Some tourists travel to Veracruz to soak in the raucousness of the lively port city. Others go to have their souls cleansed by mystics in the mountains. The area in and around the verdant Las Tuxtlas biosphere, however, attracts a completely different type of visitor. This protected area in the southern part of the state gives way to a myriad of activities for city dwellers that need a dose of fresh air. One finds a unique range of climates and topography - from moist high rain forest to low lying wetlands - with nearly 600 species of birds and over 3,000 plant species in a small region.
Nestled in the volcanic Las Tuxtlas mountain range and a short drive northeast of the city of San Andrés Tuxtla is the aptly named Laguna Encantada (Enchanted Lake). Here pleasureseekers can take a raft or kayak and skim along the cool sparkling lake while the topotes and mojarras (fish native to the area) swim below the surface.
The lake´s original name was Yambigapan, which means "mirrored water" in the local indigenous language. It´s not hard to see why the lake once had this name either, as the still surface shimmers in the sunlight like a piece of glass.
The nearby Yambigapan Estancia Rural is a family-run ranch dedicated to the preservation of both the region´s customs and it´s many plants and animals.
The hands-on activities they offer, such as cooking classes and interpretive nature walks, are not just enjoyable for vacationing in the lush hills. The ranch designs them to build environmental and cultural consciousness.
They can organize ecological adventures for you or a group to explore the area. They also have a rustic cabaña for rent and there are shady spots on the land ideal for pitching your tent.
A WANDER IN THE WOODS
Our guide led us through the ranch, stopping every so often to point out a brightly-colored bird, a fruit tree or an herb used for medicinal purposes.
We followed her along the edge of a river that fed into the Laguna Encantada. She pointed out a shallow part of the river that was brimming with bright green water lilies which have been a burden on the delicate ecosystem in recent years. The plant has been choking streams and rivers, not allowing other plants and fish to grow. Local communities have become involved in a project to harvest the plants and weave baskets, hats and other products from their fibrous stems.
After crossing the stream over some slippery rocks to the other side, our other guide slashed a path for us to follow with his machete.
Stopping to smell the spicy leaves of an allspice tree, we heard the trilling call of a bird in the distance. The sound inspired our guide to tell us about the chaneces, or forest elves, that live in the region. Historically, people getting married would ask them for advice about their relationship. With the blessing of a forest elf, the marriage would be harmonious.
We walked deeper into the woods, looking out for one of the elves our guide said could be lurking in the underbrush. After scrambling up the side of a cliff, we reached our destination: the Devil´s Cave.
The cave is actually a lava tube, a 20-kilometer tunnel through the now-extinct San Martin volcano created during an ancient eruption. Strange noises reportedly are heard from within the humid cave, but are an acoustic illusion having to do with its position in the mountainside. At the cave´s mouth is a shrine decorated with the stubs of multicolored melted candles and colorful ribbons.
