TEHUACAN-CUICATLAN VALLEY original habitat of Mesoamerica WHS
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley has rich biodiversity with three components, Zapotitlán-Cuicatlán, San Juan Raya and Purrón, it is one of the main centres of diversification for the cacti family. It harbours the densest forests of columnar cacti in the world, agaves, yuccas and oaks. Early domestication of crops with a water management system of canals, wells, aqueducts and dams, the oldest in the continent.
Of the 36 plant communities, 15 different xeric shrublands are exclusive to the Tehuacán- Cuicatlán Valley. 70% of worldwide flora families, over 3,000 species of vascular plants of which 10% are endemic to the Valley. It is also a global centre of agrobiodiversity and diversification for numerous groups of plants, in which the cacti stand out, with 28 genera and 86 species of which 21 are endemic. Large “cacti-forests” shape some landscapes of the Valley making it one of the most unique areas in the world.
Mammals (134 species, two endemic). 353 birds, nine endemic including the Green Macaw.
Archaeological evidence over 12,000 years. 1) plant domestication, one of the most ancient worldwide, and 2) water management using canals, wells, terraces, aqueducts and dams which make it the most diversified ancient irrigation complex of the continent. Innovations like the salt industry and pottery.
From Tehuacan, the classic route is Highway-135 D (Cuacnopala-Oaxaca) to see a small portion of the reserve, but you will not cross the heart. Take the difficult local Highway-980 (Tehuacan-Coxcatlan-Teotitlan-Cuicatlan-Oaxaca).
1. road from Tehuacan to Zapotitlan. Just a couple of kilometers before reaching this village Botanical Garden “Helia Bravo Hollis”, 50 species of large cacti. The main protagonists are the columnar cactaceae, some of which date back more than 1000 years and reach 20 meters and more. tours are very educational and cheap. Has rudimentary cheap cabins inside the botanical gardens
2. back to Tehuacan, take Highway-980 towards Santa María Tecomavaca.
Las Salinas Grandes salt mine. It’s directly off the road, continuously functioning for the past 600 years, walk on the pond. The Parque Ecoturistico Turritelas is not part of the site. This salt is highly valued nationally as gourmet salt).
Coxcatlan has the “Purrón dam”, the first dam created by the man in the Americas
Sabino Canyon” is a deep canyon with the second-largest population of guacayamas in the world. Ask any person in the village for instructions, 1 hour walk from the village on beautiful trails of cactus and shrubs, beautiful morning walk.
Santa Ana Tecomavaca – military macaws at sunrise return to their caves,
El Bosque de los Sotolines endemic Pata de elefante or sotolin tree which is believed to be the oldest (800+ years old) in the region of Tehuacan. Also rodents, the rare tlalcoyote, bats, spiny chameleons, spiders, scorpions, sunrise birds.
San Juan Raya is a village on the northwest side where people have developed a paleontological ecotourism program.
MEXICO – VERACRUZ (Xalapa, Coatzacoalcos)
HISTORIC MONUMENTS ZONE OF TLACOTALPAN World Heritage Sites
It represents the townscape of a Spanish colonial river port. The buildings are mostly single-storey and in Caribbean style, with exuberant use of colour. The town was laid out in the checkerboard style with many open spaces and trees. It contained separate quarters for the Spanish and natives.
Nowadays it’s a sleepy backwater and you will mostly remember the long sugar cane “tractor trains” on the road while getting there. Recommends doing a riverboat trip.
A long drive from Tehuacan via a very high altitude winding highway/mountain pass near Mexico’s highest mountain Citlaltepetl or Pico de Orizaba at 5,636 metres, we arrived at sea level on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Vast flat fields with feather-like sugar cane crops or the quite dangerous long sugar cane “tractor trains” on the road.
Weather can be an issue – foggy towards sunrise/sunset, heavy rain and strong winds all year round. Bigger church with a bell tower (churches here are painted in different colours every other year
El Cuenqueño boat service on the Papaloapan River. excellent with wonderful views of Tlacotalpan from the upper deck. Peek through the open windows and/or doors to see the lovely patios and furniture inside.
