Ciudad del Carmen
A fantastic Gulf Coast town with a vibrant culture and an increasingly important role guarding some of Mexico's most important mangroves and wetlands.
Ciudad del Carmen is a coastal city on the barrier islands that enclose the Laguna de Términos, a giant tidal lagoon on the Bay of Campeche. For a few generations now, the city has been symbolized by the Puente El Zacatal, the Zacatal Bridge that only finally connected Ciudad del Carmen with the coastal highway in 1994. The city is a dynamic and vibrant center of culture and history with a tremendous number of 19th century buildings that lend it a unique and inviting atmosphere.
People arrive today to stroll the historic center downtown especially around the municipal palace and the malecón area one the city's western coast. The Stella Maris statue is a particular favorite. The north side of the city is slightly newer and hosts the better beaches, the convention center, and the other malecón, the Costero.
But to the surprise of those who've followed the city's history as an important oil industry hub, today's Ciudad del Carmen is an increasingly important center for adventure and environmental travel. The Laguna de Términos is a giant protected area mostly because of the Usumacinta mangroves. These surround the edges of the lagoon where the freshwater meets the sea. The Usumacinta River brings freshwater and nutrients all the way from Guatemala and some of the trees can reach 30 meters in height. Local tour providers will tell you more as much of the lagoon needs to be visited in the company of a certified guide.
Ciudad del Carmen is also an important city for music where Mexican music really comes into contact with Caribbean rhythms and styles. It's a city of festivals, art fairs, and on going culture in the streets and markets. It's also likely the most central of any airport in the country. Although it's not the busiest airport by any means, it is wildly convenient for getting to the city. Both Aeroméxico and VivaAerobus make daily (or nearly daily) flights to Ciudad del Carmen from Mexico City.
But many more visitors will likely arrive from Villahermosa or other points on the peninsula. From the Tabasco capital the trip takes about three hours. Autobuses Sur makes the trip five times daily. From the capital of Campeche, it's also about three hours. From the Tren Maya station, preferably at Candelaria, the same trip is also about three hours. At this writing, most buses from Escárcega will still route passengers through Candelaria, a detour that can add up to two hours to the total journey.
