Laguna de las Ilusiones

Laguna de las Ilusiones sits almost at the geographic center of modern Villahermosa, a broad natural lagoon that the city has grown up around rather than over, and its paved perimeter path has become one of the most used pieces of public recreation space in the capital. Joggers, cyclists and walkers circle sections of the lake in the cooler hours of morning and evening, passing shaded rest areas, small parks and viewpoints over the water where herons and other wading birds are commonly seen along the reedy margins. Parque-Museo La Venta occupies part of the lagoon's northern shore, so a visit to the Olmec sculpture park can be combined naturally with a walk or bike ride along the adjacent path. Several small docks around the perimeter rent pedal boats by the half hour, offering an easy, low-cost way to get out on the water for a different view of the surrounding cityscape and the La Venta jungle from the water rather than the shore. A relaxed outing, whether a walk of a kilometer or two or a pedal-boat outing, takes about one to two hours. Because the lagoon is fully exposed to the sun along much of its perimeter, early morning or early evening are the most comfortable times to be out on the path.