Around Tuxtla Gutiérrez

The long broad valley surrounding Tuxtla Gutiérrez [1] has a number of terrific attractions, especially of the outdoor variety. By far, the best known is Cañón del Sumidero [2], a winding river canyon whose sheer stone walls climb 1,000- meters high in places—a true must-see. Two-hour boat trips from the town of Chiapa de Corzo [3], just east of Tuxtla, are the most common way to visit the canyon, but a road along the rim also offers impressive vistas.

West of Tuxtla are two excellent and less-visited sites: Sima de las Cotorras [4], a gargantuan sinkhole that’s the summer nesting ground of more than 1,000 green parrots, and El Aguacero [5], an isolated and picturesque waterfall at the bottom of a lush canyon.

Cañón del Sumidero is easy to visit via public transportation—either from Tuxtla [1] or San Cristóbal [6]—while the latter two are best reached by car.