Exploring Southern Veracruz State

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Southern Route
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Sierra Los Tuxtlas Area
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E
XPLORING SOUTHERN
VERACRUZ STATE
This loop travels South from Veracruz City, Acayucan, to the Sierra Los Tuxtlas,
Tlacotalpan, Alvarado and back to Veracruz City. Take a look at the driving route on page IV-2 to see the route to explore region in a circle trip from
Veracruz City.
SIERRA DE LOS TUXTLAS
Some 260 km (161 miles) from Veracruz, an
imposing cluster of volcanoes rises from
the coastal plains of southern Veracruz creating the “Tuxtla Mountains” (pronounced
TOOKS-tlahs). Not mountains in a traditional
sense, rather a gigantic bowl of rich soil crisscrossed by rivers and blanketed with tropical
vegetation, waterfalls and placid lakes.
Peaks in this range include Volcano Santa
Marta and Volcano San Martín Tuxtla,
both rising above 1,700 meters (5,570 feet).
San Martín Tuxtla is the only recently-active
volcano in the belt, erupting in 1664 and
again in May 1793.German naturalist and
explorer, Alexander Von Humboldt, compared the region to Switzerland. Cortés himself laid claim to the area and built several
sugar mills.
Olmec culture. Of the 17 giant Olmec stone
heads which have been unearthed to date,
all have come from southern Veracruz and
the neighboring state of Tabasco. These
stone heads are considered to be among the
richest discoveries of Mesoamerica’s earliest
advanced civilization.
The Sierra is located between the basins of
the Papaloapan and Coatzacoalcos Rivers.
The elevation makes the climate more comfortable and cooler than in lowland areas.
This area is also the homeland to the great
There are many other lakes in this region,
including Catemaco, Encantada,
Chalchoapan and Majahual. With the
exception of Catemaco, all of these are little
visited and offer only basic services. The
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OVERVIEW continues
Mystical Catemaco
coastline of Los Tuxtlas region is gorgeous,
but difficult to access. There are headlands,
lagoons, bays, cattle pastures, and green hills
rolling down the shore. The deserted beaches
are dotted with small fishing villages, like La
Barra, Playa Escondida, Montepió and Roca
Partida.
CATEMACO
166 km south of Veracruz City
Catemaco sits on the western shore of the mystical
Laguna (Lake) Catemaco. At 361 meters (1,115 feet) in
elevation, the area enjoys a relatively moderate climate.
(However, it is usually more humid after heavy rainfall
in June and October.) The oval-shaped lake is 8 km (4.9
miles) wide and 11 km (6.8 miles) long, and lies in a crater ringed by volcanic hills. It is filled by four gushing rivers. The lake is nearly surrounded by a country road, and
numerous islands jut from the dark green waters. Most
visitors use Catemaco City as their base and take boat
excursions to explore this beautiful lake, its shoreline
and island attractions.
Catemaco is arguably Mexico’s most picturesque lake.
It’s surrounded by lush vegetation, including a wide vari-
ety of hardwood trees like cedar, mahogany, oak, walnut, laurel, ceiba, primavera, chico sapote (the source of
chewing gum) and others. As for the wildlife, there are
armadillos, raccoons, deer, squirrels, monkeys, ocelots,
coyotes, and tlacuaches (Mexican opossums). The region
is also known for its variety of poisonous snakes such as
the coral snake, rattlesnake, sorda, and capulincillo.
The Lake Catemaco area hosts some 550 species of
migratory and local birds. Sparrows, woodpeckers, cardinals, doves, parakeets, herons, chachalacas, sparrow
hawks, and other species thrive here and make this one
of Latin America’s prime bird watching zones. In April
and May, hundreds of herons nest on the tiny Isla de la
Garzas. (Island of the Herons).
