Tapijulapa

Tapijulapa is a stunning mountain town some 90 kilometers from the Tabasco state capital at Villahermosa. The rare cool town in muggy Tabasco, it sits at the confluence of the Oxolotán and Amatán rivers. People visit for the cooler climate, and just to take in the stunning scenery of the Tabasco Mountains, in the foothills of the southern Sierra Madre. Most of the surrounding area is part of the Sierra de Tabasco State Park which sits right on the border with Chiapas. The park protects the last remnants of the Tabasco jungle and the highest elevations in Tabasco. 

The site has been occupied since the 5th and 6th centuries. The Zoque Maya left artifacts in the area and many of artifacts of their culture were recovered from caves in the surrounding hills. The Cuesta Chica were likely occupied as ceremonial centers in the 8th through 10th centuries. The Sierra de los Zoques, as it was long known, later became home to the Poposá Monastery.

The broader landscape hosts grottoes, waterfalls, and sulfurous springs. The town itself, with cobblestone streets is today a natural getaway famous for ecological excursions, hiking, and all manner of outdoor recreations. Named a Pueblo Magico in 2010, the town is  a fantastic place to spend a few days or a week. And many visitors return every year around Easter time for the fresh mountain air and the enchanted landscape. 

Tapijulapa is roughly a 45-minute drive southeast from the Tren Interoceánico station at Teapa. Nearly all visitors though still arrive from Villahermosa. There is combi or colectivo service between the two towns if you decide not to spring for a taxi. The scenery is breathtaking. The trip northward, perhaps even more breathtaking, is roughly five hours from Tuxtla or from San Cristóbal de las Casas.