Visiting Isla Holbox With Kids: 2026 Family Travel Guide

From best playgrounds and beach clubs, to family-friendly restaurants, here’s how to visit Isla Holbox with kids.

We’ve just returned from a month-long road trip around Mexico. We covered around 1600km and packed a lot in. Our adventure was filled with lazy beach days, adventurous cenote trips and lots of culture, history and great food.

We were travelling as a couple with our two little ones. Our son was about to turn three, and our baby was just four months old. A lot of people told us we were crazy for contemplating a long trip like this, but this is the kind of travel we love!

We are happier exploring a destination in detail, rather than sitting in a generic resort. We love soaking up the culture and feasting on local delicacies. So, that’s exactly what we did in Isla Holbox. We’d visited the island as a couple previously, and couldn’t wait to return to show the kids why we love this place.

We booked a simple two-bedroom apartment close to the ferry terminal and spent several days enjoying the island with our little ones. In this guide I’ll share some of the best things to do in Isla Holbox with kids, as well as some tips for making your holiday hassle-free. Plus, as our kids are little, I’ll include some of the top things to do with older children, too.

Best things to do in Isla Holbox with kids

Go to the beach

The main reason to visit Isla Holbox with children is to enjoy the beaches. We spent hours each day on the soft white sand. Our son loved digging, building sandcastles, finding shells and splashing in the water.

As we didn’t book a beachfront resort, we visited beach clubs so that we had access to loungers, shade (essential!) and toilets. Our favourite was Hotel Zomay, which had a quiet vibe, great food and the minimum spend was affordable (and redeemable against our bill). You can read about my other favourite beach clubs here.

We also visited the beach area outside Villas Caracol. As there was some sargassum (seaweed) during our trip, we found the beaches to the north were in better condition. It’s around this area you see the swathes of sandbanks, creating beautiful shallow patches of water, that are the brightest shade of blue.

In general, the island’s water is shallow for a large section before getting deeper, making it a great place for little ones to play.

Visit the island’s playgrounds

We’d visited Isla Holbox before as a couple, so things like playgrounds hadn’t been on our radar. However, on this trip, we visited them multiple times a day! There are several excellent playgrounds in the central square. The newest one is the safest, as it is sectioned off by a gate. There was so much to do in there, including climbing frames, swings and slides.

But then, just outside are the older playgrounds, which are also great. One of the biggest fascinations for my son, was that there was sand everywhere. It meant a playground trip could easily become a chance to dig – his favourite activity!

Hire bikes

If you have older kids, then hiring bikes is a great way to explore more of Isla Holbox. There are sandy tracks going from Las Nubes de Holbox in the north, all the way to Punto Cocos in the south. Many hotels offer bicycles on a complimentary basis, or you can hire them in town.

Hire a golf cart

If the idea of cycling in the heat with your children feels a little energetic, how about hiring a golf buggy? As Isla Holbox is car-free, these are a great way to get around, and really popular with tourists visiting the island. When I visited in 2026, two hours golf cart hire was $600 MXN. If you don’t fancy hiring one, you can hop on one of the islands golf cart taxis. We used these to get around when it was too hot to walk.

Go for ice cream

What kid doesn’t love ice cream? We had them daily on Isla Holbox, with our son playing the role of chief taste tester! Some of the island’s gelato spots are pretty pricey these days, but we enjoyed the ice cream from HELARTESANO. If you’d rather have ice lollies, you can pop into Chedraui, the large supermarket located in the main square.

Look at all the murals

Our son was only a toddler, but he loved spotting all the murals around the island. It’s such a gorgeously colourful place, with bright designs covering the sides of buildings. He was constantly telling us what he’d spotted, such as mermaids, fish and whale sharks!

Enjoy some local food

Isla Holbox has become very cosmopolitan in the last ten years, so you’ll find restaurants serving food from around the world. There will definitely be somewhere even the fussiest of kids will like! We ate out most days for one meal, with our favourite spots being:

Las Hamacas (at Villas Caracol) – Beach club restaurants with delicious grilled meats, fresh seafood and more. The kids portions here are huge too!

Painapol Holbox – A great brunch spot on the island. Food is so pretty, you’ll want to take photos!

Street food market – Close to the beach in the central area you’ll find a street food market. This is a fun and casual way to grab a meal. Tacos are cheap and you can keep ordering as many as you fancy. Our son loved the nachos here, as well as the giant corn on a stick!

PiedraSanta Holbox – This is a cool date night spot, but older kids might enjoy the creative spin on Mexican cuisine.   

If you’re looking for more tips, read my guide to where to eat in Isla Holbox.

Go kayaking

If you have older kids, you could book a kayaking trip. There are a few tours that take you out to see the birds and marine life, such as the flamingos at Isla Pájaros. They tend to move at a relaxed pace, and if you take a two-man kayak, the parents can do most of the paddling! There’s often an option to swim too, at somewhere spectacular like Yalahau Lagoon.

Book a night tour to see the bioluminescence

If your children are age 10 or over, then how about going to see the bioluminescence? This is an utterly magical experience. Most kayak tours meet on the beach near Villas Flamingos Hotel between 7-8pm. From there, you’ll get in your kayak and follow the guide out into the shallow waters. The paddle is pretty easy, so you don’t need to be super fit or adventurous to take part! You’ll enjoy twinkly stars in the sky, the bright moon and, hopefully, the amazing electric blue glow of the organisms in the water.

Once you’ve been paddling for a while, you’ll reach a sandbank where you can get out of your kayak. You can also have a swim. Here, your guide will tell you more about the island’s marine life and point out constellations in the night sky.

The tours usually last for two hours in total. You can read more about this experience here.

