Sunny Catemaco’s Dark Tourism: Mexico’s town of waterfalls and witchcraft

In Catemaco, natural beauty and dark tourism intertwine. Discover a town known for its lake filled with wildlife, waterfalls and traditional practices of brujeria (witchcraft).

Catemaco, Veracruz may seem like just a sunny, lakeside town with beaches, wildlife, waterfalls but… this town has another, more macabre side. 

Known as the “Land of the Witches”, Catemaco has become a popular destination for dark tourism in Mexico for those interested in brujeria (witchcraft, pagan beliefs and sorcery), Santa Muerte (the Saint of Death) and even Satanism.

Why Catemaco is known as Mexico’s Witchcraft Capital

The spiritual cultures that exist within Mexico are intriguing. Despite the Spanish colonisers trying to convert the Indigenous people to Christianity, many of these Indigenous and pagan beliefs survived.

In some cases you’ll see how Mexicans adapted Christianity to their Indigenous religion (e.g. the Virgin Guadaloupe representing Tonantzin, the goddess of earth and corn). In other regions you’ll be able to witness communities or individuals who still practice or follow pre-Hispanic beliefs (e.g. Chamula’s church and Catemaco’s brujeria).

Catemaco’s surrounding volcanic landscape holds many spiritually charged locations, including Laguna de Catemaco and the Mono Blanco Mountain. This region has been an important location for shamans, healers and those administering herbal medicine to cure ailments.

With the arrival and introduction of Christianity, the church referred to the traditional healing rituals and practices as brujeria (witchcraft) in order to suppress the pre-Hispanic spirituality. 

However, the traditions live on. There are many opportunities to witness these beliefs and practices throughout the Mexico. For example, you can celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with locals, visit a town in Chiapas where the community holds ceremonies that include chicken sacrifices, or visit Catemaco for the brujeria.

In the modern day, Catemaco’s brujeria is mostly witnessed during healing and cleansing rituals, and the black masses held during the annual National Convention of Witchcraft.

After reading a few travel blog posts, I decided to add Catemaco to my Veracruz travel intinerary. However, I was not certain that I’d have the opportunity to see the dark tourism element of this town. 

Accepting that risk, but still drawn by the promise of other adventures to be had in this untouched part of Mexico, I booked a bus from Xalapa, a bed in a hostel, and was on my way.

The Natural Beauty of Catemaco: the lake, wildlife & waterfalls

I spent my first day in Catemaco sight-seeing the light-hearted element of the town. There are two main attractions here, exploring Laguna de Catemaco and visiting the El Salto de Eyipantla waterfall.

Laguna de Catemaco

Laguna de Catemaco is a freshwater lake, home to a large variety of wildlife. These include 14 species of fish, herons, pelicans, many other birds, and of course, crocodiles. There are also two species of monkeys, spider monkeys and macaques, the latter (weirdly enough) introduced from Thailand in the 1970s.

There are two key ways to experience the lake: by kayak or by a boat tour. 

On the boat tour, you visit a number of islands filled with birds, the endemic monkeys and the Thai monkeys. There is also the chance to explore the Nanciyaga Ecological Park, an ecological reserve and retreat facility with more wildlife and a third species of monkey.

The boat tour also offers the opportunity to drop you at places where you can get a mud mask or a ritual healing. The cost of the boat is 300 pesos ($16 USD) per person. You can book at the tourist counters on the malecon.

Kayaks are rentable in town or through some accommodations, costing around 450 pesos ($24.50 USD) for the day. Check with your accommodation as they may be able to provide you with kayaks or find you a discount. While kayaking is more of a workout, it is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the birds and wildlife without the sounds or smells of the boats.

Explore the town of Catemaco

After your adventure on the lake, take time to explore the town of Catemaco. You can check out the facade of the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Carmen in the city’s central plaza. I would also recommend going for a stroll along the promenade to the Árbol Magico and the point. Do the latter during the day (see the FAQs).

