State: Tabasco

Population: 1,900,000
Size: 9,503 square miles
Location: Southeast Mexico
Borders: Gulf of Mexico and states of Campeche, Guatemala, Chiapas and Veracruz
Important cities/sites within the state: Grutas de Cocona, Villahermosa, Yumka and archeological zone of Comalcalco
Major airports: Carlos Rovirosa Intl aka Villahermosa International Airport (VSA)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time

Tabasco is located in southeastern Mexico, bordered by Veracruz, Chiapas, Campeche and the Gulf of Mexico. Its landscape consists primarily of lush forests, tropical jungle, savannah, mangrove swamps and tranquil coasts.

The state of Tabasco is formerly home to one of the most important Mesoamerican cultures in Mexico – the Olmecs. The strength and power of this native group, coupled with constant pirate attacks between the 16th and 18th centuries, prevented the Spaniards from founding practically any cities in the area. In 1519, Hernan Cortez managed to establish Santa Maria de la Victoria, the first Spanish city in the area, now Villahermosa, the state’s capital.

Today, Tabasco offers a wide range of attractions and outdoor recreational activities. The state’s impressive Olmec and Mayan archaeological zones are ideal to explore and include La Venta, Comalcalco and Pomona, and Tabasco is also known for its countless waterfalls, caverns, swamps, stunning beaches, rivers and marshes. Folkloric villages such as Tapijualpa, Villa Luz and Jalpa are also popular attractions, characterized by their ambiance, still very reminiscent of the Olmec cultural past.

The state is ideal for ecotourists, offering popular outdoor spots like Yumka, a spacious park with 101 hectares of forest, lagoons and pastureland featuring the Nature Interpretive Center, as well as parks featuring fauna from different parts of the world, including giraffes, zebras and antelopes. Cacao, the bean chocolate is made from, flourishes in Tabasco’s tropical climate, and tours of cacao plantations and the chocolate production process are not to be missed.

Villahermosa, the state’s capital, is a modern city located 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, where the Carrizal and Grijalva rivers meet. The city was the first Spanish settlement ever founded on the mainland – Santa María de la Victoria – on March 31, 1519, located on the left bank of Rio Grijalva. Soon after its founding, pirate Frank Drake´s violence forced the Spaniards upstream, where they later founded Villa Hermosa de San Juan Bautista. While the hostility continued, the city managed to escape any major damages and during the 19th and 20th centuries, began trading with the Caribbean Islands, particularly Cuba.

Tabasco is a state of renowned natural beauty and outdoor recreation. Travelers interested in diverse surroundings will have the opportunity to explore the many wonders of nature in one state.