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It’s been a rough start to the month of February for tourists enjoying an early spring vacation getaway on the island of Isla Holbox near Cancun.
While the saying in like a lamb and out like a lion may relate to next month, the start of February has been quite a lion to Isla Holbox greeting tourists with strong cold front winds, flooding rainstorms, and destructive ocean waves.
Strong Island Storm
According to visitors to the island, the recent storm surge on Isla Holbox sent sea water more than 600 feet on the island and brought wind gusts of more than 30 miles per hour.
The result was the destruction of palapa structures on the beach and flooding of many parts of the island. The channels formed by the rough sea waves caught many visitors by surprise.
Even the picturesque Holbox sign loved for photos by visiting travelers was knocked over by the winds and rain.
Power was also cut to the island due to the strong winds toppling over large power poles. However, power was quickly restored for travelers to the island after the storm had passed, and the conditions were safe for restoration.
In only took a matter of minutes, however the destruction from the storm will take possibly a week to clean up and get back to normal in time for the upcoming busy spring holiday travel season.
Holbox Prone to Flooding
Flooding is actually a common occurrence on Isla Holbox. Storms typically dump large amounts of rain on the island in a short period of time. Due to the lack of general lack of infrastructure, the island will typically flood,
That includes the popular centro area of the island where the tourist zone is located. The streets are unpaved sand and there really is no drainage system to clear the centro area once the heavy rain starts to fall.
Because of this, a strong storm with a lot of rain will turn the popular tourist zone into a muddy mess for visitors trying to walk from place to place on their vacation getaway.
Part of the Holbox Charm
Ask Isla Holbox travelers and many will say that it is just part of the rustic charm appeal of visiting the island.
Visitors to Isla Holbox select a vacation getaway to the island because it is a throwback to the way life used to be in the Mexican Caribbean before the large tourist hotspots we know today took over the travel experience.
Part of the experience means the flooding rain and muddy sand conditions of the roads when it occurs.
When heavy rains hit, the municipality jumps into action with pumps and hoses to remove the standing water. But until the weather warms up and the sun comes out, it’s wet sand in the centro that travelers need to deal with.
There was some curbing installed in some parts of the center to try to help with the flow of the water. However, flooding continues to be a challenge on Isla Holbox.
What Travelers Need to Know
Tourists visiting Isla Holbox really need to be aware of the rustic charm of the island paradise and what that means for a beach vacation getaway.
That means having the challenge of the weather and elements of nature as part of a stay on the island.
Travelers who don’t want to deal with the flooding issue or the potential interruptions of power due to weather conditions may not want to spend an extended stay on the island. Instead, a day trip to Isla Holbox may be a more appropriate vacation adventure.
Just be sure to be aware of the expected Isla Holbox weather conditions in advance!
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