You’re planning a trip to Mexico and you are looking for the perfect calm, relaxed, secluded island getaway. You have heard of both Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres but don’t know which island is better suited for you.
Because your time on vacation is always limited you might be asking which island is better to visit, Isla Holbox or Isla Mujeres?
Each has its unique qualities, atmospheres, and energies. If your trip allows you the time I completely recommend visiting both islands so you can decide which one you like better.
If you are only able to visit one island, then this article is the perfect guide to help you make your decision on which one is the perfect place for you to Mexican vacation.
Both islands lie within the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico and are fabulous destinations to explore, lounge around, and leave feeling recharged.
Living in the Mayan Riviera for 3 years now I have been lucky enough to visit both Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres and can fill you in on the positives and negatives of both islands.
Your travel preferences, timeline, and budget will all help whittle down which island best suits your needs.
Now, let’s get started and compare these two small slices of paradise.
Isla Holbox vs Isla Mujeres at a glance
A quick look at the pros of each island.
Isla Holbox
- Small, quiet island with no cars
- Boutique hotels, hostels, and eco-friendly accommodations
- Small and lively downtown with great restaurants and bars
- Snorkeling with the whale sharks
- Home to bio-luminescent plankton
- Easy to get around the island by walking or via Bicycle
- A great destination for kite surfing
I recommend spending a minimum of 2-3 nights on Isla Holbox. It is a bit of a journey from Cancun, so once you are there it is great to stay a couple of nights to explore and enjoy the serenity of the island.
Isla Mujeres
- Laid back and calm
- Larger town with restaurants, bars, and cafes
- Beautiful long white sandy beaches
- Great for a day trip from Cancun or Playa del Carmen
- Fun to explore via golf cart
- Small vibrant downtown with many great restaurant options
- Fantastic location for scuba diving and snorkeling
- Easily accessible via ferry from Cancun
Because Isla Mujeres is so close to Cancun it is super easy to hop on the ferry and make it a day trip. The ferry ride from Cancun is only 30 minutes with the last ferry returning from Isla Mujeres to Cancun at midnight leaving you literally all day to explore.
Of course, to really get to know the island and enjoy all of its luxuries staying 2-3 nights would be the ideal amount of time to spend here.
Isla Holbox has no cars, most streets are unpaved and made of sand, which makes you feel like you’re really away from it all.
Isla Mujeres or Isla Holbox: Beaches
If you are searching for white sandy beaches with turquoise blue waters then you are in the right location. Both Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres have perfectly picturesque beaches that are exactly what you need to relax the day away.
Isla Holbox lies within the Gulf of Mexico, whereas Isla Mujeres is located in the Carribbean Sea. Both of the shorelines are incredibly calm with little to no waves. The colors on the waters on both islands are breathtaking with so many different shades of blue and turquoise. Both islands have postcard-perfect beaches.
On Isla Holbox, there are a few different beach areas to explore. All of the beaches on Holbox are long and wide with powdery white sand. They are backed with tropical greenery of mangroves and palm trees.
The beaches are so picturesque and the water is so blue it’s hard to tell where the water ends and the sky begins. The two seamlessly blend into each other. If that’s not your image of paradise I am not sure what is.
Isla Holbox has about 5 different beaches for you to explore all offering a chill laid-back vibe.
The main beach, which is closest to town, offers many beachfront restaurants and bars.
My personal favorite is Punta Mosquito which is the beach that you will see in most of the photos if you search “Isla Holbox” on the Internet.
The beach is a beautiful long sandbar with shallow and calm water. At the beginning of the beach, you will find hotels and beachfront restaurants, and further down the beach is the perfect spot to windsurf.
One of the downsides of Holbox Island beaches is that they can sometimes be quite windy, and in the summer there are a lot of mosquitos.
Isla Mujeres creates great competition with Isla Holbox in the category of beaches.
Isla Mujeres is home to many beautiful long beaches with white powdery soft sand. The colors of the Caribbean Sea boast every shade of blue and turquoise.
Around the island, you have a few different beaches to spend your time at.
Playa Norte is by far the most popular and is ranked one of the 10 best beaches in Mexico. The water is calm and shallow perfect for wading and staying refreshed.
