Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Catemaco is a lakeside town in the Los Tuxtlas region of southern Veracruz, set on the shore of a large volcanic lake surrounded by green hills and remnants of tropical rainforest. It is widely known in Mexico for its tradition of brujos, or healers and sorcerers, and for the fishing culture that has long sustained the town.
Along the Malecón, the Statue of the Fisherman looks out over the lake, and restaurants serve local specialties. The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel stands at the head of the Zócalo, where huapango music and dancing sometimes fill the square. Each March, a gathering of brujos draws visitors interested in local spiritual practices. Boat tours on the lake visit the monkey islands, home to a colony of macaques introduced for research, and stop at El Tegal, a shrine in a lakeside cave, and Agaltepec Island. Nearby, the Salto de Eyipantla is a broad, thundering waterfall, while the Nanciyaga Ecological Reserve offers rainforest walks and temazcal baths.
Curiosity about folklore and nature matters more here than polish; the town is modest and unhurried. Ecobiosfera and other rainforest tours explore the Los Tuxtlas biosphere, and the Sontecomapan lagoon, with mangroves leading to the sea, makes an excellent day trip. Expect heat, humidity and heavy rain in summer.
WiserMap travel guideCatemaco Mexico Monkey Islands Lake Boats and WaterfallsDiscover Catemaco in Veracruz with lake boat rides, monkey islands, Eyipantla waterfall, jungle reserves, Gulf beaches and the brujo gathering every March.Read the guide
The Malecon runs along the shore of Lake Catemaco in town, with seafood restaurants, souvenir stalls, boat docks and a statue of a fisherman throwing his net. It is the place to try local dishes such as mojarra and tegogolos, small lake snails. Come at sunset when the light falls on the lake.
The main square of Catemaco, in front of the basilica, has gardens, a kiosk and benches, with cafes and shops around it. In the evenings families gather, and local musicians sometimes play son jarocho. It is a short walk downhill to the lake, making it an easy place to start exploring the town.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Carmen faces the main square of Catemaco, a large church with a bright facade and twin towers that is an important pilgrimage site in southern Veracruz. Its main festival takes place in mid July. Step inside to see the image of the Virgin and the colorful interior.
El Tegal is a small cave shrine on the shore of Lake Catemaco where, according to local tradition, the Virgin of Carmen appeared to a fisherman. Pilgrims leave candles and offerings, and steps lead up from the water. It is a common stop on lake boat tours; be respectful, as it is a place of prayer.
Catemaco is famous across Mexico for its brujos, traditional healers and sorcerers, and on the first Friday of March it hosts the Noche de Brujos, a gathering with ceremonies, cleansing rituals and festivities by the lake. Throughout the year healers offer limpias in town. Be cautious of high prices.
Boat tours leave from the docks on the Malecon to circle Lake Catemaco, a volcanic lake surrounded by green hills. Typical stops include the monkey island, Agaltepec Island, El Tegal shrine and the Nanciyaga reserve. Agree on the route and price before boarding, and share a boat to save money.
Isla de los Changos is a small island in Lake Catemaco that is home to a colony of stump-tailed macaques, brought here decades ago for university research. Boats pull up close so visitors can watch the monkeys on the shore and in the trees. Landing is not allowed; do not feed the animals.
Agaltepec is the largest island in Lake Catemaco, a wooded island with archaeological remains of an ancient settlement and a protected natural area. Most visitors see it from a boat on a lake tour. Ask boat operators whether landing is possible, as access can be limited to protect the site.
Nanciyaga is a small rainforest reserve on the shore of Lake Catemaco, with trails through tall trees, a temazcal, mud baths and simple cabins. Scenes from the film Medicine Man were shot here. Visit as part of a boat tour or by road, bring insect repellent, and try a traditional temazcal.
Sontecomapan is a coastal lagoon north of Catemaco, lined with mangroves and opening to the Gulf of Mexico through a sandbar. Boat trips from the village of Sontecomapan pass mangrove channels and birdlife on the way to La Barra beach. Bring cash, sunscreen and insect repellent for the trip.
No reviews yet. Been to Catemaco? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Catemaco? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: ed_devilinside, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lunita28mx, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Koffermejia, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Pacifico1234, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Isaacvp, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones from México D. F., México, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: El Sombrerero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: EASLYHAKS, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lunita28mx, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Koffermejia, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Isaacvp, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: panza.rayada, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones from México D. F., México, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Isaacvp, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Julio Halliwell R., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: panza.rayada, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
