Tecolutla

Tecolutla
Town & Municipality
Fountain and municipal palace of Tecolutla
Tecolutla Location in Mexico
Coordinates: 20°28′47″N 97°00′36″W / 20.47972°N 97.01000°W / 20.47972; -97.01000Coordinates: 20°28′47″N 97°00′36″W / 20.47972°N 97.01000°W / 20.47972; -97.01000
Country	Mexico
State	Veracruz
Municipal Status	1879
Government
• Municipal President	Ernesto Chavarria Miranda (2006-2009)
Area
• Municipality	471.31 km2 (181.97 sq mi)
Elevation (of seat)	10 m (30 ft)
Population (2005) Municipality
• Municipality	24,258
• Seat	4,523
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
Postal code (of seat)	93570

Tecolutla is a town and municipality located on the Tecolutla River on the eastern coast of the state of Veracruz in Mexico. It has the closest beaches to Mexico City, and much of its economy is based on tourism, as it is only a four- or five-hour drive from the capital. It is the northern end of a tourist corridor along the Gulf of Mexico called the “Emerald Coast,” which extends down to the city of Veracruz.

Tecolutla’s biggest attraction is its natural settings of wetlands with estuaries, canals and mangroves associated with the river. The town is known for the “Tecolutla Monster,”—probably a dead whale—that was washed ashore in 1969. Its remains are kept at the Marine Museum. The name Tecolutla means “place of the tecolotes or owls.”

The most important and growing economic activity in the zone is tourism. Tecolutla has the closest beaches to Mexico City. The town has about 15 km of beaches which face directly onto the Gulf of Mexico. (The municipality has a total of 40 km.) These beaches generally have gentle waves and warm water, except during storms called "nortes.” These are strong cold fronts that come down from the north along Mexico’s Atlantic coast between December and February and can cause sudden drops in temperature and winds. This fickle weather keeps Tecolutla and many other Gulf coast communities from becoming major resort areas like Cancun.

The oldest hotel is the Hotel Tecolutla, built in 1949, which has been preserved in its period. It used to be the only sizable building in town, but since the turn of the 21st century, numerous hotels have been developed. They generally cater to budget travelers from Mexico City, also attracting travelers from Xalapa, the state capital. This tourism is mainly concentrated during peak seasons, such as Christmas and Easter holidays, and special events such as the annual fishing tournament. During the rest of the year, it is fairly empty.

The beaches of the town of Tecolutla divide into North and South beaches, each with their own hotel zones, restaurants, and camping areas. Both offer boat rides and bicycle paths. At the South Beach, where breakwaters protect the mouth of the Tecolutla River, there are also beachside cabins. Docks serve boat rides up the river, as well as fishing expeditions on the river and in the Gulf. A type of boat often used to navigate around the estuaries is called a panguita, which looks like a very long canoe.