Villahermosa

Villahermosa is the capital city of the state of Tabasco. This city is both a modern city and one of the oldest in Mexico, with a rich history dating back to the early 1500s.

Understand
Villahermosa is an important city because of its cultural history, natural resources, commercial development, and modern industrialization. It became rich because oil has been found in the area. The search for oil resulted also in the finding of artifacts of the Olmec culture.

Its natural resources like cacao, sugarcane, bananas, tobacco, rice, and hardwoods has made Villahermosa attractive to domestic investors. The city has become a hub for oil and gas operations in Southern Mexico and is referred to as the “Energy City of Mexico.”

By plane

 * Aeromexico/Aeromexico Connect (Mexico City)
 * Viva Aerobus (Cancún, Guadalajara, Mérida, Mexico City, Monterrey)
 * Volaris (Mexico City )
 * Volaris (Mexico City )

By car
The city lies at the intersection of highways 180, 186 and 195.

By bus
Inter-city bus service is available to surrounding cities including Ciudad del Carmen.

By bus
There are two main streets in Villahermosa, Av. Gregorio Mendez and Av. 27 de Febrero, these are the two main routes for public transportation. Mini-buses and especially combis (refurbished small VW vans) are widely used by locals at a price of M$9.5. Stops are fixed as well as routes. Feel free to ask (in Spanish) the driver if they are going close to your destination. You will see destinations written on the windshields.

By taxi
People also rely on a network of collective taxis. As a tourist, you should ask the driver if they are going by your destination. Prices vary by distance but a 10-15 minute ride should be around M$30 in a yellow taxi and M$45 in a white taxi.

Taxis are collective but in no way have pre-established routes. You tell the driver where you want to go and if the taxi is empty the driver should take you. If during the way to your destination someone else happens to go somewhere close to where you are going that person will hop in the taxi and continue. It is advisable then to always try and sit in the front seat. About prices, anywhere in the city is M$30 in a yellow taxi, M$45 in a white taxi. It doesn't matter where in the city you are going. Many taxis will stop even if they have a passenger, and ask you where you are going. If you are headed in the same direction or near the same direction as the original passenger, the driver will take you as well. You do not get a discount if the driver has a passenger, the price is the same.

Buy


You can find big malls located at Paseo Usumacinta and Periferico Carlos Pellicer Camara (Plaza Villahermosa), at Periferico and Sandino (Plaza Altabrisa), and another one at Avenida Ruiz Cortinez and Periferico Carlos Pellicer Camara (near Cinepolis).

Also there are many stores which sell small souvenirs from the Olmec culture.

If you go directly into the city center, west of Avenida Jose Maria Pino Suarez and north of the city's palacio, you will find a rather big pedestrian-only shopping area with lots of stores, restaurants and a few hotels. This area is called Zona Luz - Centro Historico y Commercial.

Eat
The area features a distinctive cuisine, particularly featuring seafood, and the prices are typically affordable.

Aguas frescas are refreshing in the hot weather and you should try the well-known Horchata la Catedral, on Paseo Tabasco across from the Cathedral, for Esquimos or Horchata.

Budget
A lot of cheap, good Mexican restaurants can be found downtown at the Avenida Pino Suarez. Also, if you are in the ADO central bus station and want to eat well-prepared food, next to it a small restaurant called Los Comales can be found.

Drink
VH, Buddah Khan, Bfore, Underground

Sleep
If you are, by any chance, near the bus stop and you need a bed for the night, think twice if you want to go to the Hotel Palomino Palace nearby. It is really expensive, loud and the rooms are not very clean. Take rather a taxi into the center.

Budget
Interestingly, those budget hotels are located in the center. There are more hotels located downtown. If you don't like those ones listed here, you can find surely one which is not too expensive.



Connect
You can find a lot of internet cafes in the city. If you need it, there is one located close to the ADO bus station under the Hotel Palomino Palace.

Go next

 * Campeche - Campeche, part of UNESCO world heritage, has a refurbished city center. But still, around you can find the typical Mexican city parts.
 * Palenque - It is famous for Mayan ruins.
 * Guatemala - Located not too far away, another country is waiting to be explored.