The 15 Best Isla Holbox Tours

1.Holbox: Yum Balam Reserve Classic Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 470 reviews · 3 hours · from $36Our pick

Join a bilingual guide such as Willy, Eddy, or David for a three-hour boat trip from Holbox through Yum Balam Reserve. Depending on your booking, swim at Yalahau Cenote or visit Bird Island, then see Passion Island and Punta Mosquito, weather permitting.

“Great tour, Yalahau was a really nice experience. Our guide Willie was very informative and clearly had lots of experience and knowledge! Would recommend”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Rio Lagartos & Las Coloradas Day Trip & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 451 reviews · 12 hours - 1 day · from $104

Travel from Cancún, Puerto Morelos, or the Hotel Zone to Río Lagartos for a mangrove boat ride, flamingos, crocodiles, and other birds. Visit Las Coloradas, try a Mayan clay bath, rinse at a beach, and eat a local fish, chicken, or vegetarian lunch. Guides may include José, Enrique, Carlos, or Philippe.

“Was very nice and enjoyable trip, especially our guide Jose create a nice and welcoming atmosphere during all trip. Very nice food in mini local village.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Bioluminescence Experience in Holbox

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 378 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

Alex or Javier picks you up by buggy within Holbox, supplies a wetsuit, water shoes, mask, and snorkel, then leads you into shallow sea or mangrove water near Punta Coco. You’ll watch stars, stir the water, and see bioluminescent plankton flash blue or green around your hands and feet.

“Really good experience! Javier was a perfect guide and we loved the explanation of the stars and the bioluminescentie in the water. The wetsuits that they offer are a big plus, as it prevents you from the mosquitos. Highly recommend this tour!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Holbox Full-Day Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 322 reviews · 12 - 13 hours · from $104

Travel from Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum to Holbox with guides such as José, Miguel, and Noah. Cruise by boat to Isla Pasión and Punta Mosquito, spot flamingos and pelicans, swim at Yalahau Cenote, and enjoy free time in Holbox town.

“The trip is quite long with different changes in transportation, but it’s totally worth it if you have to organise the logistic by yourself instead. Guides were good but not always precise but delivering the instructions and the logistic information. It would be have been great to have a little bit more of natural and cultural background information while touring.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Kayak Mangroves Sunrise Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 207 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) Top rated

Start before sunrise with hotel pickup, then paddle through Yum Balam Reserve for about three hours. Guides such as Carlos and Diego lead a gentle route with pauses for birds, flamingos, rays, horseshoe crabs, fish, and possible crocodile sightings. English is offered, but confirm your guide’s language.

“Awful experience as they simply didn’t show up to the meeting point + they didn’t answered to the phone when I tried to reach them at 6am! Worst experience of my holidays!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Bioluminescence Tour in Kayak in Holbox Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 165 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $50

You’ll be picked up at your hotel or Airbnb, driven to Mosquito Beach, and guided by kayak toward Punta Mosquito. There, guides such as Johnny, Jonathan, Alex, or Jony may explain the stars and plankton before you wade or swim in the glowing water. The tour lasts about 1 hour 45 minutes.

“We got the tour and suddenly we went back after 15 minutes. We didn’t kayak far and we were said to go futher, but it wasn’t. It was over and nobady informed us. We got half of our money back but we wanted to get all our money back. We did see the bioluminescence and that was super cool.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Holbox: Guided Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 143 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $49

Paddle a tandem kayak from Holbox with a bilingual guide such as Diego or Eric, leaving town lights behind for stars and glowing plankton. You will reach a sandbar, step into the water, and spend about 25 minutes enjoying the night scene. No kayaking experience is required, but the tour runs in darkness.

“Vous devez absolument le faire ! Ça a été la meilleure expérience de ma vie. À noter que vous pouvez tout à fait voir les Bioluminescences sur n’importe quel plage, mais là au moins vous êtes sûr d’en voir et vous êtes en Kayak.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Holbox: Guided Sunrise/Sunset Kayak Tour by Mangrove Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 127 reviews · 3 hours · from $49

Start with a golf-cart pickup from your Holbox accommodation, then paddle quietly through the mangrove reserve for about 2 hours and 45 minutes. English- or Spanish-speaking guides such as Carlos, Gustavo, Diego, Ivan, and Juan help you spot flamingos, crocodiles, pelicans, and other wildlife. Expect to get wet.

