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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Catemaco
Go for 2 nights: one full day for a lake boat and the Eyipantla waterfall, one for the jungle reserve or a Gulf beach. Skip as a day trip from Veracruz.
Catemaco is a small lake town in southern Veracruz, known for its witches, its boat tours on Laguna de Catemaco and the rainforest and Gulf coast around it. It sits on Highway 180 between Veracruz and Coatzacoalcos. Two nights covers the lake, the Salto de Eyipantla waterfall and one nature reserve; three nights adds a beach or Sontecomapan lagoon day.
- Country
- Mexico
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season)
- Avoid
- Sep–Oct (rain and storm risk), Easter week and the first Friday in March if you want a quiet town
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$600–1,000 excl. bed · Mid M$1,000–1,800 excl. bed · High M$1,800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Memela (large filled tortilla) | M$40–90 |
| Plate of local fish or seafood | M$120–250 |
| Beer | M$30–60 |
| Coffee | M$25–50 |
| Taxi in town | M$30–80 |
| Lake boat tour | M$100–200 per person |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- VER · Veracruz (General Heriberto Jara)
- About 3–3.5 h by car or ADO bus to Catemaco
- MEX · Mexico City (Benito Juárez)
- ADO overnight buses run to Mexico City TAPO; check current times
Typical fares
- ADO bus Catemaco → Veracruz
- about M$500, 3 h 45 min (check)
- Rural taxi to Sontecomapan
- about M$10–15 (check)
- Lancha Sontecomapan → La Barra
- about M$40 each way (check)
Get around
The centre is walkable. Taxis are numerous and cheap; agree the fare before you get in. Local buses and rural 'mixto' pickup taxis reach San Andrés Tuxtla, Sontecomapan and Montepio. A car helps for the waterfall and reserves.
See and do
Known for
- Laguna de Catemaco boat tours
- Salto de Eyipantla waterfall
- Witchcraft festival (Festival de la Brujeria)
- Rainforest reserves and birdwatching
- Memelas
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Salto de Eyipantla | Taxi from the centre, or two local buses | About 30–45 min each way |
| Sontecomapan lagoon | Rural taxi or mixto, then a lancha to La Barra | About 45–60 min |
| Montepio beach | Rural taxi or mixto | About 45 min |
| San Andrés Tuxtla | Local bus or taxi | About 30 min |
| Veracruz city | ADO bus from the Malecon terminal | About 3 h 45 min |
Sleep
- Zocalo and centre
- Hotels around the main square; both bus stations are within walking distance. Best for a short stay without a car.
- Malecon (lakefront)
- Lake views and the boat docks; restaurants here mostly close around 19:00.Lake views and the boat docks; restaurants here mostly close around 7:00 PM.
- Highway 180 edge of town
- Larger hotels with pools and parking, about 1 km out; you need a taxi or car for everything.Larger hotels with pools and parking, about 0.6 mi out; you need a taxi or car for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| The boat, please | La lancha, por favorla LAN-cha por fa-VOR |
| Two people | Dos personasdos per-SO-nas |
| Where is the bus station? | ¿Dónde está la terminal de autobuses?DON-de es-TA la ter-mi-NAL de ow-to-BU-ses |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWE-do pa-GAR kon tar-HE-ta |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta por fa-VOR |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Lakefront restaurants mostly close around 19:00: eat early or head inland.
- Montepio beach has no supermarket, ATM or reliable internet: bring cash and water.
- Boat and tour prices are quoted per person or per boat: confirm which before you board.
- Rainy-season downpours and storm systems can close boat trips and the waterfall road: check locally on the day.
- Some ATMs in small towns run out of cash: withdraw in San Andrés Tuxtla or Veracruz.
Catemaco is a small town and the main risks are practical: slick waterfall steps, unlicensed boat operators, cash shortages and rainy-season storms. Use hotel-arranged or dock-side boats with life jackets, keep to lit streets at night and treat the witchcraft-tour touts as salespeople.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Catemaco yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Laguna de Catemaco boat tours
- Salto de Eyipantla waterfall
- Witchcraft festival (Festival de la Brujeria)
- Rainforest reserves and birdwatching
- Memelas
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Veracruz state tourism (SECTUR Veracruz): www.veracruz.gob.mx/turismo/
- ADO bus lines: www.ado.com.mx/
- Wikivoyage: Catemaco, revision 5329705 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5329705
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Catemaco
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Catemaco. Nearest consulates-general are in Veracruz city; most embassies are in Mexico City. US citizens can use the US Consular Agency in Veracruz (check current address and hours).
Cash is king outside the centre; withdraw in San Andrés Tuxtla or Veracruz before you arrive.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/catemaco). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.