The region’s exuberant ecology has caught the eye of
Catemaco is known throughout Mexico
and Central America as sort of “ground
zero” for mysticism, spells, white magic,
ceremonial magic, incantations, and black
magic. Melding pre-Hispanic, Catholic
and West African voodoo practices, the
town has more brujos (shaman) and traditional healers than anywhere else in
Mexico. This marriage of religion and
“witchcraft” has produced an interesting cultural heritage. Locals are known to
attend mass, then cross the plaza to seek
the services of mystics and shamans. It’s
common for visitors to participate in simpler practices such as a limpia (cleansing)
or perhaps a bit of white magic (spells
and incantations).
The town draws attention each year during its annual Witches Conference. The
first Friday in March of each year, mystics
from Mexico and other countries arrive to
participate in a mass cleansing ceremony.
The ceremony takes place on Cerro Mono
Blanco (White Monkey Hill) just outside of
Catemaco City. The town gets quite full,
so channel your hotel reservation early!
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CATEMACO continues
nal herbs. It is said that one thousand types of bromeliad grow along the shores of Catemaco. Floating
water lilies dot the lake’s surface and several inlets
are carpeted by flowering aquatic plants.
Hollywood producers. Several major films have
been shot here including Medicine Man (starring
Sean Connery) and more recently Mel Gibson’s
Apocalypto. Consider staying at, or stopping by the
charming, 1950’s style La Finca Resort & Spa. The
junior suites are named after famous actors.
Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve
Declared a Protected Area in 1979, this
mountainous region is one of Mexico’s most biodiverse ecological treasures. The Reserve is centered on the San Martín Volcano, with mountainous terrain between 3300 and 5,600 feet altitude.
The centerpiece (literally) in the San Martin
Volcano, the highest peak in the region. There
are three craters, countless streams, and ideal
(humid) conditions for a proliferation of plant and
animal species.
For guide services to explore this region, look
into the directory at www.mexicosagaz.com.
The town of Catemaco (population: 30,000) is
located on the lake’s western shore. The tree-shaded
city slopes gently toward the lake. Two blocks up
from the waterfront is an attractive Plaza (zócalo),
with its delightful Iglesia del Carmen and municipal palace. This colorful church has an ornately
painted interior, while blue and silver accents highlight the golden stucco exterior. Note: In front of the
palace, notice the ancient stone carved blocks that
almost litter the sidewalk . It’s as if they had so many
they didn’t know where to put them!
Two blocks down from the zócalo is the malecón or
boardwalk -- alive with restaurants, merchant stalls
and hawkers enticing visitors onto boat tours. A
two-hour shoreline/island tour costs around $6 US
per person and is among the state’s highlights. For
lake swimming, there are sandy beaches just a short
walk north from downtown.
Catemaco has a number of nurseries growing a wide
variety of ornamental plants, fruit trees and medici-
Hotels in Catemaco include the 3-star Del Brujo (in
town) and the lakeside 4-star La Finca (www.lafinca.
com.mx) and 4-star Playa Azul (www.hotelplayaazul.com.mx). Note: La Finca is the most complete
and comfortable with a spa, lakeside pool, swimming
beach and a good restaurant. Mel Gibson lived here for
some four months while filming Apocalypto in 2005.
Lake Tours
To experience the lake from the water, there are dozens of boats to rent (literally on-demand) from different points around the lake. The per-person cost is
usually around $6 US or $45US if you want a private
tour. A typical trip goes something like this…
Your panga will cruise from the waterfront of
Catemaco City to the north shore, a zone rich in mineral springs. The most famous are those of Coyame,
which provide mineral water for beverages with
reputed medicinal benefits. Along the shore you’ll
also see sandy beaches, birds of all sizes and colors (some nesting in the small islets), and enormous
floating patches of water lilies.
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LAKE CATEMACO continues
some 170 steps to get an unforgettable view of this
magnificent cascade. There’s also a trail along the
waterfall’s rim (used by Mel Gibson in Apocalypto)
with thrilling views of the river.
