werelivingthedream

Well we’ve been kiting 13 out of 14 since we’ve been back to Padre, so I am late on updating the Mexico information.  We took a day trip to Isla Holbox (pronounced Holbush) to check out the location for kiteboarding.  You take a quick ferry to get there.  It was a warm, non-windy day.  The bulk of the town is centered from the ferry terminal on the south, about 10 blocks north and 20 blocks east to west.  The ocean side faces north, like El Cuyo, and the resorts all have cabanas, chairs, beach bars and restaurants on the each. There are beach vendors selling cold coconuts, opened for their water and then for their meat.  The water is shallow out for a ways, but no kiteboarding access  except for by boat or heading to the eastern end of the beach where there is a small launch site.  We talked to a kiteboard shop—very nice folks from England, but we wouldn’t recommend this as a kiteboard location.  There are tons of restaurants, small shops and vendors and it definitely is a tourist based economy—just no high rises like Cancun or paved roads.  We ran into Lance, Shannon and Lannie just before leaving.  They were planning on spending some time there with their extended family.

The day before we flew out, we drove up to Isla Blanca to check it out.  Just a few notes—it is remote (no electricity, a few rooms, small restaurant, no grocery store) but the lagoon is flat water.  We were there with minimal wind and there were some lessons and folks on big kites.  We stopped by a bed and breakfast within walking distance which was really nice, but if you thought there was not much in El Cuyo, then there is nothing in Isla Blanca unless you stay closer to Cancun and drive up every day.  If you stay there, you get free admission to the beach.  If you commute, you pay a small daily fee. It would be a cool place to stay for a few days to take lessons or if you knew there was wind.  Sadly, the big high rise hotels are creeping up the road towards Isla Blanca and it may be long before that stretch of Mexico looks like Cancun hotel zone!