Behind the beach, you going to have the option to spend the day at one of the many beach clubs along the shore, or simply pack your beach blanket and spend the day lounging out in the sun.
In my opinion, the beaches in Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres are some of the most beautiful beaches in Quintana Roo. Also, because they are less populated the sand is so much softer and cleaner than the sand you would find in Playa del Carmen beaches or in busy Cancun.
The beaches at Isla Mujeres have more of vibrant party energy full of travelers. I find that they tend to be busier than the beaches in Holbox.
If you are looking for a secluded feel, the beaches at Holbox might be the better choice for you.
Another special occurrence on Isla Holbox is the appearance of the bio-luminescent plankton in the summer months.
Isla holbox has some amazing beaches and very cute beach clubs to enjoy.
Isla Holbox or Isla Mujeres: Restaurants
On the topic of which island has the better restaurants, I can say that this is a hard debate.
Both islands are extremely tourist-driven, you will find a handful of fantastic options on each island.
Both Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres have a great restaurant scene offering different types of cuisines. You can find gourmet meals as well as delicious street food all at different budgets.
On Isla Holbox, you will find the majority of the restaurants within the small town center. Just a few streets and crossroads make up the downtown, with the streets being just moments from the beach.
In town, you can find Mexican food, Fresh Seafood, Italian, Greek, Asian, Vegan, and the list goes on.
What I discovered on Isla Holbox is that the majority of the restaurants offered menus with incredibly fresh, high-quality ingredients. From the produce to the cuts of meat and fish, the quality is a priority at the restaurants in Holbox.
Along the stretch of beach at Playa Mosquito you will also find some fantastic beachfront dining options. Las Hamacas Beachfront restaurant was one of my favorites on the island for the beautiful location and elevated menu.
Isla Mujeres has no shortage of amazing restaurants either. You can always count on succulent fresh seafood while visiting Isla Mujeres. Some of the best coconut shrimp I have tried is on Isla Mujeres at a little spot called Perla Negra.
Again, on Isla Mujeres, the majority of the restaurants are within the center of the island, not far from the ferry terminal.
Lining the north shore, Isla Mujeres is home to many beachfront restaurants and bars. The perfect place to lounge the day away, or for a romantic beachfront sunset dinner.
On the outskirts of town, you can find a bunch of different restaurants as well such as taco shops and mom-and-pop family-run restaurants.
What I found is that the menu pricing on Isla Holbox was a bit higher than the pricing on Isla Mujeres, and there are many more budget-friendly restaurants in Isla Mujeres.
Isla Mujeres has a little bit more car traffic since all types of vehicles are allowed on the island. But it doesn’t take away from its tropical island charm.
Isla Holbox vs Isla Mujeres: Things to do
If you are looking to sit back, relax, and escape from reality then both Isla Holbox or Isla Mujeres could be the perfect island for you. Lounging the day away under the sun should absolutely be on your list of activities to accomplish while visiting your island of choice.
If you are looking for fun and adventures, each island offers quite different experiences.
Isla Holbox is a famous destination for swimming with whale sharks. In the summer months of June, July, and August the whale sharks migrate to this area to feed on the plankton in the waters. Book a tour to swim with whale sharks here.
Holbox is also a great destination to visit if you are into kiteboarding. In the winter the winds are quite heavy along the beach, creating the perfect weather to partake in this sport. Never tried before? You can find a few different companies on the island offering lessons.
Apart from swimming with the whale sharks and kiteboarding, Isla Holbox is home to a beautiful nature reserve where you can book tours to admire the foliage, birds, and wildlife.
Isla Holbox has an extremely laidback vibe, where days are spent lounging out on the beach with a book or cocktail in hand.
When deciding between Isla Holbox vs Isla Mujeres, I personally think there are more things to do in Isla Mujeres.
If you are into scuba diving this is definitely the island you will want to visit. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef lies within the waters of Isla Mujeres and is alive with aquatic life.
You can also explore the underwater museum, home to sunken statues on the ocean floor. Isla Mujeres also offers many boat tours where you can snorkel the reefs, booze cruise, or sail at sunset.
On Isla Mujeres, one of the best things to do is to rent a golf cart for the day and explore the island on your own, making stops at the Ice Bar, Punta Sur, and the ancient Mayan Ruins.
