The Activities
Beaches
The nicest stretches are in front of Casa Sandra, but you can walk or take a golf cart to even more secluded spots on the island's tips. Note: The water isn't as clear or turquoise blue as it is in Cancún, so it's not great for snorkeling.
Boat toursMantatilla Diving Center can set up any excursion, including swimming with whale sharks, visiting dolphin hot spots, or exploring the surrounding islands. Ask for Alberto Morteo Aguilera, a friendly, English-speaking guide whose Chihuahua serves as first mate.
About $100 per person for a whale-shark tour, 52-984-87-520-03.
One of the loveliest ways to see Holbox is on a guided horse or pony tour. You'll be taken along the main beach, by the river, and through the mangroves in about two hours.
$50 per person; book through Casa Sandra.
While days are best spent by the water, evenings should be reserved for strolling the main plaza (five minutes by foot from Casa Sandra). Consisting of squat, colorful buildings and dirt roads around a central park, the modest village is quiet by day but lively at night, when local kids race through the playground, shops turn on their mini lights, and pop music drifts from the open-air restaurants.
TulumThe ruins of an ancient walled city are still remarkably intact in the low-key town of Tulum. The Mayan temples, homes, and government buildings, which were constructed from the 13th through 16th centuries, are spread out enough that you don't feel like part of a tourist-cattle herd as you tour the site, and interesting descriptions on plaques throughout give you a sense of how the village operated. Best of all, the ruins are situated are on a bluff overlooking the beach.
While the educational component and the incredible turquoise blue waters can't be beat, parents of very young kids should be sure they're prepared to walk from the shuttle stop to the ruins (about 15 minutes) and to climb the semisteep stairs to and from the water.
Casa Sandra, on Holbox, can arrange for a car to and from Tulum, but you should really consider this a full-fledged stop on your itinerary and not a day trip—travel time is more than three hours each way. Our favorite hotel in the area is Las Ranitas ("The Little Frogs"), a stylish, eco-friendly hotel with rooms and private bungalows right on the beach.
From $100 for a standard room in low season (May through July) to $490 for a two-room beachfront suite in high season, $30-40 per extra person (January through May), 52-984-87-78-554.
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