Ocozocoautla is a small city in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. The town is best known for its natural attractions, which are a magnet for outdoors and adrenaline seekers who come for the rivers, canyons, caves and forests. Hiking, rafting and rappelling are available nearby. The town is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Mágicos.
Understand
[edit]Just over 39,000 people made their homes in Coita as of 2010. The town is most often referred to locally as Coita, and least often by the pompously long official name, Ocozocoautla de Espinoza.
Get in
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The nearest city with an airport is Tuxtla Gutierrez (TGZ IATA).
From Tuxtla Gutierrez, Rapidos Sur operates buses every 90 minutes to Ocozocoautla. The 1-hour trip costs about M$50.
- 1 Terminal De Autobuses (Bus station), Cruz Blanca. Basic bus terminal with waiting area and rest rooms. Serves buses going to Tuxtla Gutierrez.
Get around
[edit]It's a small town that is easily walkable, though renting a bike could be an enjoyable way to explore the downtown area. You'll want to use a taxi to get to the parks and natural attractions in the outlying areas. Taxis are generally available at the sitios next to Parque Central in the downtown area or you can have your hotel front desk staff call a taxi for you. Uber and similar ride-hailing apps are generally useless in remote small towns like this.
See
[edit]- 1 Iglesia de San Juan Bautista, Central Ote 13A. The oldest church in the state of Chiapas, this unusual looking colonial era church is a rare example of mudejar architecture in Mexico. It is basically a gothic style church with Muslim architectural details. The church was built in the 16th century.
- Cerro Ombligo. Small archaeological site on a 200-m-high hill about 5 km north of town. The site was occupied by the Zoque culture during the preclassic period and is dated from 1500 BC to 250 AD. The main structures at the site include a 10-m-high pyramid and a series of platforms and altars.
- 2 Parque Central, Primera Oriente, Centro. The town's main square (Zocalo) is a manicured garden lined with walking paths, park benches, and centered around a grand bandstand (kiosco). It's a great place for wasting time and people watching. Sundays the park fills with families spending the afternoon together.
Do
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Ocozocoautla is famous for its rugged natural landscapes with plenty of opportunities for naturalists and extreme adventure travelers. Some of the places you might want to experience the outdoors include:
- Cañón Río La Venta — The La Venta river flows for 80 km through the Selva El Ocote Biosphere, carving a deep canyon over thousands of years. Vertical rock walls up to 400 m high hide caves that were sometimes used by the Zoque indigenous peoples as burial or ceremonial centers. Boat rides through parts of the canyon are available.
- Cascada El Aguacero — The Don Nicho river emerges from its underground path, spilling out of the El Encanto cave. It passes through a narrow canyon covered in lush vegetation.
- Sima de las Cotorras — giant sinkhole more than 140 m deep with a gaping opening in the surface that's 160 m wide. Rappelling into the depths is an eerie experience as you descend into the blackness of the subsurface. On the way down you will find numerous caev paintings of animals and geometric shapes as well as hidden warrens where birds and other animal life make their homes. The largest group of animals are colorful parakeets nesting in the walls. Hundreds of these parakeets fly out of the hole each morning and return to their roosts at dusk.
- Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve — 101,000-hectare protected area that includes highland rainforests, mountainous pine forests, and underground rivers and caverns. The reserve provides habitat to a large range of plant and animal life including more than 340 bird species.
Festivals
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- Carnaval de Coita — Carnaval, the celebration of excess consumption and debauchery leading up to Holy Week and Easter, is the biggest celebration of the year in Ocozocoautla. Carnaval begins the weekend before Ash Wednesday. The Coita celebration is a blending of common Carnaval elements celebrated elsewhere in the world, blended with some uniquely local elements reflecting Zoque tradition. It includes parades, dances, and local foods as well as costumed characters.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Tio Rube, Séptima Pte. Nte. 991, Cruz Blanca, ☏ +52 968 688 2368. Daily 07:00 - 17:00. Traditional Mexican restaurant known for their full breakfast menu and specializing in chochinita pibil. Outdoor dining area available. Family friendly with kids play area available. M$150.
- 2 Lupillo, Calle Segunda Pte. 126, San Bernabé, ☏ +52 9686881135. F-Sa 09:30 - 18:00, Tu-Th 11:30 - 18:00. Traditional Mexican restaurant with flavorful cooking and a slant towards seafood dishes. The house specialty is chiqueada, which is a beer fan full of shrimp and oysters in a spicy house sauce. Sounds weird until you try it and get hooked yourself! M$150.
- 3 La CoiTequita, Calle Tercera Pte. entre av. Central y 1a sur, San Juan, ☏ +52 968 152 7524. Daily 08:00 - 18:00. Traditional Mexican restaurant serving regional specialties. Guisadas are a specialty of the house and well worth seeking out. Good breakfast spot as well with generous portions and reasonable prices. M$150.
- 4 Meyapac, MEX-190, ☏ +52 968 118 5441. Daily 09:00 - 18:00. Traditional Mexican restaurant with regional specialties. Family friendly casual atmosphere. Hand-made tortillas and delicious guisadas. Ample free parking. M$200.
- 5 Casa de Adobe, Calle 6a. Ote. Sur 407, Santisima Trinidad, ☏ +52 968 688 1314. Daily 08:00 - 19:00. Traditional Mexican restaurant with modern touches. Delicious fresh coffee with full breakfast. M$200.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Los Faroles, Av. Tercera Sur 16-B, Planta Alta, Santisima Trinidad, ☏ +52 968 119 6979. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Small locally owned hotel with modern upgrades and amenities including air conditioning and WiFi. Off-street parking available. On-site restaurant available.
- 2 Posada los Sabinos, Calle Cuarta Oriente y segunda Norte 27, Centro, ☏ +52 968 688 0158. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. Low rates for small but clean and comfortable rooms. Rooms don't have heat so winter nights you'll want an extra blanket. Rooms are set around a central courtyard where several cats roam. Off-street parking available. M$500.