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It’s been more than a week since heavy rains hit the Mexican Caribbean area. Despite this, the streets in the tourist zone of Holbox Island still remain flooded.
Compounding the issue is the fact that many of the streets on Holbox Island are not paved. This creates quite a muddy experience getting around town.
Now, the floods are starting to significantly impact the traveler experience on the rustic island, and local officials are working on solutions to remove the flooded waters.
The Rainy Experience on Holbox
Exactly what the tourists love about Holbox Island is starting to act against them. The quaintness and ruggedness of the island with many unpaved roads have turned a vacation getaway into a muddy experience.
Making the situation worse is that the cars are choosing to park in dry locations, leaving puddles for locals and tourists to try to navigate on foot and bike.
Because the streets are in such bad shape due to the rain and the flooding, local merchants have also turned to the sidewalks built for tourists to avoid the muddy streets to place chairs, tables, and other elements of their business.
In some instances, golf carts are parked on the sidewalks, directly blocking the path of the Holbox Island visitors.
Local Officials Take Action
In response to the flooding and inconveniences to locals and guests on the island, local officials have started to take action to improve the roadways.
The first priority is the flooded dirt roads that have created muddy puddles for tourists looking to visit the merchants and restaurants on the island.
The municipal government overseeing Holbox Island has contracted to have bilge pumps deployed in the main tourist and dirt road areas to strategically remove the excess water from the area.
They are also using a number of vactor trucks to try to speed up the process.
The water is being ushered away from the tourist area and to the beaches where it can be returned to the ocean.
So far, some progress has been made, but local officials admit it will take a while to remove all of the standing water.
That’s assuming that no more rain falls on Holbox Island while the water removal process is being completed on the streets.
Tourists Frustrated by the Experience
Despite the work by municipal officials to restore the roads of the island vacation getaway, tourists are still frustrated by the muddy and dirty experience.
While many were expecting a rustic experience on the island, many were thinking more of a Cozumel or Isla Mujeres “island” experience than the muddy roads encountered on Holbox Island.
Local service providers and residents put the blame square at the feet of the municipal officials who let the problem increase in scope and ruin the experience for guests who visit the island.
Tourism is a key business on the island and locals want a better experience for tourists to further develop the industry.
What Tourists Need To Know
The flooding on Holbox Island is nothing new and is an ongoing issue, especially where the dirt roads are located in the prime tourist zone.
Many visitors know to expect these issues during the rainy season, and it just adds to the rugged traditional feel of life on a tropical island.
However, for others, the muddy roads and limited walking areas that are not flooded in the tourist zone are a shock.
The water should be cleared within a day or two, and with warm sunny weather expected, the roads should quickly dry out and return to their sandy profile.
That should also allow local merchants and restaurants to return the sidewalks back to pedestrian traffic.
However, visitors planning a trip that includes Holbox Island during the topical weather season should expect the unpleasant muddy road conditions to return once it rains again.
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