Few lakes in Mexico are as wild, green and mysterious as Lake Catemaco. Set in a volcanic bowl deep in the rainforests of Los Tuxtlas, on the Gulf coast of Veracruz, it is a place of jungle-clad islands and misty mornings — home to a colony of monkeys on one island, herons on another, and, in the lakeside town, to Mexico’s most famous community of brujos, the healers and witches who have made Catemaco a byword for magic. Add boat trips, waterfalls and one of the country’s richest tropical ecosystems, and you have a lake quite unlike any other.
| What it is | A large volcanic lake in the Los Tuxtlas rainforest of southern Veracruz, with wildlife-rich islands and a lakeside town |
| Where | Southern Veracruz, on the Gulf coast — about 2 hours from the city of Veracruz |
| Famous for | Its brujos (witches and healers), the monkey island, eco-tourism and boat tours |
| Don’t miss | A lancha tour of the lake to the islands, and the Nanciyaga eco-reserve |
| Witches’ gathering | The famous annual congress of healers on the first Friday of March |
| Best time | The drier months (roughly winter to spring); it is a green, humid, tropical climate |
What and where: the lake and Los Tuxtlas
Lake Catemaco lies in the heart of the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, a volcanic mountain range and UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve in southern Veracruz where the rainforest tumbles almost to the Gulf of Mexico. The lake fills an ancient volcanic basin, and its warm, humid shores are some of the most biodiverse in the country — thick with tropical forest, birds and orchids. The cheerful town of Catemaco sits on the western shore, its malecón lined with seafood restaurants and the boat docks from which every visit to the lake begins. It is a tropical, soulful counterpoint to the cool highland waters of Pátzcuaro or Chapala.
Isla de los Monos and a boat tour of the lake
The classic Catemaco experience is a lancha (motorboat) tour out across the water. The headline stop is Isla de los Monos, “Monkey Island”, home to a troop of macaques that were introduced decades ago for university research and have thrived ever since — you watch them from the boat as they gather at the water’s edge. Tours also pass the Isla de las Garzas (Heron Island), where thousands of egrets and herons roost, and glide along the forested shoreline spotting toucans and other birds. Many trips include a stop at Nanciyaga, a lush eco-reserve on the northern shore famous for its mineral mud baths, a traditional temazcal steam ceremony, and as a filming location for the movie Medicine Man.
The witches of Catemaco
Catemaco’s most famous claim is its long tradition of brujería — witchcraft and folk healing. For generations the town has been home to brujos and curanderos, practitioners who blend indigenous, African and Catholic beliefs to perform limpias (spiritual cleansings), readings and healings for people who travel here from all over Mexico. The tradition culminates each year on the first Friday of March, when healers gather for a famous congress on the slopes of nearby Cerro Mono Blanco, drawing the curious and the faithful alike. Whatever you make of it, it is a genuine and deeply rooted part of local culture, and approaching it with curiosity and respect — rather than as a spectacle — is the right spirit.
Eco-tourism, waterfalls and nature
Beyond the lake itself, Los Tuxtlas is a paradise for nature lovers. Short trips from Catemaco reach the thundering Salto de Eyipantla waterfall — a fifty-metre curtain of water made famous as a backdrop in films such as Apocalypto — as well as forest reserves, hot springs and the wild beaches of the Gulf at nearby Montepío and Sontecomapan lagoon. Birdwatchers, hikers and anyone craving real rainforest will find days of exploring here. Back at the table, the lake gives Catemaco its signature flavours: mojarra (lake fish) grilled or in tachogobi, and the prized freshwater snail tegogolo, a local delicacy.
Getting there, best time and visiting
Catemaco is in the far south of Veracruz state, roughly a two-hour drive south-east of the city of Veracruz (the nearest airport) and around seven to eight hours from Mexico City by road, with regular buses. The climate is tropical and humid, so the most comfortable time to visit is the drier season from about winter into spring — which also brackets the witches’ congress in early March, the busiest date of the year. Stay in town for the easy access to boats and restaurants, or out at an eco-lodge like Nanciyaga to wake up in the forest. However you plan it, set aside time for a slow boat across the lake at first light, when the mist lifts off the water and the monkeys and herons stir — it is Catemaco at its most magical.
Frequently asked questions about Lake Catemaco
Where is Lake Catemaco?
In southern Veracruz, in the Los Tuxtlas rainforest, about a two-hour drive from the city of Veracruz on the Gulf coast.
Why is Catemaco famous for witches?
The town has a centuries-old tradition of brujos and healers who perform spiritual cleansings and healings. Each year on the first Friday of March they hold a well-known gathering that draws visitors from across Mexico.
What is Monkey Island at Catemaco?
Isla de los Monos is an island in the lake home to a colony of macaques introduced for university research decades ago. Boat tours pause offshore to watch them.
What do you do at Lake Catemaco?
Take a boat tour to Monkey Island and Heron Island, visit the Nanciyaga eco-reserve for mud baths and a temazcal, see the Eyipantla waterfall, watch wildlife, and try the lake’s mojarra and tegogolo.
How do you get to Lake Catemaco?
Fly to the city of Veracruz and drive about two hours south, or take a bus; it is roughly seven to eight hours by road from Mexico City.
When is the best time to visit Catemaco?
The drier months from winter into spring are most comfortable in this humid, tropical region; early March coincides with the famous healers’ congress.
What is the Eyipantla waterfall?
Salto de Eyipantla is a powerful 50-metre waterfall near Catemaco, used as a film location (including in Apocalypto) and an easy day trip from the lake.
Can you swim in Lake Catemaco?
People do swim and boat on the lake, though most visitors experience it on a lancha tour; follow local advice, as it is a natural lake with wildlife.
Explore more in our complete guide to the lakes of Mexico — the biggest lakes, the regions, and the best ones to visit.
