Tuxpan: the city, the coast and the region

Tuxpan

Tuxpan is a port and mid-sized city of about 154,600 people (2020 census), 11 km from where the river meets the Gulf, and the beach closest to Mexico City. It is the gateway to the Huasteca of Veracruz.

• Climate: tropical, about 24–25 °C on average; the rain falls mostly in summer and autumn.
• History: a Huastec foundation with Nahua influence; the name is usually translated as “place of rabbits”.
• Economy: a fuel port, power plants, fishing, oranges and cattle.

Nature and landscapes

The great natural draw is the Ramsar site Tuxpan Mangroves and Wetlands: about 6,870 ha with all four mangrove types found in Mexico, described by its Ramsar record as one of the best-preserved mangroves on the Gulf.

• Tuxpan river — born of the Vinazco and Pantepec rivers; flows past Juana Moza and the city to the Gulf.
• Tampamachoco lagoon — about 1,500 ha joined to the river by a channel; shrimp and oyster fishing.
• Tumilco and Jácome estuaries — mangrove and reeds, almost undeveloped; boat and horseback rides.
• Playa Norte — 22 km of calm beach, 15 minutes from the centre.
• Playa Sur — more than 20 km of little-visited beach.
• Isla de Lobos — reef, lighthouse, white sand and snorkelling; 1–2 h by boat, no services.
• San Basilio conservation area — bird watching, flora and fauna.

Wildlife to look for: American crocodile, Mexican parrot, Montezuma oropendola, wood stork, monarch butterfly, snowy plover, snook and tarpon.

Places to visit

• Mexico–Cuba Friendship Museum — where the Granma set sail in 1956; free entry. Álvaro Obregón 1, Santiago de la Peña.
• Regional Archaeology Museum — more than 250 Olmec, Totonac, Huastec and Nahua pieces and a Teodoro Cano mural. Juárez, in front of Parque Reforma.
• Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption — stone and tepetate with an oyster-shell lime mortar, no steel frame.
• Parque Reforma and the waterfront — the meeting point; try a timbakey (shaved ice with banana, currant and condensed milk).
• Christ the Redeemer, Tihuatlán — a 31.5 m sculpture about 30 km away.

Opening hours must be confirmed with each site before publishing them here.

Food

• Bocoles — corn gorditas with lard, filled with beans, cheese, pork crackling or meat.
• Zacahuil — a huge tamal for Day of the Dead, sometimes the size of a table.
• Piques — Huastec tamal with beans, coriander and pork crackling.
• Huatape de camarón — thick Huastec shrimp stew.
• Chilpachole de jaiba — spicy crab soup, one of the most requested.
• Pan de cazón — layers of tortilla and shark with tomato sauce.
• Chichimbré — piloncillo sweet bread, shaped like a little pig.

Festivals through the year

Getting here and getting around

• By car from Mexico City: about 290 km and 3.5 h on the Mexico–Tuxpan motorway.
• By bus from Mexico City: ADO, ETN and others, about 34 departures a day, 4–6 h.
• By air: the nearest airports are Poza Rica (El Tajín) and Tampico; then a taxi or bus to Tuxpan.
• In town: the City Council registers its “Taxi Seguro” lines; shared taxis run fixed routes. Outside the centre, agree the fare before you get in. Official list

Calculate your route and budget

Where to stay

Tuxpan has dozens of lodging options. The best-reviewed are mid-range chain hotels outside the centre; the beach has fewer options. In Juana Moza there are eco-tourism farms and camps. We do not copy ratings or reviews from other platforms.

Own a hotel, restaurant or tour business? Write to us and we will list it only with your written consent. Contact us

Juana Moza

Juana Moza is a rural community and ejido in the municipality of Tuxpan, in the lower Huasteca of Veracruz, on the banks of the Tuxpan river (Pantepec stretch). It is reached by road or by river, a short trip upriver from the city.

• Crafts: bamboo, palm weaving and the “Juanita” dolls, which honour the Huastec women who carry their harvest to sell in Tuxpan.
• Festival Tének: first held on 28 February 2025, with offerings, dances, food and crafts; free entry.
• River and mangrove: kayaking, boat rides and camping are offered by local businesses; we list them here only with their consent.
• Recovery: in October 2025 the river overflowed and the community lost homes and belongings; recovery continues.

See Juana Moza on the map