Catemaco and Los Tuxtlas Without the Circus

Catemaco is sold to tourists as two things: a lake full of monkeys you can pose with, and brujos who will cleanse your aura for a fee. Both are worth skipping, and you can have a far better trip once you do. Here is how to see Los Tuxtlas without feeding the parts that hurt animals or empty your wallet on theatrics.

The two attractions to walk past

The “monkey island” (Isla de los Changos / Tanaxpillo) is not a rescue. It is a small island stocked with macaques that were introduced decades ago for research and now perform for boats. Guides toss food so the monkeys swarm the railing. That is not wildlife, it is a feeding show, and getting close to macaques is a genuine bite-and-disease risk on both sides.

The roadside brujo trade is the other one. Catemaco leans hard on its reputation for witchcraft, especially in March. Most storefront “limpias” aimed at visitors are a paid performance. If ritual matters to you spiritually, that is your call, but do not confuse the tourist-strip version with anything local families actually rely on.

What a friend who lives here would tell you: the lake itself is the point. Hire a lanchero for a straight ride and skip the scripted stops. You will still pass the monkey island; you just do not have to dock and feed anything.

Where to put your money instead

• A real lake tour with a local lanchero. Negotiate for a plain circuit of the volcanic lake, the springs, and the shoreline birds. Expect roughly 300–600 MXN for a boat depending on size and time (approximate). Agree the route before you push off.
• Community and reserve guides. The Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve and nearby ejidos run walks where the money stays local. Around Sontecomapan lagoon and the coast near La Barra, fishing families do mangrove trips that beat any staged attraction.
• The waterfalls. Salto de Eyipantla near San Andrés Tuxtla is a genuine, powerful fall with a small local entry fee. Go early to skip crowds and vendors.

Seeing the biosphere without wrecking it

Los Tuxtlas is one of the northernmost tropical rainforests in the Americas, and it is fragile. Stay on marked trails, do not buy anything made from turtle, coral, or wild animals, and do not touch or bait wildlife for a photo. Bring your trash back out; small towns here do not have the disposal to absorb it.

Base yourself in San Andrés Tuxtla or a lagoon-side spot rather than a lakefront package. You will eat better, spend less, and put money into hands that keep the forest standing instead of the ones that turn it into a show.