“Carlos was fantastic! So knowledgeable on the mangroves and wildlife that live there. Expertly guided and so keen to ensure we saw a salt water crocodile, which we did, both of which from a safe distance. Would highly recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Holbox: Stars and Bioluminescent Marine Life Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 111 reviews · from $44

Paddle Holbox at night with an English, Spanish, or French-speaking guide, then swim through neon-blue plankton on the sandbanks. Guides such as Omar and Diego add star lore, island ecology, and small discoveries, including horseshoe crabs. Hotel pickup in downtown Holbox is included.

“was a truly amazing experience not to be missed. Only downside was guide didn't translate everything for us so felt as though we missed out on bits of interesting information which Spanish speakers got all of”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Holbox: Bioluminescence by Kayak and Stargazing.

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 95 reviews · from $49

Paddle from Las Nubes toward the Punta Mosquito sandbanks, then walk and swim through glowing plankton under a dark Holbox sky. English and Spanish guides explain the natural display. Pickup by all-terrain vehicle is included, though transport and changing road conditions need attention.

“It's a beautiful show and Victor is a great guide”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Rio Lagartos and Las Coloradas: Safari Flamingo Luxury

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 90 reviews · 3 hours

Spend three private hours with a native Río Lagartos guide, spotting flamingos, crocodiles, pelicans, and other birds by boat. Visit Las Coloradas, try a Mayan clay exfoliation, and swim at a Gulf beach. Brandon, Guadalupe, Christian, and other guides lead the English and Spanish tours.

“An amazing and unforgettable boat tour through Río Lagartos! The guide was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the local wildlife and nature. The landscapes were stunning: mangroves, calm waters, and so many different bird species. We were lucky enough to see flamingos, crocodiles, and beautiful pelicans up close. Our guide was very attentive and always responded to our wishes — whenever we pointed at something, he immediately steered the boat closer so we could get a better view and take pictures. This tour is perfect for anyone who loves nature, wildlife, and a bit of adventure. I highly recommend it — a must-do experience in the region!”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Río Lagartos and Las Coloradas: Wildlife Natural Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 88 reviews · 4 hours

Spend four private hours with a Río Lagartos guide such as Guadalupe or Christian, watching flamingos, crocodiles, and local birds from a boat. The route also includes Las Coloradas, a cenote, fish spa, Mayan clay bath, mangroves, and an unspoiled beach. Early starts offer the best wildlife conditions.

“The trip and especially the Funde Guadalup was excellent. with his experience we could see all the animals. He toll us many Information abiut the Living and soecial behaviour of the different animals Livingstone in the ria. I would recommend a trip at the morning.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Private Ría Lagartos Boat Tour: Flamingos & Crocodiles

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 84 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $75

Join Martín Aguíñaga’s small local team for a private 2.5-hour boat ride through Ría Lagartos. Guides such as Martín Jr., Kelvin, Abram, and Jordán point out flamingos, crocodiles, and birds, then take you to a Mayan white-clay bath and quiet beach.

“We had a great time on our trip through the mangroves with Martin Jr. Not only is he a great captain, he is very knowledgeable about all the local wildlife and passionate about its conservation. Being out of season, we were lucky enough to have the boat to ourselves. We saw flamingoes, Godzilla the crocodile, pelicans, herons, vultures, cormorants, hawks, crested cara cara and more! Then topped it off with a swim on beautiful Rio Lagartos beach, which we also had to ourselves! It was great to see the company is a family enterprise, too. Thanks so much, Martin.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Holbox: Mangrove Sunset Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 79 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $55

Paddle a flamingo-shaped kayak from Holbox into the protected Kuká River with a local guide. Expect mangroves, birds, possible crocodile sightings, a snack stop, and sunset views. Groups are limited to 10, with guides speaking Spanish, English, or French.

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Group horseback ride on Holbox Island, Quintana Roo

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 70 reviews · 1h 20m · from $71

Ride your own horse for 80 minutes through 80% mangrove and 20% beach near Punta Siricote on Holbox. Victor may guide your small group, sharing island details and taking beach photos. Groups stay small, and children under five ride free with a parent.

“horses were lovely and the views were great, had a really nice time. They will give you bugs spray, make sure you put lots on!”

Check availability →Read our full review