Río Puyacatengo

The Puyacatengo is the river people from Teapa head to on a hot weekend. It comes down from the mountains on the Chiapas border and runs past Teapa over a wide bed of smooth stones, with jungle on both banks. The water is clear and cool, and in many places it spreads into shallow pools and small, gentle cascades where children can splash around safely when the river is low.

Along its banks are a string of family balnearios, simple riverside parks with palapas, grills to rent, and stands selling drinks and Tabasco food. The best known is the Parador Turístico Puyacatengo, near the village of Vicente Guerrero, with rocky trails along the water, a restaurant, camping areas and places to stay. Some balnearios on the road toward Tacotalpa, such as Las Garzas, add swimming pools and slides.

The river gets crowded at Easter and on summer weekends, when families from Villahermosa come for the day. Come on a weekday for a quieter swim, and keep in mind that after heavy rain in the sierra the water rises fast and turns brown.