Holbox (, "black hole" in

Yucatec Maya Yucatec Maya (; referred to by its speakers simply as Maya or as , is one of the 32 Mayan languages of the Mayan language family. Yucatec Maya is spoken in the Yucatán Peninsula and northern Belize. There is also a significant diasporic com ...

) is an island in the Mexican state of

Quintana Roo Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...

, located on the north coast of the

Yucatán Peninsula The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, Península de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...

. 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'' ...

that is home to

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

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 befor ...

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, but may also be caught from fish stocking, stocked bodies of water such as fish pond, ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. ...

. 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-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, Do ...

viewing.

Lobster Lobsters are a family (Nephropidae, synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, ...

is the main product of this fishing and many of the dishes made on the island center around lobster or other seafood. Golfcar_Holbox_island_Mexico_(20153467086)

Golfcar_Holbox_island_Mexico_(20153467086)

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 ...

moped A moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. The term used to mean a similar vehicle except with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle engine. Mopeds typic ...

. A few charter airlines fly to Holbox from

Cancún Cancún ( ), often Cancun in English (without the accent; or ) is a city in southeast Mexico on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It is a significant tourist destination in Mexico and the seat ...

and

Playa del Carmen Playa del Carmen, known colloquially as 'Playa', is a resort city located along the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is part of the municipality of Solidaridad. As of 2020, the city's population was just over 300,000 peopl ...

; there is a small

airstrip An aerodrome ( Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) 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 publ ...

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 manufacturing c ...

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 to the Governor of

Yucatán Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate mun ...

. The adjacent mainland was frequently attacked by the

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...

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.

Kiteboarding in Holbox

Holbox has one of the safest beaches for learning how to

kiteboard Kiteboarding is a water-based, kite-powered sport Kiteboarding may also refer to: *Snowkiting, a snow based, kite powered sport *Kite landboarding Kite landboarding, also known as land kiteboarding or flyboarding, is based on the sport of kitesu ...

. 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.

Bioluminescence

At the western tip of the island, there is a lagoon called Punta Cocos, where

bioluminescence Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms. It is a form of chemiluminescence. Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms including some ...

can be observed on dark nights. See the .

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