The Parque Ecológico Nanciyaga is a mandatory
stop for most lake tours. Located just 7 kms (4.3 miles)
from Catemaco and reachable by car or taxi, this ecological reserve/Olmec-themed jungle walk is where
the movie Medicine Man was filmed. While a bit contrived and commercial, the park includes guided jungle tours past Olmec ceremonial replicas, temazcals, a
spa, mineral water well, an amphitheater with occasional musical performances, and a shaman’s hut for
limpias.
Within the park, there are ten simple lakeside cabanas
for rent. There is also a good restaurant, gift shop and
kayak rentals. The 30-minute walking tour costs 30
pesos (about $3 US) per person, but there are plenty
of chances to drop some dinero along the way. The
park is open daily 9am -6pm; tel. 52-294-943-0199;
www.nanciyaga.com. The site claims to be “the most
northerly patch of tropical rainforest on the planet.”
From here, you’ll likely cross to the Isla Tanaxpi (also
known as
the Island of
Monkeys). The
island is home
to about 60
red-faced
monkeys
SAN ANDRES TUXTLA
12 km from Lake Catemaco
brought from Thailand in the 1970s by the University
of Veracruz for “research”. Despite attempts to leave
them in peace, an armada of boats visit throughout the day, filled with camera clicking, tortilla tossing vacationers. Despite the disruption, the colony is
quite healthy. They keep reproducing and university
staff monitors their habitat.
From here the basic tour returns to Catemaco’s
waterfront.
Departing Catemaco take a detour to experience the
awesome Salto de Eyipantla, a 40-meter-wide (130
feet), 50-meter-tall (160 feet) waterfall of exceptional
beauty. The drive from Catemaco winds past simple
roadside villages and tobacco fields where wooden
sheds are used to cure the leaves with the heat of the
sun. Park at the entrance to the waterfall and descend
San Andrés Tuxtla (12 kms/7.4 miles west of
Catemaco; pop. 60,000) is a bustling city and regional
capital. Highlighted by the San Andres River, this
area is famous for its beautiful tropical rainforests
that have inspired poets, musicians, and painters.
The economy is based on the farming of beans, corn,
plantain, coffee, and tobacco. Its provincial atmosphere and handsome old homes provide the backdrop to a bustling modern city with pleasant, hospitable people who hold tight to their customs and
traditions. There’s not much in the way of tourism
attractions, but take the opportunity to soak up some
small town Mexican life and purchase some premium
Mexican puros (cigars).
Premium-quality leaves make it possible to manufacture internationally famous cigars. The Cruz Real and
Santa Clara factories on the outskirts of town offer
free tours. This is Mexico’s cigar capital and affordable,
good quality puros are a real treat.
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SAN ANDREAS TUXTLA continues
The city lacks the charm of Santiago Tuxtla (your next
stop), but there are some eco-recreation attractions
nearby. The Laguna Encantada is a small lake situated within a crater (ideal for swimming). And further up the same road are trails that explore the now
dormant Volcán de San Martín. Or contact Ecobiospera
(www.ecobiosfera.com tel: 52-294-114-5849) who operates cabañas and an assortment of soft and more challenging eco-based activities.
Lodging here is limited, but recommended properties
are the three-star
Hotel San Martín, or
the Hotel Michelle.
View other options at
www.allmexicohotels.
com
SANTIAGO
TUXTLA
25 km from Lake
Catemaco
This small town (pop.
16,000) was founded
in 1525 and has a
very relaxed charm
and understates its
importance to Olmec
archaeology. It’s
just13 km/8.3 miles
farther north from
San Andres along the
main highway. Cortés himself founded Santiago
Tuxtla in 1525. The town prospers from agriculture
(tobacco primarily) and ranching. It rests in a river
valley and boasts a verdant riverside plaza and is
surrounded by rolling green foothills of the volcanic Sierra de los Tuxtlas.
The Tepango River runs through the city, giving movement and freshness to the provincial
atmosphere. The architecture of its handsome old
houses with tile roofs, whitewashed walls, and
cool verandas embrace neighbors that chat to the
rhythm of their rocking chairs. This makes an ideal
backdrop for the lives of warm, fun-loving people.
