Teapa and the Puyacatengo Waterfalls

Teapa sits 56 km south of Villahermosa at the point where the flat Tabasco plain begins to rise into the forested foothills of the Sierra, about 1 hour 15 minutes by bus or car via Highway 195. A short taxi ride from town leads to the Puyacatengo waterfalls, a series of cascades along the Río Puyacatengo where the water pools into clear swimming holes shaded by tropical forest canopy, considerably clearer than the river-influenced coastal beaches further north. A day here typically combines a swim at the falls with a visit to the nearby Grutas del Coconá, a system of limestone caves with stalactites and stalagmites that can be toured with a local guide for a modest fee, and Teapa's small town centre, known for its cheese market and colonial-era church. The falls are busiest on weekends with local families; weekday visits are quieter and the water often runs clearer since fewer swimmers stir up sediment. A full day allows time for both the waterfalls and the caves, with a stop for lunch in Teapa town, known locally for queso de Teapa (a fresh regional cheese) sold at stalls near the plaza.