Jalcomulco is a municipality of Mexico which was founded in 1825.
Located in the central zone, this district lies around 29 kilometers from the state Capital Xalapa and is at a distance of 359 Kms from the legendary Mexico City.
A huge agricultural hub, this state produces Maize, Sugar cane, Coffee and has a huge
produce of Mangoes
.
There is a big industry for cattle and poultry also.
The district, though a good production hub, strives mainly on Eco tourism with more than a score of hotels and tour operators for adventure tours and travels.
Since the whole of Mexico is shaded by the Mayan Civilization, Jalcomulco is not exception.
The streets and the walkways exhibit a rich cultural presence of Mayans and the traditions are still followed here.
Mayans have been synonymous with a lot of civilization trends like good roads and motorways and Jalcomulco is no exception to it.
It still remains a mystery as to why the Mayans would have such and exquisite road Lay work.
They never used the wheel but this has been a boon to the whole country.
All the cities and districts have been made with a lot of planning and it still exists.
Adventure travel is the biggest industry here and earns the maximum revenue for the people.
The hospitality of the people and the expertise of the tour operators are unmatchable.
This is primarily because tourism happens to be the livelihood of many families here.
The tour packages are suited to your needs and none of the tour operators would hesitate to take that extra step to make your vacation the most memorable one.
The whole area is surrounded by lush ravines and is covered with lush swimming holes, caves and ravines.
The area is also popular for the world caliber ‘Rapids’ of the waters.
The month of May has the
annual celebration, the Grand festival of the San Juan
Bautista, The Patron Saint of the town.
While many legends and stories cited surround the Patron Saint, John The Baptist is truly honored by the locals here.
Engaging in this festival is one good idea.
Best time to Visit Jalcomulco, Mexico?
The weather in Jalcomulco is warm throughout the year with heavy rains lashing during the summers and the autumn.
This place is best visited anytime during the year.
But planning a holiday in May would allow you the participation in the brilliance of the annual
festival which is an experience
in itself.
So if this festival is on your wishlist, May is when you should be in this lovely town.
Though the precipitation is 1125 cms a year, it is a blessing and not a hindrance.
If you are not in a mood to wet yourself, avoid a holiday in the months of June- August, though many of the tours here are best enjoyed in the rains!
Best Things To Do In Jalcomulco
Here is a list of all of my favorite things to do and places you should visit in your stay in Jalcomulco, Mexico…
The Festival of John the Baptist, the Patron Saint of Jalcomulco
Come the month of May, and the entire district lights up for this festival.
This is counted as the most important and the biggest Festival of Jalcomulco.
Touted to be the world’s famous Patron Saint’s Day, this is the biggest reason behind the existence of Jalcomulco altogether.
This festival honors the John the Baptist, the preacher and a major religious figure in Christianity and Islam.
John the Baptist, is described to have the unique practice of baptism for the merciful forgiving of the sins.
According to the New Testament, John the Baptist had anticipated the arrival of a greater figure than himself whose forthcoming John had predicted.
This is why Christians call him the forerunner of Christ.
John at times has also been identified with the Prophet Elijah!
This festival commemorates the founding of religion in this district to John the Baptist.
While every small and big church in the city is lit up and the joyous atmosphere is created, the biggest cathedral which is dedicated to John the Baptist, is the main focus point of the Town that day.
With a mass and prayers, the celebrations also include heavy feasts which are alike for one and all.
Apart from the dance and musical gigs that are performed throughout the day, the children are given spoiling treats and gifts.
This day is very important for the forgiveness of the sins and one of the local legends here states that, if one worships properly on this day, all sins are forgiven and life starts as fresh as a new blackboard.
There are many tourist lodges and hotels available in this area and almost all are jam-packed on this day with loads of people wanting to witness this mass celebration.
Plan your tour in advance and make all reservations in advance if you are going to Jalcomulco for this festival!
My favorite stuff to do in Jalcomulco
Rafting
This district is one of the best white water rafting locations in the world and many international tournaments of rafting are planned here every year.
This is a river which is commercially rafted upon.
You can also engage is other sports like Rappelling, Hiking, Tyrolean crossing, Mountain Biking, photography and temazcal.
There are various tours that are organized here and depending upon your stay and budget you can definitely choose from a wide variety of choices of the activities that you would like to enjoy here.
All the tour packages here are well organized and the guides are knowledgeable and friendly.
Everything here seems to be based in the local community.
And this is what makes the experience special.
This is sport for the adventure lovers and the weather adds to the thrill.
When it too hot , the rafting is a welcome experience and you feel so refreshed in the waters , whereas when the weather is cold, then the rafting waters become too cold and braving them is the thrill that one can brave.
So after the rafting has left you tired and exhausted, you might want to enjoy a lazy beer and order some steaming hot sumptuous food; and you can find a huge variety of both over here.
The entire staff is very particular about the kind of experience you may be sharing, so while they treat the amateurs with a lot of care and consideration, the experts are taken to another level of expertise altogether.
Along with the rafting experience you can also choose to stay out in the serene tranquil sites and opt for a good camping site though many hotels are available too.
Is Jalcomulco worth Visiting?
Yes, Jalcomulco
Mexico is worth visiting
.
Especially if you manage to do this incredible rafting trip experience.
The best part about these rafting trips is that they are very safe as compared to the others.
Everyone here is very particular about the safety of the tourists and they have all measures in place for that.
Though the waters are very rash, there is no need to fear them because you would be taken care of securely.
While on one hand you would always be accompanied by thorough rafting professionals, the rafts used are very safe in themselves.
All the lifesaving mechanics are included in all of the rafts including the first aid box just apt for any emergency.
And the raft leaders are rescuers too.
Apart from the white water rafting you can settle in for the well-coordinated, zip lining trips.
