Adventure Guide: Mexico's Gulf Coast (Hunter Travel Guides)

336 Pages·2004·5.36 MB·English

by  Joanie Sanchez

dventure Guide
Mexico’s
Gulf Coast
Joanie Sánchez
HUNTER
HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC,
130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818
% 732-225-1900; 800-255-0343; fax [phone]
www.hunterpublishing.com
Ulysses Travel Publications
4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec
Canada H2W 2M5
% 514-843-9882, ext. 2232; fax [phone]
Windsor Books
The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington
Oxford, OX44 9EJ England
% 01865-361122; fax [phone]
ISBN 1-58843-394-3
© 2004 Hunter Publishing, Inc.
This and other Hunter travel guides are also available as e-books
through Amazon.com, NetLibrary.com, EBSCO and other digital part-
ners. For more information, e-mail us at com-
Contents
INTRODUCTION 1
Using This Guide 2
Geography 3
Climate 3
Ecology 4
History 7
Government 16
Economy 17
People 17
Culture & Customs 18
Travel 20
Getting Here 20
By Air 20
By Car 23
By Bus 24
Getting Around 25
By Bus 25
By Car 28
Car Rentals 31
By Taxi 31
Customs 32
Entering 32
Returning 32
Entry Requirements 33
Passports 34
To Apply 34
Lost or Stolen Passports 34
Passport Agencies 35
Practicalities 37
Time, Measurements & Electricity 37
Pack Small or Bring it All? 39
Disabled Travelers 41
Communications 41
Making Calls 42
Mail 43
Bathrooms 43
Laundry 44
Money 44
Currency 44
Taxes 44
Traveler’s Checks 45
Credit Cards 45
Health 45
Common Ailments 45
More Serious Diseases 46
iv n Contents
Medical Insurance 47
Vaccinations 48
Safety & Crime 48
Checkpoints 49
Emergency Assistance 49
Breaking the Law 49
Shopping 50
Tipping 51
When to Go 52
Holidays 53
National Holidays 53
National Celebrations 54
Festivals & Events 55
Food & Drink 57
Where to Eat 57
Regional Specialties 60
Local Fruits 61
Spices 62
Drinks 62
Accommodations 63
Hotel Expectations 64
Camping 66
Adventures 66
On Foot 66
Hiking 66
Caving 67
Hunting 68
Archaeological Discoveries 68
On Water 69
Fishing 69
Boating 70
Rafting/Kayaking 70
Beaches 71
On Wheels 71
Biking 71
Entertainment 72
Information Sources 73
General Information 73
Place-Specific Websites 74
Tampaulipas 74
Veracruz 74
Tabasco 75
Chiapas 75
Oaxaca 75
Embassies & Consulates 75
TAMAULIPAS 77
The Border 77
Nuevo Laredo 78
Orientation & Practicalities 78
Contents n v
Getting There & Getting Around 79
By Air 79
By Bus 79
By Car 79
On Foot 80
Sightseeing 81
Adventures 81
On Foot 81
On Water 81
Festivals & Events 82
Shopping 84
Where to Stay 84
Where to Eat 85
From Nuevo Laredo to Reynosa 85
Reynosa 87
Orientation & Practicalities 87
Getting There & Around 88
By Air 88
By Bus 88
By Car 88
Sightseeing 88
McAllen 89
San Juan 89
Mission 90
Festivals & Events 90
Where to Stay 90
Where to Eat 91
Matamoros 92
Getting There & Around 92
By Air 92
By Bus 93
By Car 93
Orientation & Practicalities 93
Sightseeing 94
Brownsville 95
Adventures 95
On Foot 95
On Wheels 97
On Water 97
Festivals & Events 97
Where to Stay 98
Where to Eat 99
The Coastline - From Matamoros to Aldama 99
Where to Stay 101
Aldama 101
Adventures 102
Cenotes 102
Fishing 103
Where to Stay 103
Ciudad Victoria 103
vi n Contents
Orientation & Practicalities 104
Getting There & Around 104
By Air 104
By Bus 104
By Car 105
Sightseeing 105
Adventures 105
On Water 105
On Foot 105
Where to Stay 106
Where to Eat 106
Reserva de la Biosfera de El Cielo 107
Adventures 107
Hiking 107
How to Get There 107
Where to Stay 108
Xicoténcatl 108
Ocampo 108
Ciudad Mante 109
Where to Stay 109
Tampico 109
Orientation & Practicalities 110
Getting There 112
By Air 112
By Bus 112
By Car 113
Getting Around 114
Sightseeing 114
Museums 115
Zoo 117
Adventures 117
On Foot 117
City Walking Tour 118
The Pyramid 120
Golf 120
On Wheels 121
On Water 121
Lagoons 121
Beaches 122
Fishing 123
Festivals & Events 123
