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| Las Margaritas Ecotourism Laguna Catemaco, Veracruz |
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| ecotourism |
| the pueblo |
| links |
| contacts |
| access |
| Las Margaritas is a small ejido community of 471 inhabitants on the northeast shore of Laguna Catemaco, app. road 17 miles from the city of Catemaco, Veracruz. The pueblo is situated within a very pretty valley, along the Rio Margarita. Thanks to good soil conditions numerous crops are grown. Unfortunately many of the surrounding hills have been deforested to make room for cattle pastures. The village was settled by neighboring and Catemaco city inhabitants in the 1950´s? with land owner grants under the ejido system. The following years claimed numerous lives of existent land owners in battles over property rights. The Mexican government tried to mitigate the situation in the late 1970´s with dam building and irrigation projects in an area inundated with heavy annual rainfall and multiple streams. The current app. 90 families scratch out a living on subsistence farms on possibly some of the richest soils in the Los Tuxtlas area. Nevertheless, because of the pueblo's isolation and usual disruptions of its roads leading to Catemaco in the rainy season, the village is in perpetual need of municipal, state and federal funds to maintain its lifestyle. On the drawing board is a road circumferencing Laguna Catemaco. If that should happen, the village should improve its existence. |
| La Margarita is the actual name of the village Description: village, ejido, Name: the daisy History: Economy: cattle, crops, ecotourism Facilities: AA, ecotourism, schools, salons |
| phone: email: |
| Laguna Catemaco North shore of Laguna Catemaco Los Tuxtlas Ecotourism Catemaco Attractions - in the hills Catemaco Pueblos - in the hills |
| Access is via a paved road from Catemaco to Tebanca, then another 6 miles km on a usually bad and occasionally flooded dirt road to the community. There is infrequent pirata service (communal taxis) from the north depot in Catemaco. |
| some photos |
| Within the last 10 years, several Mexican government organizations have helped the community to build eco-touristic facilities directly within the laguna shore´s swamp, and an NGO had committed itself to promote the area to eco - tourists. The NGO "Red de Ecoturismo Los Tuxtlas" as of 2009 is not promoting the project any more. In disregard of ecological concerns, the facilities were constructed directly above a swampy area within the federal laguna setback. Accommodations consisted of communal dining and sleeping facilities, plus a series of elevated, throne like structures, called bath rooms. Since then, the facilities have been substantially modified, including private rooms, and a single rental cabaña. A septic system is now in place and a bio digestor handles wastes. Water is piped in from natural wells 3 miles away. |
| Main attractions Mirador de las Margaritas: this trail takes visitors up a mountain, passing by a picturesque waterfall and a small cave with bats. From the summit, they can admire Catemaco Lake and its banks where the original vegetation remains. the dry season). Punta de Tepeyaga: a 3 hour excursion around Catemaco Lake in a rowboat to an area with petroglyphs, looking at birds and lakeshore vegetation along the way. On the return, you can swim at the community beach and rent kayaks. Chininal archeological site: an interesting, 1.2 mile hike on an interpretive trail, crossing rivers and reaching an archeological site consisting of mounds with pyramids and plazas that have not yet been excavated. |