Nature reserve 2 km southeast of Tapijulapa
A jungle reserve upriver from Tapijulapa with milky-blue sulfur waterfalls, a sulfur cave, and Tomás Garrido Canabal's old house.
The Villa Luz reserve lies about three kilometers from Tapijulapa, up the Oxolotán River, and it is the reason most people make the trip to this corner of the Tabasco highlands. It is part of the Sierra de Tabasco state park: a patch of rainforest where springs loaded with sulfur pour down over terraces of mineral rock into pools of pale, milky turquoise. The smell of sulfur hangs in the air, and the water is famous locally for being good for the skin.
In the middle of the reserve stands the country house of Tomás Garrido Canabal, the fiercely anticlerical governor who ran Tabasco in the 1920s and 1930s. It now works as a small house museum with Zoque archaeological pieces and regional crafts.
A short walk away is the Cueva de las Sardinas, also called Cueva de Villa Luz or Cueva del Azufre. Its springs release hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas, and the cave supports bacteria that live on sulfur instead of sunlight, along with small fish adapted to that harsh water. Scientists from around the world study it, and the BBC filmed it for Planet Earth. Every Palm Sunday, Zoque families from the area hold the traditional sardine fishing ceremony at the cave, with music, dances and prayers asking permission before the catch.
What to see and do
Swim in the sulfur pools below the waterfalls; bring water shoes, since the mineral rock is uneven.
Visit the Casa Museo of Tomás Garrido Canabal and its Zoque archaeological pieces.
Look into the Cueva de las Sardinas from the entrance; the air inside contains toxic gas, so go no further without a local guide.
Come on Palm Sunday to see the Zoque sardine fishing ceremony at the cave.
On the way, stop at Kolem Jaa', a private eco-park nearby with zip lines, rappelling and cabins.
Getting there
The classic way in is by boat: boatmen at Tapijulapa's river landing take you a few minutes up the Oxolotán River, and from the dock a trail leads through the forest to the waterfalls. There is also access by land from the ejido of Arroyo Chispa, a few minutes away by road. Wear shoes you can get wet and bring insect repellent; check the boat fare and park hours in Tapijulapa before going.
2 km southeast of Tapijulapa
Directions from Tapijulapa on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather warm
Villa Luz shares the climate of Tapijulapa, 2 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Tapijulapa your base
Villa Luz is an easy trip from Tapijulapa, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Teapa · 23 km away
More around Tapijulapa
-
Oxolotán
· Town · 9 km away
A river village in the sierra with a 17th-century convent, partly blown up in 1926, that now houses the Museo de la Sierra. -
Tacotalpa
· Town · 16 km away
Tabasco's colonial capital for over a century, with a stone church from 1710; on the road toward Teapa. -
Grutas de Coconá
· Cave · 20 km away
Caves on the edge of Teapa with eight lit chambers, underground pools and blind fish, about 40 minutes from Tapijulapa.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.