Tuxtla Gutiérrez

Let’s be honest: You didn’t come all the way to Chiapas [1] to hang out in a big busy city like Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Home to a half million people, Tuxtla is a world apart from the lush forests, colonial cities, and indigenous villages most travelers associate with Mexico’s most rural state. Tuxtla’s hotels, museums, and architecture are of mostly 20th-century extraction—even the main cathedral [2], though quite impressive, is a modern revision of the colonial-era original.

But don’t write off Tuxtla altogether! Some of Chiapas’s top sights are just outside the city. They include Cañón del Sumidero [3], a long winding canyon with jaw-dropping thousand-meter walls; Sima de las Cotorras [4], a massive sinkhole that’s home to squawking multitudes of green parrots; and beautiful wind-wisped Aguacero waterfall.

The small town of Chiapa de Corzo [5] has several architectural gems, including a gorgeous 16th-century fountain, and a two-week-long festival that draws crowds of visitors. Northwest of Tuxtla is the Ruta Zoque [6] (Zoque Route), a little-traveled loop in the Chiapanecan hinterland that includes low-key towns and terrific colonial churches.

And the city itself is not without its attractions. If you’ve got kids, they’ll love Tuxtla’s great zoo [7] and the huge convivencia infantil [8], or children’s park. A science museum [9] opened in 2006 and there’s an excellent archaeological museum [8], albeit rather dated in style. And every night of the week you’ll find a friendly crowd and live marimba music at Parque Marimba [10], the city’s loveliest spot.

If your jaunt through southern Mexico has left you in need of a big-city fix, whether that means Wal-Mart or a hot shower and HBO at the Camino Real, Tuxtla Gutiérrez is your guilty pleasure. (Don’t worry, no one back home has to know.)

The Best of Tuxtla Gutiérrez [11]

• Parque Marimba [10]
• ZOOMAT [7]
• Parque Nacional Cañón del Sumidero [12]
• Sima de las Cotorras [4]
• El Aguacero [13]
• La Pila [14]