Experience the best of Isla Holbox

Isla Holbox lies off the northern tip of the Yucatán peninsula in Quintana Roo, separated from the mainland by a shallow lagoon and reached by a short ferry crossing from the village of Chiquilá. The streets are made of sand, and golf carts and bicycles take the place of cars. Colourful murals cover the walls of the small town, and a long beach of pale sand and warm shallow water runs along the island.

The island sits within the Yum Balam protected area, whose lagoons and mangroves shelter flamingos, pelicans and herons. Boat trips go to Isla Pájaros, a small bird island, and from June to September whale sharks gather offshore to feed. At certain times of year, glowing plankton can light up the water at night.

Lobster pizza, grilled octopus, ceviche and fresh fish tacos are Holbox's signature meals, along with Yucatecan dishes such as cochinita pibil, slow-roasted pork. The pace is quiet and unhurried. Warmth lasts all year, the drier months run from November to April, and summer brings heavier rain and the hurricane season.