The road from Catemaco heads south to Acayucan then east to Minatitlán and Coatzacoalcos. The latter is the Gulf coast gateway for the Yucatán Peninsula, 1½ km from the mouth of its wide river. It is hot, humid and lacking in culture. The beach is dangerous at nights, do not sleep there or loiter. Minatitlán, the oil and petrochemical centre, is 39 km upriver. The road between the two towns carries very heavy industrial traffic and both cities are often under a pall of smog. There is a high incidence of lung disease. Not many foreigners visit either town, but there are hotels and restaurants in both places should you choose to stay.
Acayucan, at the junction of Highway 180 and 185, makes a great place to stop if you’re driving from Mexico City to points south. There’s not a great deal to do, apart from wander the streets, watch the municipal game of basketball, log on in an internet café, or watch a movie, but it’s a decent town.
About 40 km east of Coatzacoalcos, on a side road off Route 180 is Agua Dulce, where there is a campground . Further east along the Gulf coast is Sánchez Magallanes (turn off Route 180 at Las Piedras, 70 km from Coatzacoalcos, signposted), a pleasant, friendly town where you can camp safely on the beach.
$$ Kinaku, corner of Ocampo and Victoria, Acayucan, T924-245 0016. Clean, modern rooms, with a/c and TV. Restaurant and pool.
$ Ritz, Acayucan. A better deal than Kinaku, has many new rooms, with good showers, a/c, TV, very clean, spacious and comfortable.
$$-$ Soyamar, Guerrero 23, Acayucan. Good vegetarian snack option.
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