With its hot and humid climate and lush vegetation, Tabasco is a state where modernity co-exists with history and cosmopolitan life is juxtaposed with the remains of Mesoamerica’s oldest civilization.

Villahermosa, the state capital of Tabasco, is located on the Gulf of Mexico, and was founded in 1557 by a group of Spanish people who sought to escape the constant pirate attacks.

Today, it is well known as the “Emerald of the Southeast” because of its high level of economic and tourism development within the region. Villahermosa also has the great advantage that it connects other cities in the southeast with the rest of the country.

It is a thriving city with the infrastructure of a metropolis and a variety of cultural and recreational activities on offer.

There are seven major museums, four art galleries, 12 parks, a planetarium and a pedestrian area known as the Zona Luz full of cafes, hotels, restaurants and nightlife.

In Villahermosa water is everywhere. There are several lakes and two major rivers run on either side of it: the Grijalva and the Carrizal.

The streets are so leafy that you may feel like you are driving through a garden, but then the parks as impressive too, such as the Tomás Garrido Canabal park or the La Venta Park Museum, where there are sculptures and monuments from the Olmec civilization on show, including the famous gigantic stone heads.

The cuisine of Tabasco is very special, and as you would expect, the luscious plant-life is a major source of cooking ingredients. The Tabasco region has many types of economically valuable plant leaves, herbs and fruits, and it is also a cattle producing land. As if that was not enough, the sea, rivers and lakes provide bountiful quantities of fish for the table. The typical dishes of this region range from green mondongo – or tripe, salt beef with chaya – a local spinach equivalent, cochinita horneada or baked pork, the chirmole de pejelagarto – a stew made with the predatory gar fish and chili, and the famous Tabasco corn dough tamales, to the delicious exotic fruit desserts of sapote or guapaque. The pozol drink made with corn, cocoa and water is a refreshing accompaniment.

The warmth of Villahermosa is everywhere, especially in the people’s hearts, who, you will discover, have a ready smile and kindly words for you.