In the colonial downtown area, an enormous
Olmec head sits imposingly in the main square.
The head is the largest ever discovered at 40 tons
and 11 feet high! It has closed eyes and no nostrils
--unlike the other heads found to date. It is known
as the “Cobata head,” after the estate where it
was found. The Tuxteco Regional Museum (also
located in the town square) houses artifacts
belonging to the Totonaco and Olmec cultures.
Lodging is available at the Hotel Castellanos
(one of the most unusually shaped hotels in the
Americas, resembling a “stack of dishes”, which
is ideally located adjacent to the main plaza. (tel.
52- 294-947-0300). The four-star Hotel Kingdian is
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TLACOTALPAN
The city once controlled a vast area of
southern Mexico.
SANTIAGO TUXTLA continues
another option or the Gran Santiago Plaza.
Santiago Tuxtla serves as a good base for exploring
the town and archaeological site at Tres Zapotes (23
km/14.2 miles to the west). Despite its former status as a stronghold of the Olmec culture, today the
archaeological site is just mounds and cornfields
(most of the site’s Olmec relics
have been transplanted to either
Xalapa or Mexico City). The site
dates back to the early Olmec
period (1,200 B.C.) and flourished
from around 500 BC until 100 BC.
98 km from Lake Catemaco; pop. 9,000; elevation 30 feet
The archaeological site is famed for its
“Stela C.” A stela is an obelisk or upright
stone pillar, thought to be a primitive commemoration or gravestone.
In 1939, archeologist Matthew Stirling
discovered the bottom half of Stela C.
This stela was carved from basalt, with
one side showing Olmec-style engraving and on the other was the oldest Mesoamerican long count calendar ever unearthed (use of bars and
dots numbering system later adopted
by the Mayan and Zapotec). It is said
this finding gives the earliest positive
proof of the Olmec “discovery” of the concept of
zero. The small museum at the site also displays some
of the most relevant finds of Olmec civilization. The
Tres Zapotes Olmec head is here (dating to about 100
B.C.) – the first head found in modern times (1862).
This color splashed colonial town lies 98 kms (61
miles) from Catemaco and 97 kms (60 miles) south
of Veracruz City. The name “Tlacotalpan” is Nahuatl
meaning “place between the rivers.” In keeping with
its namesake, this is a riverside city of colonial streets
lined with porticos and striking buildings fronted by
colonnades. It is known for its classic architecture and
buildings painted in bright, contrasting pastel colors
and red tiled roofs.
Tlacotalpan was chosen as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1998. The designation reads the
“urban layout and architecture of Tlacotalpan represent a fusion of Spanish and Caribbean traditions of
exceptional importance and quality... Its outstanding character lies in its townscape of wide streets,
modest houses in an exuberant variety of styles and
colors, and many mature trees in public and private
open spaces.” (UNESCO, 1998.) The city is a delight to
explore and when visiting during the hot summer
months you’ll have the place to yourself.
The area had been inhabited since pre-Columbian
times by the Totonaco and Toltec peoples, however
little remains of these cultures. Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado first visited the area in 1518.
In the late 1520’s, Hernán Cortés formed Mexico’s
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TLACOTALPAN continues
first sugar cane mills here. Spanish settlers launched
dozens of cane-based haciendas and the city of San
Cristobal de Tlacotalpan was founded in 1541.
As a center of wealth along an easily navigated river,
Tlacotalpan was the site of fierce fighting against
European pirates who coveted the city during the 17th
and 18th centuries. Under the Spaniards, it was a port
for frigates and ships from Havana, Cartagena, and
Campeche. In the nineteenth century, the Papaloapan
River would welcome large sailing vessels and schooners sailing to and from Europe. Steamships carrying passengers, precious wood, tobacco, animal skins,
cotton, and other wealth from the interior of the state
fueled a building boom. Export of this merchandise
facilitated the import of dishware, ceramic, tablecloths,
marble, and all kinds of luxury items from abroad.