After your adventure I highly recommend visiting Hechizo de Amor. They make gin from a number of flavours, including the local native fruit, the chagalapoli. The owner or his mum are very kind and will invite you in for some gin taste testing and a conversation. From their rooftop restaurant you can watch the night roll in.

Another great option is Restaurante “El Buen Sabor” which has an outdoor courtyard from which you can see the water. Occasionally musicians will come in and offer to play for you as you eat.

In the evening there are also many food options at the central plaza, and you might be graced with a man serenading the crowd with some karaoke.

Non-touristic Niagara style waterfall

The Cascada El Salto de Eyipantla is about 15km from Catemaco along the Río Catemaco. The water falls 50m to the river below, causing a deafening roar.

The Nahuatl stories tell of the god of rain, Tlaloc, who lived and reigned from this place, granting fertilisation of the lands. To this day, the powerful roar of the waterfall is recognised by the locals as an indication of Tlaloc’s presence.

The waterfall makes an appearance in popular culture too. It features in two movies: Medicine Man (1992) with Sean Connery, and Apocalypto (2006) with Mel Gibson.

There are two communities that own each side of the falls and their viewpoints: the town of El Salto de Eyipantla and Cerro de las Iguanas. 

Before making the trip, speak to some locals and see if they know which side of the waterfall is open. There are some community politics about ownership of the waterfalls, which can lead to closures. The owner of Hechizo de Amor speaks English and would be able to help you out.

Visit El Salto de Eyipantla from Cerro de las Iguanas

Cerro de las Iguanas is on the far side of the waterfalls and where I visited. This side of the waterfalls is more difficult to reach via public transport, however I believe it has the better views. There is a lot of space to enjoy the scenery and plenty of spots along the cliffs for photos.

Cost: 20 pesos ($1 USD) per adult

Getting there:

• By car: from Catemaco, drive along Highway #180 until you reach the outskirts of San Andrés Tuxtla. Take a left onto 1 de Mayo. From there, there is a bit of weaving as you pass through the towns. If you ensure you have Frente Cascada Eyipantla in your maps, it’ll guide you to the right spot. 
• Public transport is complicated. There are no direct buses, however you could take a colectivo to San Andrés Tuxtla, and organise a taxi from there.
• Take a tour: see options below.

Visit the waterfall from the town of El Salto de Eyipantla

The town of El Salto de Eyipantla has two viewpoints. One is from a platform at the edge of the waterfall and the other is below by the river. There are about 250-300 steps to access the lower viewpoint, however, there are plenty of places to rest during the descent.

These were closed during my visit due to the community fighting over ownership. Be sure to check with locals which viewpoint is open before making your way there.

Cost: $50 ($2.75 USD) per person

Getting there:

• By car: from Catemaco, drive along Highway #180 until you reach the cigar factory called Tabacalera Alberto Turrent in Sihuapan. Turn left on Avenida Independencia and continue south, around the central park, and to the town of Comoapan. The road will curve to the west, taking you to El Salto de Eyipantla.
• By public transport: Take a taxi colectivo from El Cerrito in Catemaco to the Cigar shop called Tabacalera Alberto Turrent in Sihuapan. Cross the road and wait at the intersection for another colectivo to El Salto de Eyipantla.
• Take a tour: If you’re struggling to access the waterfalls by yourself, I’ve found the following two Viator experiences. These can take you on both a boat trip on Lake Catemaco and to the waterfall (with some additional locations too).

Experiencing the Brujeria and Witchcraft side of Catemaco

But of course, while there are other highlights, it’s unlikely you want to come all this way and miss out on seeing why this town has earned its Witch Capital status.

If you are able to time your trip with the first Friday in March, you’ll be in town for the March National Witchcraft Convention. 

This used to be a huge public event held in the town with a black mass held by the town’s Brujo Mayor (high witch). However over recent years, this event has transitioned to Black Masses held at the private residences of the Brujo Mayores. To attend would require some planning and getting in contact with the brujos (see below) to attend one of the black masses.

However, if your trip does not align with those March dates, do not fret. There are many ways to explore the brujo culture in Catemaco.

