Coatzacoalcos is an industrial port city at the southern tip of Veracruz (state). It has limited appeal to tourists, but serves as a transportation hub between the main body of Mexico, the Yucatan peninsula, and Central America.
Coatzacoalcos was historically Olmec territory in the pre-Hispanic era, though by the time the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, the region was dominated by the Aztec. The Spanish settled the area in 1522 under the leadership of Gustavo Sandoval. Its importance as a regional port grew steadily over the next four centuries. In the 1970s petroleum shipping became an important part of the port business, connecting to the oil fields of Campeche. Four major petrochemical facilities are in Coatzacoalcos.
Central de Autobuses, Villas del Sur, Coatzacoalcos, 18.12146847°, -94.445567°. Main bus station for intercity bus routes. Spacious, clean waiting area. ADO is largest bus line. Serves routes to points north in Veracruz, east to Campeche and the Yucatan peninsula, south to Chiapas and Guatemala. 2023-02-15
Coatzacoalcos/Minatitlan International Airport IATA: MTT, Carretera Antigua a Minatitlán, 18.103049°, -94.575835°, +52 9212780064. Small regional airport with modern facilities and a good range of rental car services. Aeromexico flies two flights per day to MTT from Mexico City (MEX). 2023-02-15
Taxis are plentiful and affordable. Uber works as well.
Coastal Malecon - walk along a seawall fronting the Gulf of Mexico. The views at sunrise and sunset are the best in the city.
Olmec Archaeological Museum, John Sparks s/n (on the Coastal Malecon), 10ː00-18ː00 Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday, M$10. Impressive pyramid structure houses an interesting collection of more than 1,000 artifacts from the Olmec civilization that inhabited the southern Gulf coast of Mexico over 1,000 years ago.
Jaguaroundi Ecological Park, Camino al Ejido Cangrejera 1, Coazacoalcos, Phoneː +52 921-276-9582, free admission, 09ː00-17ː00 Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday) - environmental reserve housing hundreds of birds and more than 65 mammal species.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division