Catemaco, located in the Los Tuxtlas area, south of Veracruz city, is an area of waterfalls, jungle, gulf of Mexico beaches and "old" Mexico.
There are dozens of waterfalls within a 30 minute drive of the town of Catemaco.My favorite was Poza Reyna, where the waterfall scenes in the movie "Medicine Man" were filmed.
The boat trip on the lake wqas great but my favorite was on the Laguna de Sontecomapan, about 15 minutes away from downtown. With 8 river flowing into the Laguna, which then opens into the Gulf of Mexico, the views are breath taking.
A side trip outside of town took us to the coffee co-op, "Sierra de los Tuxtlas" where they sell bags of freshly roasted coffee as a sideline, thier main business is wholesale beans to the US. I have to say it is the best coffee I have ever tasted!
With the town being at 1100 ft. in elevation, the nights are cool, the days can be hot and the area lush with vegitation. there are dozens of great restraunts along the Malecone, along with stores to buy gifts for friends back home. The town is quiet during the weekdays, on weekends it can be busy with tourists enjoying an escape to nature.
Catemaco is a great place to spend a couple weeks or the winter. Enough day and half day trips to keep you from becoming bored, quiet enough so you can sleep late and beauty to enjoy everyday.