Explore the Centla Pantanos of Tabasco, Mexico

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Issue Aug 01-12 2025: What’s in the Centla Wetlands? It’s a Biosphere Reserve where visitors can explore its mangroves by boat or kayak, and it is one of Mexico’s natural wonders.

In El Universal of Mexico City, Omar Moreno noted that Tabasco is one of Mexico’s states with the most water reserves, as its territory contains lakes, lagoons, mangrove canals, and rivers, some of them among the largest in the country. And the wetlands of the Centla Pantanos are a natural wonder not only in Tabasco, but throughout Mexico.

The Centla Pantanos are a Protected Natural Area (PNA) with the status of Biosphere Reserve. It is made up of estuaries, dunes, river islands, flooded plains, lagoons, and canals that are home to approximately 1,245 species of flora and fauna, including jaguars, manatees, crocodiles, freshwater turtles, howler monkeys, caimans, as well as red, white, and buttonwood mangroves.

It is an immense wetland, recognized as a Ramsar Site, covering more than 302,000 hectares, almost the size of the state of Tlaxcala. It is also an important nesting and breeding site for migratory and resident birds, such as the peregrine falcon, the jabiru stork (the largest bird in Mexico), the hawk, the snail-eating hawk, and the great egret. Historically, it was inhabited by the Olmecs and Mayans, who left their mark on 19 small archaeological sites.

Due to their scenic beauty and biological importance, the Pantanos de Centla are much more than just a tourist attraction in Tabasco. One of its most attractive spots is “Los Tres Brazos,” the exact point where three rivers meet: the San Pedrito, Grijalva, and Usumacinta (the largest in the country).

The Centla Wetlands are located in northeastern Tabasco, although a small portion belongs to Campeche. The magical town of Frontera is considered the gateway to this natural wonder. It is a little over an hour by car from the city of Villahermosa, Tabasco, and almost two hours from Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche. Both the rivers and canals of the Centla Wetlands are navigable. Along their banks, there are several docks offering boat rides. One of them is located at the El Negro Chon restaurant, about 20 minutes south of Frontera.