Tonalá

Tonalá is set to be one of the big winners with the re-opening of the Tren Interoceanico, Line K. The new train is set to stop practically right in the middle of one of the oldest and most historically significant towns on the Chiapas coast. The town of some 46,000 residents somehow kept a good chunk of the traditional architecture intact. And getting off the train, you can cover that 30 minutes to the shore in a moto-taxi. An adventure it will be and like the Isthmus to the west, transportation very much depends on the friendly tuk-tuks. 

Tonalá is part of the broader coastal scene in Chiapas. A magnificent and lively little town of tiled roofs and flowers, the train coming from Juchitan arrives with fan-fare and flowers but here we start moving into the deep gravity and history that extends well into Central America. The town is centered around the modest but powerful temple of San Francisco. Begun in 1586, it was only finally finished in 1672. Out front, the Esperanza Park is the most important in town. And nearby, the Mercado Tonalá is a few minutes walk to the south and east.

People visit Tonalá on their way to the shore. Puerto Arista and Playa del Sol are the closest, just past Cabeza del Toro, a little seaside village. Boca del Cielo is a little further, and you can\'t quite get there if you find yourself already on the beach. Madresal is another little center, nearly alone on the barrier islands. Most of these isolated resorts will advise you about transport, either by land or sea, or by some combination. 

But Tonalá is also the center of an ancient culture. People visit the ruins at Iglesia Vieja some 45 minutes into the mountains just north of town. Views are spectacular just getting there, nearly year round. The giant La Sepultura biosphere reserves takes up most of the mountains visible to the north. And hiking the Sierra Madre here is guaranteed to be remembered for a lifetime. 

Somehow, the region is also big on beef production, and that means the seafood is often combined with cecina and similar variations. Tonalá is just big enough to support all kinds of great food, annual celebrations, and street art and local artistry to fascinate and attract even stoic world travelers. After all even the train came back! 

Until Line K is fully operational, most guests will still arrive to Tonalá by more traditional land means. Omnibus runs regular buses from Tehuantepec en Oaxaca. That trip takes a little more than five hours. The trip from the state capital of Tuxtla Gutiérrez takes a little more than two hours but not more than about 2.5 hours. In Tuxtla, check with Omnibus, Aexa, Rapidos del Sur, or ADO.