Veracruz

The city of Veracruz is known as the Gateway to México because of its deep water port. Even to this day, cargo ships large and small enter this busy port with foreign goods and leave with Mexican goods for export.

Because of the state’s geographic location of being wedged in between the Gulf of México to the east and the tall Sierra Madre Oriental mountains to the west, Veracruz is blessed to offers a variety of outdoor adventure activities.

This state has been called, México’s Outdoor Adventure Playground.

Nature enthusiasts will discover excellent whitewater river rating, mountain hiking, rappelling, ATV rides up and down tall sand dunes, canyon trekking, and even snorkeling and Scuba diving over nationally protected coral reefs in the gulf. The southern region of the state contains rain forest jungle areas and the same kinds of flowers, plants, and beautiful waterfalls you would see in Hawaii. The reason? Both locations are on about the same tropical latitude.

Visitors might notice that some of the people living in Veracruz state have darker skin than most other Mexicans. This is because the Spanish brought many African enslaved people to work for them in the new world and they all came through the port of Veracruz. Over the centuries, intermarriage occurred and the results can still be seen today. Because of this, Veracruz also reflects the many influences adapted from the Africans. It can be seen in the food, the type of dancing, and the music of this region.