Santa Muerte Street

If this is the first time you are hearing about Santa Muerte, let me introduce you to the Saint of Death and her followers. 

Santa Muerte is depicted as the grim reaper, and is celebrated and prayed to in the same way as many of the other saints. The saint’s followers also pray for love, health, success and justice, but instead of worshipping death, they respect its power and inevitability. 

Many of her devotees are people from marginalised communities. They see her as a figure who listens while others judge. While most of those who follow her are people who feel excluded from Christianity, there are some who pray for protection for their illegal and malignant jobs (e.g. career criminals, traffickers).

If you stroll along Calle Playa between the Catemaco market and the lake, you’ll be able to witness some of the darker elements of Catemaco. 

Shops selling statues of Santa Muerte line the street, with owners inviting you inside. If you dare, start up a conversation.

Visit El Ahijado or another Brujo Mayor in town

This requires a lot more commitment to the cause. “El Ahijado” (The Godson) is one of the most well known Brujo Mayores. I was lucky to be introduced to Enrique Marthen Berdón through a local I met, but if you don’t have a connection like that, you could get in touch via his Instagram or Facebook. 

His cultural centre has a museum containing interesting Olmec and dark magic related items, a consulting room, a healing shack, a podium where they hold the black mass, a satanic church in the midst of being built, and a dungeon.

I visited with my local friend and we spent an hour exploring the grounds and chatting to Enrique about the items in the museum, and the new art in his dungeon.

Fun fact: This brujo, Enrique, was a participant on Mexico’s Masterchef!

There are many other Brujo Mayores in town, such as Gonzalo Aguirre who goes by “El Apostol del Diablo” (The Devil’s Apostle). He provides his clients with spiritual cleansings, enchantment of amulets, healing with medical plants, and sorcery to help with love, health and success.

If you search “brujo mayor” into Google Maps, many different options will come up. Each will have their own beliefs that underpin their work.

A Note on the ethics of Dark Tourism in Mexico

Dark tourism is a form of travel where people travel to locations linked to death, tragedy, mystery, the macabre or supernatural elements. 

For most Western cultures, death is seen as scary and something to be avoided, which is why many people will travel to places like Mexico to experience a culture where their relation to death differs. Participating in the Day of the Dead celebrations is the most popular Mexican festival amongst tourists as it allows them a glimpse into the deep connection to the remembrance of family and loved ones who have passed.

Looking at dark tourism in Mexico through this lens, visiting Catemaco and participating in a ritual can be a way for people to question their relationships to topics that are taboo in their own culture.

However, the search by Western tourists for these “authentic experiences” can have large influences on the Indigenous spiritual practices. Dark tourism brings money to towns like Catemaco, as people romanticise these practices or see them as something exotic or mysterious to be experienced. 

Unfortunately, the commodification of these rituals and experiences shapes how they are presented to outsiders. These spiritual practices based on Indigenous knowledge may end up being adapted to align more with what tourists expect, turning the traditions into a performance.

While dark tourism to Mexican destinations like Catemaco or Chamula can help to preserve traditions and bring money to the economy when established in an ethical way, it also risks contributing to the distortion or exploitation of the spiritual beliefs and practices.

Before you participate in dark tourism in Mexico, consider:

• Are the local brujos framed as exotic symbols or as genuine local practitioners?
• Who benefits economically and culturally from witchcraft tourism in Catemaco?
• Are the traditional practices still accessible and affordable for locals?
• How may tourism be reshaping these traditional practices?

Other attractions near Catemaco

Below are some other attractions within an hour drive of Catemaco that I would recommend checking out:

• Visiting the cigar factories in Santiago Tuxtla. These factories produce the majority of hand rolled cigars in Mexico.
• Visit El Museo Tuxteco for Olmec, Totonac and Casa Grandes history and archeological pieces, see the largest Olmec Stone Head in the region and visit the important Archeological site of Tres Zapotes. 
• Explore the boardwalks in the Nanciyaga Ecological Park (try and spot a crocodile here).