Exploring Holbox
I’ve alternated between exploring and chillin’. Holbox, or at least the part that is populated, is a narrow, tilted island who’s short-ends face southwest and northeast. The south-eastern length is mostly mangrove swamp that faces the mainland and forms the channel. Along the northwestern-facing length and around the southwestern tip there is gorgeous turquoise water and white-sand beach.
from all the beaches the depth of the water VERY slowly increases and before one even gets the top of a thigh wet one reaches a white sandbar covered only by with ankle-deep water. The water is very clear and the result of the sandbars is alternating blue-white layers as one looks to the water’s horizon. My pics will show this. It’s like a giant, crystal-clear swimming pool between the beach and the first sandbar. the beach-side provides consistently beautiful sunsets and lots of room for exploring.
First I walked southwest and found quiet beaches, a few private residences and then rounded the end of the island. At the tip there is a mangrove-lined lagoon that can’t be walked around but I found that the mouth is shallow enough to ford without getting hip-deep. I shuffled my feet in the water since there are plenty of rays and horseshoe crabs but nothing to be too worried about since the water is very clear. On the other side of the lagoon there are heaps of birds in between holbox and isla pasion and a road that leads around the lagoon and back to the beach if you don’t want to cross the mouth of the lagoon to get back. It’s not possible to follow the water all the way around and along the channel-side back to the far-side of town, as there are mangrove swamps and no path. I didn’t come across even a handful of people the whole way.
Another day I headed north. Part of the way leads past several small resort-type places. The beaches along this stretch are nice. The resorts peter-out, followed by some homes that haven’t been repaired since hurricane Wilma (she reeked havoc here!). but after that there is nothing but pristine beach and about 30 meters behind that, mangrove swamp. Another mangrove-lined lagoon separates this beach from another on the far-side (at punta mosquito), but that can by forded as well via the sand-bar and the beaches continue beyond. One will have to cross back the same way to return.
I heard an unconfirmed rumor that the storm surge from Wilma completely washed over the island. I wouldn’t be surprised since the island is sooo narrow, with no elevation. It certainly would confirm the wise-ness of the ubiquitous cinderblock construction here and everywhere in the Yucatan. I was in playa del Carmen within weeks after Wilma and all they did was shovel out the sand, hose-down the cinderblocks and hang the “abierto” sign again. Oh how much the florida and gulf coast of the US could learn!!! Cancun had a harder time because of all the glass and high-rises.
In holbox tho, if the mangrove swamp were removed I believe the island would simply erode away…..a real threat given the development plans for the island, which include 2 golf courses and 10k residences. I can’t think of anything more disastrous for this mangrove-island. I can only hope it’s hype that never happens.
Italians settled in the area about 30 years ago. They have a knack for finding such lovely places ☺. As mentioned, this place has been compared to playa del Carmen – yet another spot the Italians found early-on. Hotel la palapa is run by Lino, an Italian gentleman with endless energy, constantly maintaining and improving the property, a necessity on the beach. He’s been here decades. When I think of the places on corn island, crumbling into the sea, I think how desperately the need a Lino. The “new” la palapa replaces one that was destroyed by Wilma. Now he’s getting ready for whale-shark season.
One day I rented a golf cart for 6 hours so I could get my camera gear out to the remote beaches. It was about 300 pesos in total ($30) but that price goes up in higher seasons. The busy season is “whale shark” season which begins in june. They are common here at that time and by all accounts are AMAZING to swim with. They are a whale, not a shark (correction! it is indeed a filter-feeding fish. alone in its genus and family. hat tip, amy!). But I still wonder how busy it gets during “high season”. It’s incredibly quiet here now. I will extend my stay tomorrow and make it 8 nights here. Then one night in cancun before I fly out.
I had thought this week on a quiet island would be perfect for reflecting on my travels but I think it may be a little too early for that. I’ve enjoyed reviewing my pics and making sure that when I play them in a random-mode slideshow I can still tell where each was taken (the only tricky ones are the churches). And I’ve only posted a fraction on flickr and my blog!
I expect the biggest lessons from my travels will reveal themselves with time. I maintain that the greatest lesson thus far has been the consistency with which I find people to whom I am drawn. I find no more or no less no matter where I go in the world. As I said, both comforting and disappointing at the same time. It certainly makes me value the friends I will return home to even more. They are like needles in this haystack world. I certainly don’t mean to diminish the quality of the people I have encountered! The world is full of wonderful people and this will continue to lure me to travel. I will simply value even more the people who, to use a cliché, “take it to another level”.
Tags: central america, isla holbox, mexico, Mexico, playa, quintana roo, Travel, yucatan
Peggy Rehm