The city’s artists had the opportunity to study in Italy,
France and England, and to this day painting, music,
poetry, and literature are an integral part of the lives of
Tlacotalpan’s inhabitants.
With its deeply rooted feasts and traditions,
Tlacotalpan is the cradle of Veracruz folklore, especially for the celebration of the Fiesta de la Virgen
de la Candelaria (Candlemas Madonna Festival). The
festival begins on January 31st at 3pm and lasts for 8
days, until February 9th, all day and all night. People
dress in traditional clothing and traditional foods
such as arroz a la tumbada (rice cooked in fish broth),
pescado a la veracruzana (fish, with tomatoes, olives,
chillies, and onions), white gorditas (a sweet bread,
about the size and shape of an English muffin, longaniza (a type of sausage), enchiladas, naranjas rellenas
(stuffed oranges), and dulce de leche (similar to caramel candy) are served.
The “Virgen de la Candelaria” (Virgin of Candlemas)
is brought out onto the streets of the village to bless
the fishing and the people. At the front of the procession is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Port of
Veracruz, along with other important clergy in the
region. The band from the Naval Academy in nearby
Antón Lizardo gives a performance and there
are fireworks at night. The celebration draws
thousands of visitors.
This riverside town’s malecón is lined with restaurants and guides hawking riverboat tours.
The city has seven well-tended plazas in all and
strolling from one to the next is a delight. After
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liked lodging option.
From Tlacotalpan it’s 97 kms (60 miles) to get back
to Veracruz City. The somewhat disjointed highway
passes through coastal towns and past large sand
dunes that occasionally yield glimpses of the Gulf of
Mexico.
ALVARADO
TLACOTALPAN continues
Traveling north from Tlacotalpan, the Alvarado
Bridge stretches over the Papaloapan River, connecting the town of Alvarado to the southern
reaches of Veracruz state. Views from the bridge
showcase the beautiful river and bustling city
below. The Port of Alvarado is noteworthy for its
elegant architecture, such as the Palacio Municipal,
the city’s beautiful zócalo, and the Iglesia de la
Virgen del Rosario, a lovely colonial church dating
back to the 18th century.
was originally called Atlizintla, which means “next to
the abundant water.” It owes its present name to the
Spanish Conquistador, Captain Pedro de Alvarado.
The territory is washed by the Papaloapan and
Blanco Rivers (tributaries of Lake Alvarado), which
flow into the sea here. This seaport, nicknamed “La
Sultana del Papaloapan” (Sultan of Papaloapan), is
famous in history for its battle against U.S. troops who
invaded it in 1846. It is also known as “generosa” (bighearted) for having supported the city of Tlacotalpan
when it was flooded by the Papaloapan River in 2000.
The economy is
based on growing
corn, rice, beans,
mangos and
oranges, as well
as cattle ranching, industry, and
fishing. The city’s
outskirts are a bit
tattered, but the
main square is a
delight.
parking near the Plaza Colón, walk toward the main
square (Plaza Zaragoza) and admire the Iglesia de San
Cristobal. Stop and enjoy a drink or coffee at one of
the adjacent sidewalk cafes the walk past the Iglesia
de la Virgen de la Candelario toward the immaculate Plaza Hidalgo and the Museo Salvador Ferrando.
The gregarious museum caretaker is happy to show
off the eclectic display of regal and everyday antiques
from England, Spain and France, brought during the
city’s 19th century heyday as an international port.
There are also two museums devoted to the city’s most
revered native son Agustin Lara (1900-70), one of Latin
America’s most prolific and popular composers and
singers.
Located just 72 km (44.7 miles) from the port of
Veracruz, Alvarado brings together jungle, dunes,
and sea. The climate is very warm (with heavy rainfall in the summer and early fall) and an annual
average temperature of 26° C / 78.8 F.
For dining, try the Restaurante Doña Lala (also a popular three-star hotel). The Hotel Candelaria is also a well-
Settled first by the Totonacs and then by the Olmecs
during the expansion of the Aztec Empire, the town
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