Things to do in Tuxtla Gutiérrez: Marimba nights, canyon days, highland roads ahead
Chiapas's capital is where most bus journeys into the state begin, and where many travellers rush straight through. That is a mistake.
Plan your trip and book your ADO bus to Tuxtla Gutiérrez below.
Why visit Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Chiapas's capital is where most bus journeys into the state begin, and where many travellers rush straight through. That is a mistake. The Sumidero Canyon, with walls rising up to about a kilometre above the Grijalva River, starts at the city's edge. Its viewpoints are reached from Tuxtla, and boat trips leave from Chiapa de Corzo, a colonial town about 15 km away. San Cristóbal de las Casas is roughly an hour up the highway into the mountains.
Tuxtla is also a lively, very local city in its own right. Every evening people gather in the Parque Jardín de la Marimba to dance to live marimba, the instrument Chiapas considers its own. The ZooMAT keeps only animals native to Chiapas, and taquerías serve cochito pork tacos with a gourd of cold pozol. Stay a night before you head for the highlands.
Tuxtla Gutiérrez at a glance
Arrive at
Tuxtla Gutiérrez OCC/ADO Bus Station
From Mexico City
From around 12h 30min
ADO connections
About 90 arrivals a day
Best time to visit
November to April
Top things to do in Tuxtla Gutiérrez
The experiences travellers and locals rate most, all easy to reach once you step off the bus.
Launches from Chiapa de Corzo's embarcadero run up the Grijalva River between sheer canyon walls, past waterfalls, crocodiles and spider monkeys. The trip is the classic Chiapas day out and runs year-round. Go early for calmer light and fewer boats.
Sumidero Canyon by boat
Marimba bands play every evening at the Parque Jardín de la Marimba, and couples of all ages dance under the trees. The small Museo de la Marimba next door tells the instrument's story. Locals snack on tamales and esquites while they watch.
Marimba evenings in the park
The cathedral on the main plaza has a 48-bell carillon. Every hour, figures of the twelve apostles parade across the tower to music, a small show locals still stop to watch.
Catedral de San Marcos
Sumidero Canyon viewpoints
A scenic road from Tuxtla climbs to a series of miradores looking straight down into the canyon. Wikivoyage notes they are closed on Tuesdays and are easiest by taxi or tour, because walkers are only let in during early-morning hours.
ZooMAT
The Miguel Álvarez del Toro Zoo sits in a forest reserve on the city's southern edge and shows only species native to Chiapas, such as jaguars, tapirs and quetzals. Paths wind through shaded forest and many smaller animals move about freely. Check opening days before you go.
Cristo de Chiapas at Copoya
A large steel-clad statue of Christ stands on a hill above the city in Copoya and can be seen from much of Tuxtla. The lookout gives wide views over the valley. Visit near sunset.
Do it like a local
What Mexican travellers do in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, from forums, local guides and people who live there.
- Dance or listen to live marimba in the Jardín de la Marimba every evening.
- Queue at Don Rafita for gorditas and chicharrón tacos at breakfast time.
- Take kids to the permanent fair rides at Convivencia Infantil.
- Head to Chiapa de Corzo on weekends for river boats and a plate of pepita con tasajo.
What to eat in Tuxtla Gutiérrez
- Cochito horneado: Pork marinated in spiced adobo and slow-baked, served on a plate or in tacos with salsa verde and pickled chiles. Tacos Casablanca is a long-running local favourite.
- Tamales de chipilín: Corn tamales flavoured with chipilín, a fragrant local herb, often with cheese. Look out for sopa de chipilín too.
- Pepita con tasajo: Thin strips of dried beef in a thick pumpkin-seed sauce, said to come from Chiapa de Corzo and now served all over Tuxtla.
- Pozol: Cold fermented corn and cacao drink sold in markets and at taco stands. People drink it around midday to beat the heat.
When to go and what is on
November to April is dry and the most comfortable time to visit, with December the coolest month. April and May can reach about 40 °C, and the rainy season runs from May to mid-October, with June and September the wettest months.
Festivals worth planning around
- Fiesta Grande de Enero, Chiapa de Corzo (January, main days 8 to 23 January (UNESCO lists 4 to 23 January)): Thousands of masked Parachicos dance through Chiapa de Corzo's streets for saints including San Sebastián. UNESCO lists it as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
- Feria Chiapas (Late November to mid-December): The state fair at Tuxtla's fairgrounds has livestock and craft shows, rides, cockfight-arena concerts and big-name performers. In 2025 it ran from 28 November to 14 December.
- Virgen de Guadalupe (Early December, peaking 12 December): Pilgrims walk to Tuxtla's Guadalupe church in the days up to 12 December, a celebration tied to the origins of the city fair.
How to get to Tuxtla Gutiérrez by ADO bus
ADO and its partner lines (ADO, ADO Aeropuerto, ADO GL, AU) connect Tuxtla Gutiérrez with these cities. Times and fares come from current ADO timetables and change by date and service class.
San Cristóbal de las Casas → Tuxtla Gutiérrez
From around 1h 15min · about 26 departures a day · fares from MX$66
Comitán → Tuxtla Gutiérrez
From around 3h 30min · about 14 departures a day · fares from MX$198
Mexico City → Tuxtla Gutiérrez
From around 12h 30min · about 12 departures a day · fares from MX$1,720
Villahermosa → Tuxtla Gutiérrez
From around 4h 00min · about 9 departures a day · fares from MX$485
Tonalá → Tuxtla Gutiérrez
From around 2h 15min · about 9 departures a day · fares from MX$212
Puebla → Tuxtla Gutiérrez
From around 10h 20min · about 8 departures a day · fares from MX$1,744
The bus station: Tuxtla Gutiérrez OCC/ADO Bus Station
Address: Blvd. Antonio Pariente Algarín 551, 29030 Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Coordinates: 16.76160, -93.13860
The OCC/ADO terminal is about 2.5 km west-northwest of the Parque Central, near the Plaza del Sol and Plaza Las Américas shopping area off 5a Norte Poniente. Taxis and colectivos connect it with the centre. Many buses from San Cristóbal use a separate transfer terminal, and protests sometimes block the highway to San Cristóbal, so allow extra time if you have a flight.
Day trips from Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Chiapa de Corzo
about 15 km east
Colonial town and Pueblo Mágico, with the Moorish-style La Pila fountain on the plaza and the main embarcadero for Sumidero Canyon boats. Colectivos run often from Tuxtla.
Sumidero Canyon viewpoints
about 5 km from the city
Road-side miradores look down into the canyon. Go by taxi or tour, since the park road is not open to walkers for most of the day.
San Cristóbal de las Casas
about 50-60 km by highway
Cool highland colonial city with markets, churches and nearby Maya villages, about an hour away by bus or colectivo.
Tuxtla Gutiérrez travel FAQ
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Photos: Christopher Javier Cuenca García / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons; Sgroey / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons; Fer9324 / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons; Sangall90 / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.