Isla Holbox is a tiny island, remote but not too remote, that is very slowly starting to gain tourist attention - key word: slowly - because of the inconvenience required to get to Holbox. It takes some flying, some driving, and a ferry ride, so families and hordes of resort-goers aren't making their way there quite yet.
It's only 26 miles long, and it's northwest of Cancun in the same province of Quintana Roo. The island is surrounded by bright blue-green lagoons, where exotic fish and flamingos frolic undisturbed. Electricity only replaced candles 30 years ago, and there's only one ATM on the island, reports Travel + Leisure.
There are only a few hotels on the little island, and none of them are chain hotels. They're small and personalized by the families or couples who run them. There are no cars on the island at all, so people just get around on golf carts and by foot. The rhythm of life is slow and relaxed.
The town is proud of its many beautiful murals, and of its fresh fish. You can eat ceviche made of freshly-caught fish pretty much anywhere on the island. If you're lucky, you can go on an excursion with a fisherman and eat a fish right after it's pulled from the water, says Holbox Island's website.
Most of the island is uninhabited because the island is mostly a nature reserve. The population is only 2,000. "People aren't trying to impress each other here; you don't have to worry about all that garbage," says Nathan Vernes, a photojournalist from California, according to Travel + Leisure. Vernes says his favorite place in the world is Holbox.
Many vacation spots in Mexico, like Cancun and Tulum, have suffered from an excessive influx of tourists. It's hard to stop the flow of people, because as much as it is destroying the natural beauty and charm of the places, it's also bringing money to very poor areas. Xel-Ha, a once-undisturbed nature reserve, is now a very popular tourist attraction for those who want to experience snorkeling and scuba diving in clear, perfect blue water.
Luckily, though Holbox is already changing, proven by the fact that we know about it at all, it's still a pristine beach paradise where you can soak up all the natural Quintana Roo beauty you can find, and not bump into someone from back home.
