20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Isla Holbox • The Blonde Abroad

If you’ve never heard of Isla Holbox, well, that’s part of its charm! Located off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, between the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find this slice of paradise.

Far from the crowds of Cancún, the tiny island is dotted with dirt roads, laidback beach bars, and incredible natural beauty.

The island’s main tourism draw is its awesome fishing conditions and whale shark tours!

You can rent bikes from the local shops and spend hours exploring the island. One of my favorite spots is Punta Cocos, with it’s shallow water and seemingly endless horizon of blue water.

You’ll also want to visit the Yum Balam ecological reserve, which can only be accessed by water. Rent a kayak or join a tour, and check out the crystal clear water, beautiful flora and fauna, and you might even spot flamingos!

Check out my daily vlogs from Isla Holbox!

SHOP my favorite Mexico travel essentials!

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

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January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

Sun-drenched mornings, salty air, and the kind of place that makes you instantly exhale @waldorfastoriacostarica ✌️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Our stay at this brand-new property was truly a dream — sweeping ocean views, elevated design, and more pools than I’ve ever seen at a hotel in my entire life.

From award-winning wellness to coconuts by the pool, every detail felt thoughtful and intentional.

🧖‍♀️ The Spa
Recently named Costa Rica’s Best Resort Spa, this sanctuary blends modern wellness with local healing traditions — volcanic mud rituals, rainforest-inspired therapies, and grounding treatments that leave you floating.

🛎️ Amenities
World-class service, beachfront access, a stunning collection of pools (truly — endless), curated experiences, and those sweet elevated touches everywhere you turn. Newly opened, yet already operating like a seasoned 5-star icon.

💦 Kids’ Club
One of the coolest spaces for littles — crafts, games, toys, and outdoor play areas that made traveling with Oliver feel easy (and fun for him, too).

🥥 The Food & Coffee
Fresh, locally sourced Costa Rican flavors with elevated execution. Oceanfront bites, poolside snacks, handcrafted coffee experiences, and yes… plenty of coconuts.

🌿 Sustainability
Proud holders of the Bandera Azul Ecológica for conservation and environmental efforts — luxury and responsibility beautifully intertwined.

We truly cannot wait to come back. ✨

If you’re looking for a luxury, family-friendly escape in Costa Rica — this is your spot.

A huge thank you to @waldorfastoriacostarica for hosting us on this sunshine-soaked getaway.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#costarica #waldorfastoria #luxuryfamilytravel #familytravel

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A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18380851606081524

A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18083248064243187

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

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Julie Mason

Hi Kiersten! Funny to see this post in my feed today as I had already planned to send you an email. My husband & I are planning a trip to Cuba and Isla Holbox this spring and I’ve been diving into the airbnb listings. Would you recommend the one you stayed at? It seems they have lots of rooms and appear to be some of the better listings on the site. Thanks so much & happy travels!

January 3, 2017 at 12:35 pm · Reply

Kiersten Rich

YES! I would absolutely recommend any of Marvin’s rooms on Airbnb 🙂

January 3, 2017 at 3:07 pm · Reply

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog

The photos are beautiful as always! I need some sun and winter is just beginning, ugh!

January 3, 2017 at 7:28 pm · Reply

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