trying to walk through and getting stuck in the mud, ruining or losing shoes.

If you decide to rent your own golf cart while on Holbox, be careful with the standing water too. Go slow and steady.

Bring Mosquito Repellent

Holbox’s tropical location, lack of civilized roadways, and low lighting make it a haven for mosquitoes. When the sun starts to set, the mosquitoes come out and they are hungry!

You’ll want to be prepared for this. Don’t wait until you’re covered in bites to go get overcharged for repellent.

This is the one I brought and it worked perfectly! I got a few bites, but it was my own fault for not applying the repellent soon enough.

Bring Plenty of Cash

Paying with a card on Holbox is easy enough, but sometimes there are fees associated with it, or they will charge you more straight up.

You’ll want to have plenty of cash on hand because, as we’ll talk about in a moment, it’s hard (and expensive) to withdraw cash once you get to the island.

Don’t Fall for the Tourist Traps

The most dangerous thing about Holbox is the ever-present danger of getting ripped off. Rip off is a rough statement and I don’t use it a lot when speaking of Mexico because for the most part, people are just trying to make some money and I don’t blame them for doing it.

In Holbox though, the tourist traps are present and strong. Remember in the shops and markets to negotiate. The first price you’ll hear will be outlandish and they don’t even expect you to pay it.

What Are the Biggest Tourist Traps In Holbox?

Since we mentioned the tourist traps, I should warn you about the biggest and easiest ones to fall for or get sucked into.

The Holbox ATM

I saw two ATM machines while I was on Holbox Island, or Isla Holbox if you prefer. One was upstairs on an outer corner of the main square. The other doesn’t matter because it didn’t have any power to it.

The ATM above the main square offers the worst exchange I’ve ever encountered, which was 15.2 pesos to $1 USD. That’s more than two full pesos below what the real rate was, which was 17.5 pesos to $1 USD.

That’s still pretty low, as on most of my other Mexico trips the dollar was stronger, earning around 20 pesos for every $1 USD.

How do you beat that? It’s tough. You can open a local account, which is a lot of hassle considering you can’t use it in the States.

Or you can open a checking account with no ATM fees like the one Charles Schwab offers, and use an ATM in Cancun or whatever bigger city you’re coming from to withdraw some fee-free pesos.

Pro Tip: Stay away from BBVA and USBC ATMs, as they not only charge fees but also offer a worse exchange rate. Instead, go with Banco Azteca, as you can withdraw pesos at the current and correct exchange rate.

Tequila Tastings

Tequila tastings are one of the fastest and easiest ways to get ripped off. Why? The more you taste, the more pliable you become, of course.

The idea is to have a salesman with a fun and infectious personality talk you into a “free” tasting, with no pressure to buy. The tasting is in fact free, but they lay it on so thick it’s tough to walk out of there without giving the salesperson a little money for at least their time.

They’ll have you try some of the tastiest tequilas you’ll ever have. These places do have great-tasting tequilas, there’s no denying it. Whether it’s the unique flavors, the smoothness, or the story of why they sell that specific brand, it’s hard not to get sucked in, especially as you drink more and more.

I have to tell you though. Most of the brands they sell, if not all of them, can be found for a fraction of the price at the grocery store in Cancun before your flight back.

Some of the brands they’ll offer aren’t even real tequilas, but tequila-based spirits that are made for this occasion specifically, to be sold at outrageous prices to tourists.

The Los Reiles brand sold at Tequila House Holbox specifically is one of these. It’s delicious, no doubt. But it’s insanely overpriced and not even real tequila, but a tequila licor.

Don’t get sucked into these tastings, as they are hard to escape without spending some money.

Holbox Souvenirs

We’re on vacation. Of course, we want some souvenirs!

I’d never say “Don’t buy souvenirs.” Don’t worry. I will say to be careful where you buy them.

I always choose to buy my souvenirs from smaller booths and markets rather than an indoor shop with a nice air conditioner. Why? You’ll get a better price for the same products.

I wanted to buy this handmade beach tote-style bag. The price on the sticker in a bigger store was $1,200 pesos, about $70 USD!

A block down the street at a smaller booth, I found the same bag and paid $200 pesos!

I’m also big on magnets and bracelets. I’m a minimalist packer and like things that are easy to take home. Both are great conversational pieces too. I always find a better deal with smaller merchants, and encourage you to do the same.

Where to Stay In Holbox

Holbox has some great places to stay on the beach, and a few blocks away from it. One of the nice things about Holbox is you’re never more than a few blocks from the beach.

I’ve scouted the options for you and chosen three places to stay in Holbox, depending on your budget.

Holbox Safety FAQs

You might still have some questions about staying safe in Holbox. Let’s try to answer them!

Is Holbox Safe to Walk Around?

We mentioned that the crime rate on Holbox is low, and violent crimes against tourists is incredibly rare. The bigger concern is getting lost or stuck in the mud.

Once you get more than a few blocks away from the central square, there aren’t as many lights, so you’ll want to be careful.

The route to the Bioluminescence lagoon is especially dark! I recommend getting a taxi or renting a golf cart for this experience.

Make sure your phone is charged so you have access to the map and the flashlight if necessary. For me, both were necessary.

Is Holbox Safe for Female Travelers?

For women traveling to Holbox, whether alone or with a group of friends, you’ll be relieved to know that Holbox is indeed a safe destination for you!

There is a lot of fun to be had there. The bar and nightclub scene is great on the island, and there are a lot of great spots to soak up the sun and get some great pictures for your Instagram feed.

Is Holbox Safe for Solo Travelers?

Solo travelers will love Holbox. It has everything a solo traveler wants. There are great sights to see and some spots with great wifi if you’ve got some work to do.

I always think about wifi access when I’m traveling so I can keep up with this blog and keep you guys informed of everything about these destinations.

For solo travelers, I always recommend not going crazy with drinking or other recreational inebriation. It’s fine to have a few, but you don’t want to get blackout drunk when you’re alone with nobody to keep an eye on you.

It’s better to keep possession of your working mind when you’re traveling alone and might not have people who know exactly where you are.

Is It Safe Getting to Holbox?

The route to Holbox from bigger cities like Cancun or Merida is safe for travelers. There are a few ways to get there.

• Rent a car and drive to Chiquila
• Take a shared shuttle to Chiquila
• Private Transfer
• ADO Bus

All of these methods are safe, but the shared shuttle would be my recommendation!

Summing Up Holbox Safety

We’ve given you some important information here. A lot of what we went over I had to find out for myself when I got to Holbox.

The goal here is to prepare you so you know what to expect and are able to have the absolute best experience possible.

Now you’re ready to set off in style and safety. Remember what we talked about.

Spray that mosquito repellent, watch your step, and stay away from those tourist traps. And most importantly, have fun out there!

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