Tamazunchale
Tamazunchale is a small town of about 25,000 people in San Luis Potosi (state). It has a large Mexica indigenous population. The town lies directly on federal highway MEX 85 (Carratera Mexico-Laredo) not quite halfway between Mexico City and the United States border, making it a popular overnight stop for motorists traveling between the capital and the U.S.
Understand
During the 15th century, when the Aztec triple alliance was forcing other Meso-american people to pay tribute, the local Huastec leadership rebelled against the Aztecs and refused to pay tribute. The Aztecs responded by having an army march into town, along with thousands of Aztec settlers who would permanently live in Tamazunchale and help ensure that taxes were paid and rebellions quashed. As a result, the town has since had a Mexica majority population and the indigenous language of preference here is Nahuatl, not Huastec. Not that tourists need worry about it, since everyone speaks Spanish as their primary language.
The town is at the confluence of the Rio Moctezuma and Rio Amajac. The rivers continue towards the Gulf of Mexico as the Rio Amajac.
Americans and Canadians who struggle with Meso-american location names can easily pronounce this one almost perfectly by calling it "Thomas-n-Charley".
Get in
By car
By car, Tamazunchale is 840 km south of the U.S. border on federal highway MEX 85. It is about an 11 hour drive.
From Mexico City, it is a 330-km drive that will take about 7 hours.
By bus
Many buses pass through Tamazunchale. From Mexico City, buses leave from Autobuses del Norte. A ticket costs about M$950 on Autobuses Valle de Mezquital (Ovnibus). From the Nuevo Laredo bus station, Grupo Senda has a first-class overnight bus leaving at 21:00 with a one-way fare of M$2000. There is no Central de Autobuses in Tamazunchale, but rather, buses stop at a series of company-owned ticket offices along Blvd 20 de Noviembre.
- Grupo Senda, Blvd. 20 de Noviembre 304
- Estrella Blanca, Xicoténcatl 110, esq. 20 de Noviembre
- Futura and Fronteras, Blvd. 20 de Noviembre 403
- Transpais, Blvd. 20 de Noviembre 401
Get around
Taxis are readily available.
See
There's not a lot to see and do in Tamazunchale. It's mostly a pitstop to sleep, eat, and get gas.
Do
Buy
Eat
- 1 Taz Pizza, Cuahtemoc 10, ☏ +52 483 362 1189. 12:30 - 22:00. Large, family-friendly pizzeria with a play area for kids. Regular and deep-dish pizzas. Delivers and accepts credit cards.
- 2 Huasteco, Blvd. 20 de Noviembre 309A, Barrio de San Juan, ☏ +52 483 362 0536. 08:00 - 16:00 (closed Su). Traditional Mexican restaurant with some good regional dishes. Try the Huasteca enchiladas con cecina.
- 3 Doña Rosa, Blvd. 20 de Noviembre #204, Barrio de San Juan. 08:00 - 23:00. Good home-cooked Mexican dishes, fresh bread, handmade tortillas, etc.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Hotel Tamazunchale, Tamazunchale-Chapulhuacán 514, San Juan, ☏ +52 483 362 0496. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Good moderate hotel with off-street parking and cold air conditioning in the rooms. M$1000.
- 2 Hotel Paraiso Huasteca, México 132, Barrio del Carmen, ☏ +52 483 362 0692. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Spacious, clean, quiet rooms in an attractive hotel. Off-street hotel, gym and swimming pool. M$980.
- 3 Hotel Tropical, Blvd. 20 de Noviembre 404, Barrio de San Juan, ☏ +52 483 362 0041. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Moderate hotel with comfortable, quiet rooms. A/C, cable TV, WiFi.