Now zip lining is something that will turn your body upside down, literally.
So only those who can experiment with such a sport should go about it.
The scenic locales of this area make the zip lining an excellent activity.
The winds are just apt for the pressure lent by the bodies and does not cut through the crevices.
Also, this is also done in accordance with a trained professional who will seamlessly guide you through the zip hanging right beside you.
If you are looking for some awesome food, a high zip line, a huge thrill and a lovely landscape behind you, this is the place to be in.
While you start feeling as if you are in the middle of nowhere , the cell phones do ring off and on giving you the reality feeling, that you still exist in this world.
Apart from English and Spanish, the instructors try to make you understand the safety instructions in many languages and even use sign language if nothing works.
They ensure that you start zip lining only after you have understood the instructions clearly.
All activities here at the Adventure tours are well coordinated.
Even the pickups and the drops, and there is no ideal time that is spent here waiting for the arrangements to be made.
The perfect balance between the tours and the tourists is just exclusive to your comfort.
What else to do in Jalcomulco, Mexico?
Cascada de Texolo
There is an easy walkway that you need to follow for reaching this place.
Vendors of sweet meats and local crafts lineup the entire place and the walkway leads to an old hydroelectric plant which allows you to see the waterfalls cascading right through the stones and frequently enough you can see the rainbows at the bottom.
This place also has many butterflies that swarm around near the waters making the entire scene a play of colours.
So while you have reached the main location of the waterfalls, you can deviate a bit from the route and enter take some small narrow pathways which would lead you to the hike which goes down a trail.
Now this hike may require a small fee to be paid for it.
This is a fun area, a very jungle like environment.
Some tourists have also spotted rare species of bugs and animals here.
The downhill hike is fun and not bumpy, while the uphill may exhaust you completely and is a huge task.
There is the wild flora and fauna and most of the times you can find dew drops on the different shapes of leaves also, throughout the day!
A perfect picture is a common sight here.
Somehow everything that is captured on a camera happens to be very vibrant and colorful and you can keep clicking for the whole day.
There are many resting points all along the way and serve refreshments too.
This is welcome considering the hike uphill and downhill is a tad bit tiring and a little difficult and these points serve just as the right stop overs.
Not just this place but then the entire ride to this place is stunning.
It is a necessity to carry a good pair of walking shoes and you need to have brave heart to look beneath your feet while you are crossing the small old canyon above.
Fun things to do in Jalcomulco
Touring the Coffee plantations
For most of us the day starts with a good steaming hot mug of coffee.
While we are busy trying inhaling the aroma, the coffee plantations in Jalcomulco are in full bloom.
Book a tour for the coffee plantations.
The entire experience of walking through acres of land filled with coffee plants is unimaginable.
While the plantation workers are busy tending to the plants, you can interact with them and they explain the entire process of this large scale production to you.
This district is known for coffee and sugarcane plantations throughout the world.
You can also get to taste freshly plucked coffee and the entire process of coffee production is explained here, while you are sipping the coffee.
The selection of the beans is the most important part of the process.
Certain workshops on growing coffee are regularly conducted here and you can participate in them free of cost.
Just the entire area, filled with green leaves and coffee beans is a delight.
You can also see tones of ready coffee beans stacked here.
This is one of its kinds of an experience.
After you have seen this, every time you sip coffee, you would be reminded of the fields.
Popular tourist attractions in Jalcomulco
Bird Watching
Mexico is filled with different types of flora and fauna
and different parts of the country are homes to thousands of varieties and species of birds and animals.
Bird watching is an actively followed adventure activity here.
You can hook up with individual guides who give you dedicated time for days together or you can engage a local tourist guide to take the whole group around.
Apart from the explanations of the various species of birds, the guides also explain a lot about the habits and the species of the birds.
Explore deep in the jungles and you would be able to find a bird fluttering by at each step you take.
The different colours and the sizes of these birds are a rare treat.
Most of them are exclusive to this natural habitat and you cannot spot them anywhere else.
The birds are in complete sync with their surroundings and are not scared of human footfall.
This means that you can capture many closeups of the birds without scaring them away.
My favorite activities in Jalcomulco
Kayaking
The waters are very apt for kayaking and rafting.
You can book a kayak at nominal rates and take on the ripples the water throws at you.
Different types of kayaks and boats are available easily for being rented out.
You may choose one depending on your skill level and training.
Kayaking is open for amateurs and first timers also.
Such trips are accompanied by an instructor who ensures your safety.
The chilling water splashing around you, and the butterflies and the birds flying with you make this the most beautiful wildlife interaction that you could ever make.
Famous places to visit in Jalcomulco
Dress Museum
At a distance of half a day’s drive from Jalcomulco, you can visit the dress museum.
This is just one of
the fine arts collections you can see in Mexico
.
This museum is art in itself.
The building, the corridors and the layout of the entire place remind you of the ancient eras.
The architectural lines are typically ancient and so it the displayed collection.
This museum houses the dresses of all the Saints famous in the area right from 1910 onwards.
The royal robe collection is huge and you can very clearly see the dressing patterns that have been followed for over a hundred years.
The dresses lined up with the history of the Garment explained are sure a treat to the tourists.
You can also choose from a variety of the souvenirs that are available outside the Dress museum.
Right from the Plantations, to the best rafting and kayaking and the zip
lines making your heart skip a beat, Mexico
has a lot to offer and Jalcomulco is just the place to be in if resting in one place is not on your agenda.
The warmth of the locals and the simplicity of the district will have you transported to another world.
This is one of the
places that you would actually miss
when you return back home.
Plan your trip and get your bags packed.
It is not always that you find everything in one place.
A tour to this place is imperative at least once in a lifetime.
Book a tour now and enjoy the best that
Mexico
can offer!