Watch the sunset

The sunsets on Holbox are absolutely magical! Head to the pier, crack open a beer and relax as the liquid gold of the sun hits the water. I loved this on my first trip, and it was even more magical returning with our kids! Our son loved running up and down the pier.

Swim with Whale Sharks

If you’re visiting Holbox with your family between mid-May and mid-September, this is one activity you won’t want to miss! It’s one of the best places in the world to swim with the enormous gentle giants and one of the best things to do in Holbox. I haven’t done this tour personally, but from reading up on it, you can take kids as young as 6, although it’s recommended from age 10 and up.

See Holbox Carnival

We were lucky enough to visit during February when carnival fever took over the island. We saw parades during the day, live music in the main square and dancers with amazing costumes in the evenings. It meant the island was a little busier during our trip, but we all loved the entertainment!

Top tips for visiting Isla Holbox with kids

How to get to Isla Holbox

I’ve written a detailed guide on how to get to Isla Holbox here. Most people will fly into Cancun International Airport, then either hire a car or book a transfer to Chiquilá. This drive takes just over two hours. From Chiquilá port, the ferry crossing takes 30 minutes. Our son loved the ferry – it was one of his highlights!

Accommodation for families on Isla Holbox

As we were travelling with two kids under three, we wanted to book our own apartment. It meant we could spread out and have separate areas to sleep. We were also keen to have some facilities to cook meals. Our toddler wasn’t that keen on the Mexican food (a little far from his usual diet!) so we ended up cooking simple rice and pasta dishes to take out with us.

There are lots of self-catered options available on booking.com and Airbnb, so I’d recommend checking the prices and availability.

If hotels work for your family setup, then double check which are adults-only (there are quite a few now!). My top picks for families are:

• Las Nubes de Holbox
• Villas Flamingos
• Hotel Casa Palapas del Sol
• Villas HM Paraíso del Mar
• Holbox Dream Beach Front Hotel
• Casa Las Tortugas – accepts children over 12

In terms of areas, there are a few regions to choose from. You could stay near the ferry and main town square like we did, which is great if you want to be able to walk to shops, restaurants and the beach. If you stay in Playa Norte, you’ll have access to better beaches, but it’s a lot quieter. Meanwhile, Punta Cocos is the southern tip of Holbox, and is known for being much more peaceful, but it can feel quite remote. Personally, I’d stay nearer the centre as it’s more fun to be in the action!

If you’re travelling with a baby, you’ll need to check whether the accommodation can provide cribs or cots. These aren’t available everywhere and are a big item to travel with (although we did!)

Is Isla Holbox stroller friendly?

We wondered whether we’d be able to use our stroller much on the island, as we were only travelling with our Stokke Yoyo3. This buggy is compact and great for travel, but best suited to cities and pavements. While it occasionally struggled on deeper sandy areas, it worked well on most roads and pavements. We had to clean out the wheels occasionally. We even managed to push it across the sandy beaches! I’d seen a few people on Facebook groups saying it wasn’t practical to take a stroller, but we used ours loads!

Is there a supermarket on Isla Holbox?

Yes, there’s a large Chedraui in the main square. It’s well-stocked, with fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, drinks and lots more. In terms of items for kids, we spotted things like diapers, baby bottles and dummies for sale, as well as beach toys.

How to stay connected in Isla Holbox

If you’re visiting Isla Holbox and want a reliable connection for your trip, I’d recommend organising an eSIM before you travel. The best eSIM Mexico will offer lots of data and fast speeds. The WiFi on the island isn’t the most reliable, and you’ll want access to data while you’re out and about, so it’s definitely something to think about before you travel.

What to pack for Holbox with kids?

Here are a few things to think about packing for your trip:

• Reef-safe sunscreen
• Mosquito repellent or stickers
• Lightweight stroller or baby carrier
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Water shoes (for seaweed/shells)
• Baby items such as formula, diapers or baby food

Health and safety info for visiting Isla Holbox with children

• The town’s medical centre, Centro de Salud Holbox, is open to tourists. For emergency care you may need to go back to the mainland.
• We spotted several pharmacies in the main town, and they had a huge range of medicine and healthcare products.
• Always buy bottled water (the tap water isn’t recommended)
• Organise travel insurance for the whole family before you travel.

Are there any concerns about taking children to Isla Holbox?

We thought Isla Holbox was a wonderful place to visit as a family. As with any destination, there will always be a few negatives or things to be consider, such as:

When it rains heavily on Isla Holbox, the streets are prone to flooding. As the rain mixes with the sand, it creates a muddy mess! It can make getting around the island difficult, but these spells don’t tend to last long.

There’s very little shade on the beaches on Isla Holbox. It’s the main reason we opted to go to beach clubs rather than pitching up on the sand, as you just can’t expose two little ones to those intense UV rays.

There are mosquitoes on the island. I’d recommend wearing repellent, and covering up around dusk when they tend to be at their most active. We bought these repellent stickers for our baby’s clothing and pram. She only got a few bites on the entire holiday.

Sargassum does affect Isla Holbox at certain times of year, but it’s generally less severe than in other parts of Mexico’s Caribbean coast. The island sits slightly more sheltered than destinations like Tulum or Playa del Carmen, so while seaweed does wash up, it’s often in smaller amounts and cleared more quickly. Some people seem worried about visiting Isla Holbox when it’s present, but I really wouldn’t let it deter you! We didn’t find it affected our trip.

I hope this guide to visiting Isla Holbox with children helps you to plan your trip. It’s still one of my favourite destinations in the world, and visiting with our little ones made it even more special.

If you’re looking for more tips for visiting the island, check out my other travel guides.