Isla Holbox

Where the Caribbean meets the Gulf, Holbox is a car-free island of shallow turquoise lagoons, endless sandbars, and a famously unhurried pace.

Wade out across glassy shallows, spot flamingos and pelicans, and — in season — swim near gentle whale sharks offshore.

After dark, the water can glow with bioluminescence. It’s a true escape, well off the usual track.