Most thought there was little to see or do and can be seen in an hour. Don’t book a hotel room. Not much left of the port. Others thought it very peaceful and beautiful. Fiest de la Candelaria.30 of January and the 9th of Febuary. 4 hotels in tlacotalpan
Rows of well restored brightly painted and “classically” arcaded houses but no “great” buildings or sights. The town’s peak was reached around 1880-1910 and, following many fires, few buildings are any earlier. Very pleasant Zocalo and on the waterfront – fish/sea food is a speciality here.
Getting there is relatively slow from/to Vera Cruz along a road with many “topes”, long tractor-driven “cane trains”
The town is the most colorful town I’ve ever seen. It also has the most power lines. The colonial style town is significant simply because it has been forgotten – no longer a port city due to sedimentation. The entire town shuts down for several hours for a siesta in the heat of the afternoon. This makes a perfect time to wander around and take fantastic photographs. The museum is very primitive but the photography in the museum is fascinating.
The streets were interesting and the empty buildings colorful, but overall the town seemed run down. This place must have seen better days.
Tentative WHS
San Juan de Ulua, Site of Memory and Historical Resistances
MARTINEZ DE LA TORRE
ORIZABA
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Orizaba Cable Car
Art Museums: Orizaba: Museum of Art of the State of Veracruz
XALAPA
Museums – Various: Xalapa: Museo en Honor a los Bomberos
VERACRUZ
History, Culture, National and City Museums: Veracruz: City Museum
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Veracruz: Baluarte de Santiago
Veracruz: Castle of San Juan de Ulúa
Vestiges of the Past: Veracruz: Hernan Cortés house
Aquariums: Veracruz: Acuario de Veracruz
Hospitality Legends: Veracruz: Gran Café de la Parroquia
Lighthouses: Tecolutla: Tecolutla Lighthouse
Maritime/Ship Museums: Veracruz: Mexico Naval Museum
Villages and Small Towns
ALVARADO
COATEPEC
PAPANTLA
Monuments: Papantla: Monumento Al Volador
XICO
Museums – Various: Xico: Museo del Danzante Xiqueño
Airports: Minatitlán (MTT): Veracruz (VER)
History, Culture, National and City Museums: Veracruz: City Museum
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Perote: San Carlos Fortress
Vestiges of the Past: Quiahuiztlán Archaeological zone
House and Biographical Museums: Boca del Rio: Casa Museo Agustin Lara
Archaeology and Anthropology Museums: Xalapa: Museo de Antropología de Xalapa
Architectural Delights: San Rafael: Maison Couturier
World of Nature
Cañón del Río Blanco NP
Cofre de Perote NP
Dunas de Chachalacas
Waterfalls: Cascada de Texolo
Festivals: Son Jarocho Music Festival, Veracruz Carnival
Lighthouses: Tecolutla: Tecolutla Lighthouse
Tentative WHS
Cuetzalan and its Historical, Cultural and Natural Surrounding (27/09/2006)
Tecoaque (06/12/2004)
Pre-Hispanic City of Cantona (20/11/2001) Cantona is an archaeological site of a major fortified town that flourished between 550 and 950. It stands out from other pre-Columbian cities by the absence of mortar or cement in its buildings and the construction of its roads excavated from the volcanic rock. It houses military, public, religious and residential infrastructures, as well as a record 24 ball courts.
unique – Pyramids, palaces, ball courts and plazas. complex network of irregular streets and alleys that connect dozens of residential and administrative units, differentiated by class and rank.
built on top of a lava field. architecture based on exposed volcanic rock; without the use of any cementing, pigment or stucco. Cantona is polycentric and assymetrical.
The site is huge and has ceremonial and religious centres, residential zones, internal and external roads, fortifications, multifamily domestic compounds, productive areas and the highest concentration of ball courts in the whole region (archeologists have discovered 27 so far). Due to its location the economy of Cantona was based primarly on the extraction, manufacture and trade of obsidian.
lot of pyramids that can be climbed (though these are not as tall as others in the region, they do offer great visuals of the city). 2-3 hours walking through the most interesting zones of the city and another half hour in the small but very well equiped site museum. not close to any major city. cheap and safe transport from Puebla (departing from CAPU station), the best way to get there is by car. roads perfect condition bullfighting) haciendas, dating from the 1500s to the 1800s.
Pre-Hispanic City of Cantona
Zona Arqueológica de Cantona