Isla Mujeres is also a great place to see the whale sharks. Due to where the whale sharks migrate, Isla Mujeres is the perfect place to embark on a tour.
The sunsets in Isla Mujeres are pretty spectacular.
Isla Mujeres or Isla Holbox: Nightlife Scene
Speaking in all honesty neither Isla Holbox nor Isla Mujeres are known for their nightlife scene. For many of us, this is part of the draw.
Both islands are laid back, calm, and super tranquil with most establishments shutting down around 11 or 12 pm.
Your better late-night party destinations will be Playa del Carmen, Cancun, and Tulum.
On Holbox Island, you will find a few establishments with live music or Salsa dancing in the evening.
For a late night disco type destination, The Hot Corner or Bar Tribu are the places to check out if you want a good party on the island.
Again on Isla Mujeres, you will find that the nightlife scene is quiet as well. There is a good energy in the beach clubs in the daytime with music and drinks flowing, but as we move into the hours of the evening, most people head back to the mainland.
The great news is that if you are staying on Isla Mujeres and looking for a wild party, Cancun is only a 30-minute ferry ride away with tons of nightclubs that will keep you entertained until the first ferry back the next morning
On Isla Mujeres, you will find that Taboo had recently opened which is a swanky place to spend the evening. You might also want to check out Buhos or Faynes Bar and Grill for live music and great drinks.
There are so many wonderful boutique hotel options available in Holbox, but if you want budget accommodation, then Mujeres is the better option.
Isla Holbox vs Isla Mujeres: Accommodations
Your budget and accommodation expectations will determine the winner for you in this category.
On Isla Holbox, you are going to find an abundance of chic boutique hotels all playing to the characteristics of laid-back island life. The island has everything from budget-friendly hostels to 5-star retreats all at different price points.
While searching for my accommodations on Isla Holbox I did find that the minimum price for a standard hotel room was at the $100 USD mark. If you were searching for something more luxurious, with beachfront views or pools the price would rise from there.
There are hostels and a few Airbnb options available as well for a budget-friendly option that you might find for between $60-80 USD depending on quality.
What is really nice about Holbox is that there are no big all-inclusive resorts, keeping the natural, calm, secluded feel to the island.
On Isla Mujeres, there are plenty of lodging options to choose from. You can find budget-friendly hostels and hotels, luxury boutique hotels, and Airbnb rentals at every price points.
If you have a bigger group and are looking for an entire house to rent, Isla Mujeres will be the better option for you there are many beautiful Airbnb rentals along the eastern edge of the island.
Out of the two Islands, I will say that I personally feel like Isla Mujeres has more options for accommodations with more affordable prices.
The water in Holbox is so clear and in many places, so shallow, you can walk out for over a mile and the water will barely pass your waist.
Isla Mujeres vs Isla Holbox: Shopping
On the subject of shopping, each island has its unique style.
100% you are going to find touristy souvenirs on each island. Bracelets, shot glasses, towels, t-shirts with crass statements on them, leather items, and so much more fill the shops and markets.
Holbox Island has more boutique shopping available with luxurious imported clothing with high ticket prices. It is getting something of a Tulum vibe to it with its shopping. If you are searching for that intriguing one-of-a-kind article, there are a few shops in Holbox offering unique styles.
As far as grocery shopping and shopping for everyday items, Isla Mujeres is by far the winner in this category as they are home to big box stores such as Chedraui and Super Aqui.
Isla Holbox or Isla Mujeres: The Final Verdict
For me, when comparing Isla Holbox or Isla Mujeres, I prefer Isla Holbox.
The reason is that out of the two, Isla Holbox has more of an untouched, secluded, and serene feel. It is less commercialized and also less busy. Also, I do enjoy the fact that it is farther away from Cancun, making for a fun road trip to reach the Island. Life is all about adventure, isn’t it?
I loved walking out on the long beaches and playing in the shallow calm waters of Holbox, exploring the restaurant scene at night.
With that being said, I did find Holbox was pricier (for everything) than Isla Mujeres, so do consider that while booking your trip.
Isla Mujeres is great as well – whether you head over for a day trip or spend a few nights I am sure you won’t be disappointed with what the Island has to offer.