State · Chiapas e Tabasco

Tabasco

Tabasco: Villahermosa and the Olmec colossal heads at Parque-Museo La Venta, the cacao farms, the brick Maya city of Comalcalco and the gateway to Palenque.

In the photo: Comalcalco archaeological zone

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

The state

Get to know Tabasco

Tabasco lies on the southern Gulf of Mexico, between Veracruz, Chiapas and Campeche. It is a low, green plain cut by the Grijalva and Usumacinta rivers, the largest in Mexico, with lagoons, swamps and cacao plantations. The climate is hot and humid for most of the year.

The region was the heart of the Olmec culture, one of the oldest in Mesoamerica. In Villahermosa, the capital, Parque-Museo La Venta brings together in a forested park the sculptures brought from the La Venta site, including basalt colossal heads, and has a small zoo of regional animals.

Tabasco is cacao country, and the farms of the Cacao Route, near Comalcalco, show how the seed becomes chocolate. Nearby is the archaeological zone of Comalcalco, the only Maya city built with fired-clay bricks.

For travelers, Tabasco is also the gateway to Palenque in Chiapas, about 140 km from Villahermosa. In the cuisine, grilled pejelagarto fish and dishes with cacao and plantain stand out.

Destinations

1 destination in Tabasco

1 city

Palenque

Cities

1 cities in Tabasco in the guide

Tabasco Capital

Villahermosa

Villahermosa is the capital of Tabasco, a large, hot city on the Gulf of Mexico plain, cut by the Grijalva and Carrizal rivers and surrounded by lagoons. The La Venta park-museum, on the shore of the Laguna de las Ilusiones, houses colossal heads and altars of the Olmecs, the oldest civilization of Mesoamerica. About 55 km away is Comalcalco, a Maya city built of bricks. There is an airport with flights from Mexico City.

When to go

From November to April it rains less and the heat is more bearable. From June to October it rains heavily, the rivers rise and it is hurricane season. It is hot year-round and humidity is high. Tabasco is 3 hours behind Brasília.

Getting there

Villahermosa airport (VSA) receives flights from Mexico City and other cities. Buses depart from the capital to Palenque and Campeche, and the Tren Maya has a station near the border with Chiapas. For the cacao farms and Comalcalco, about 60 km away, a car or an organized tour is the most practical option.

Your questions

Frequently asked questions about Tabasco

What to see in Villahermosa?

Parque-Museo La Venta, with the Olmec colossal heads, and the riverside malecón along the Grijalva.

Can you go from Villahermosa to Palenque in the same day?

Yes. Palenque is about 140 km away, roughly a 2-hour drive, and many travelers arrive via Villahermosa.

What is the Cacao Route?

They are farms near Comalcalco that welcome visitors to show cacao cultivation and chocolate production.

Who were the Olmecs?

One of the oldest peoples of Mesoamerica, who lived on the Gulf of Mexico and left basalt-carved colossal heads.

Tap a state to see its destinations. Limites: INEGI / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.