Tuxtla Gutiérrez is the main gateway from central Mexico and a major transport hub. As the capital of Chiapas it does its best to deny most of the state’s attraction and tradition it’s a fastgrowing, modern, crowded city of about 500,000. A couple of museums can fill your time if you stay here, and the city is the best base from which to approach the cliff-tops and miradores of the Cañón del Sumidero, the real highlight of the area. Other day trips to surrounding attractions are better organized in San Cristóbal, a little over an hour’s drive east.

The plaza, known as the Plaza Cívica, is an expanse of ostentatious marble, fountains and a statue of General Joaquín Miguel Gutiérrez Canales (1796–1838), former governor of Chiapas and campaigner for indígena rights. Just opposite, across Avenida Central, the whitewashed Catedral de San Marcos (daily 6am–2pm & 4–9pm) was established in the sixteenth century. Its bell tower is one of the leading local entertainments: every hour a mechanical procession of the twelve apostles goes through a complicated routine accompanied by a carillon of 48 bells.

Unlike in many Mexican cities, the central plaza is not the true social centre. Head west along Avenida Central Poniente, at 2a Calle Poniente Sur, past the Museo de la Ciudad (daily 9am–6pm), with its small but absorbing collection of photos and memorabilia, to the Parque de la Marimba, between calles 8 and 9. This is where evening crowds gather, often for live music, as well as to lounge in the various modern cafés around the perimeter. Real fans can visit the Museo de la Marimba (Tues–Sun 10am–8pm) on the corner, which highlights the history of the musical genre. About 1km northeast of the centre, Parque Madero is another place where locals go to stroll in late afternoon and evening. A promenade leads off 5a Avenida Norte Oriente, first passing the pleasant Jardin Botánico and the less interesting Museo Botánico (Tues–Fri 9am–3pm, Sat 9am–1pm) opposite, and on to the Museo Regional de Chiapas (Tues–Sun 9am–5pm), which details the history of pre-Hispanic Chiapas and the results of the Conquest. The highlights are the intricately carved human fencers from the ruins of Chiapa de Corzo. At the end of the promenade is the city theatre and next to it the Museo de Paleontología (Tues–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat & Sun 11am–5pm), which displays local fossils, amber and the skeleton of a sabre-tooth tiger. At research time, the Museo del Café was just about to open, on 2a Calle Oriente Norte, just north of Avenida Central, in an old colonial house. Exhibits detail the history and use of coffee in Mexico.

If you’re interested in local wildlife, its worth heading out to the Zoológico Miguel Álvarez del Toro, or ZOOMAT (Tues–Sun 9am–5pm), 5km south of the city centre. It claims to have every species native to Chiapas, and as far as zoos go, it’s not bad, with good-sized cages, natural vegetation and freshwater streams. A number of animals, including guaqueques negros (agoutis) rodents about the size of a domestic cat and large birds such as currasows and chachalacas, are free to roam the zoo grounds. The vivario contains a vast collection of snakes, insects and spiders. The bus is very roundabout and can take up to 45 minutes, so you might prefer a taxi. The bus, #60, marked “Cerro Hueco” or “Zoológico”, leaves from 1a Calle Oriente Sur between avenidas 6a and 7a Sur Ote, a bit of a walk from the centre.

The centre of Tuxtla has dozens of reasonably appetizing restaurants, and you need never wander more than a block or so on either side of Avenida Central to find something in every price range, including juice bars and bakeries. The very cheapest places are in the Mercado Díaz Ordáz, Calle Central Sur, between avenidas 3a and 4a Sur Oriente; there’s also a string of pleasant, inexpensive lunch operations on 1a Avenida Norte, just west of Calle Central. Most popular for socializing and people-watching are the terrace restaurants under the arches on Plaza San Marcos behind the cathedral, and, for a younger scene, the cafés and bars around Parque de la Marimba.

Tuxtla’s airport, Aeropuerto Ángel Albino Corzo, is located 27km south of the city. All the major car rental companies and top hotels have desks in the arrivals hall. To get anywhere, you have to take a taxi; buy tickets at the desk in the arrivals hall. First-class buses pull into the large ADO/OCC station on 5a Avenida Norte Poniente, in the Plaza del Sol mall on the northwest side of town. The main second-class terminal, the Central Camionera de Sur, is on Avenida 10a Sur Oriente at 15a Calle Oriente Sur. Scores of smaller companies and colectivos pull in here.

ADO and OCC first-class buses depart from the station on the northwest side of the city, near the libramiento norte ring road. OCC has very frequent departures for Tonalá, Tapachula, Comitán and San Cristóbal, and seven buses daily to Palenque via Ocosingo. Other destinations include Mexico City, Villahermosa, Cancún and Oaxaca. ADO GL and Platino go to Cancún (2.30pm, 6pm & 11.30pm), Comitán (5.25am & 10.15am), Oaxaca (9.30pm), Palenque (2.30pm), Villahermosa (6pm & 11.30pm), and more frequently to Mexico City, Tapachula and San Cristóbal. Note that first-class buses to Villahermosa travel via the Puente Chiapas, which looks less direct but is much faster than going over the mountains. The second-class terminal, at 10a Avenida Sur Oriente and 15a Calle Oriente Sur, is used by Autotransportes Tuxtla Gutiérrez (ATG), and serves San Cristóbal, Oaxaca, Villahermosa, Mérida, Palenque and Cancún. Colectivos for Bochil and San Cristóbal depart from the 9a Avenida side. The most frequent service to San Cristóbal is with Omnibus, from a dedicated terminal on 4a Avenida Sur Oriente at 15a Calle Oriente Sur. For Chiapa de Corzo (30min), hop on one of the colectivos that leave from the southeast corner of 1a Avenida Sur Oriente at 5a Calle Oriente Sur. Tuxtla’s airport has frequent flights to Mexico City (InterJet).