Shopping 124
Nightlife 124
Where to Stay 125
Where to Eat 127
VERACRUZ 129
Northern Veracruz 130
The Road To Tuxpan 131
Contents n vii
Tuxpan (or Tuxpam) 132
Orientation & Practicalities 132
Getting There & Around 133
Sightseeing 133
Adventures 134
On Water 134
Archaeological Discoveries 134
Festivals & Events 135
Where to Stay & Eat 135
Poza Rica 136
Orientation & Practicalities 136
Getting There & Out 136
Where to Stay 137
Central Veracruz 138
Papantla 139
Orientation & Practicalities 139
Getting There 140
By Car 140
By Bus 140
Adventures 142
On Foot 142
Cultural & Eco-Travel Excursions 143
El Tajín Archaeological Site 144
Festivals & Events 149
Shopping 151
Nightlife 151
Where to Stay 151
Where to Eat 152
Costa Esmeralda 153
Getting There 153
By Car 153
By Bus 154
Adventures 154
On Water 154
Fishing 154
Boat Launches 154
Beaches 155
Archaeological Discoveries 155
Cultural & Eco-Travel Excursions 156
Festivals & Events 156
Where to Stay 156
Camping & RV Sites 157
Where to Eat 158
Tlapacoyan 158
Adventures 159
Rafting 159
Archaeological Discoveries 160
Along the Coast: Villa Rica to Cardel 161
Ruins of Quiahuiztlan 161
Spanish Settlements 161
viii n Contents
Sulfur Springs of Tinajitas 162
Birding in La Mancha 162
Ruins of Zempoala (Cempoala) 163
Dunes in Chachalacas 164
Birdwatching in Cardel 164
Veracruz 165
Orientation & Practicalities 165
Getting There 166
By Air 166
By Bus 167
By Train 169
By Car 169
Getting Around 169
Car Rentals 169
Local Transit 171
To San Juan de Ulúa & Boca del Río 171
To Mandinga 171
Sightseeing 171
Adventures 174
On Foot 174
Town Walks 174
Golf 176
On Wheels 176
Bus Tour 176
Bike Rentals 176
Coastal Drive 177
On Water 177
Beaches & Lagoons 177
Boat Tours 178
Diving 179
Fishing 179
Sailing 179
Kayaking/Rafting 179
By Air 180
Archaeological Discoveries 180
El Zapotal 180
Festivals & Events 180
Carnaval 180
Festival Internacional Afrocaribeño 181
School Holidays 181
The Fiesta de Santa Ana 181
Shopping 181
Nightlife 182
Dancing 182
Nightclubs 182
Where to Stay 183
Where to Eat 185
Tlacotalpan 187
Orientation & Practicalities 188
Contents n ix
Getting There & Around 188
Sightseeing 188
Shopping 189
Adventures 190
Festivals & Events 190
Where to Stay 191
Where to Eat 191
Xalapa 191
Orientation & Practicalities 192
Getting There 194
By Air 194
By Car 194
By Bus 195
Getting Around 196
To Coatepec & Xico 196
To Jalcomulco 196
To Perote 196
Sightseeing 198
Adventures 198
On Foot 198
Town Walk 198
Hikes 200
Tour the Churches 201
Wandering the Alleys 202
A Daytime Stroll 203
Sports 204
On Wheels 204
Bus Tour 205
Drives 205
On Water 205
Archaeological Discoveries 206
Cultural & Eco-Travel Excursions 207
Art Galleries 207
Visit a Hacienda 208
Learn the Lost Art of Goldsmithing 209
Theaters 209
Study Abroad 210
Festivals & Events 210
Shopping 210
Nightlife 211
Where to Stay 211
Where to Eat 213
Perote 215
Orientation & Practicalities 215
Getting There & Around 215
Adventures 216
Hiking 216
Where to Stay 217
Where to Eat 217
x n Contents
Coatepec 218
Orientation & Practicalities 218
Getting There & Around 218
Sightseeing 218
Adventures 219
Eco-Travel 219
Festivals & Events 219
Where to Stay 220
Where to Eat 220
Xico 220
Orientation & Practicalities 220
Getting Around 222
To Cascada de Texolo 222
To Coatepec/Xalapa 222
Adventures 222
On Foot 222
Town Walk 222
On Wheels 224
On Water 224
Waterfalls 224
Festivals & Events 226
Shopping 226
Where to Stay 226
Where to Eat 227
Jalcomulco 227
Orientation & Practicalities 227
Getting There & Around 228
Adventures 228
Outfitters 228
On Foot 230
Hike 230
Rappeling 230
Gotcha 231
On Wheels 231
On Water 231
In the Air 231
On Horseback 232
Festivals & Events 232
Where to Stay 232
Where to Eat 232
Orizaba 233
Getting There & Around 233
By Bus 233
By Car 234
Orientation & Practicalities 235
Sightseeing 237
Adventures 238
On Foot 238
Hikes 238