Chocolate festival 2025 in tabasco: a route of flavor and culture
Chocolate Festival 2025 in Tabasco: how to get there by car and experience the cacao route
The Chocolate Festival 2025 in Tabasco is just around the corner and promises an unforgettable edition filled with flavor, culture, and tradition. This event, considered the most important in the state, brings together producers, chocolatiers, and cocoa lovers from Mexico and around the world.
If you’re a chocolate enthusiast or simply looking for a unique experience, this is your chance to follow the cacao route and learn about the origins of one of Mexico’s most emblematic products.
When is the Chocolate Festival 2025?
The Chocolate Festival will take place from November 19 to 23, 2025, at Parque Tabasco Dora María in Villahermosa. For five days, Tabasco becomes the cacao capital, featuring exhibitions, tastings, workshops, pairing sessions, and cultural activities for the whole family.
What can you find at the Chocolate Festival 2025?
The event gathers top chocolatiers and cocoa producers from different regions of Mexico and Latin America. You’ll enjoy keynote lectures, cooking competitions, live demonstrations, local product sales, and sensory experiences that connect you with the aroma and flavor of cacao.
Highlights of the festival include:
- Gastronomic exhibitions with dishes made from cacao.
- Workshops to learn how to make artisanal chocolate.
- Exhibition and sale of cacao‑based products.
- Artistic and cultural performances.
- Children’s activities and tours of cacao farms.
Additionally, the festival is part of the Cacao to Chocolate Route, a tourist circuit through traditional estates where visitors can learn about the transformation of cacao into chocolate—from cultivation to the final bar.
How to get to the Chocolate Festival 2025 by car
The best way to reach Villahermosa and enjoy the festival is by car. This lets you move freely around the city, visit the surroundings, and explore the Cacao Route at your own pace.
From Mexico City
The distance is about 850 km and takes roughly 10–11 hours to drive. The most direct route is via the Mexico–Puebla highway, continuing toward Córdoba, Coatzacoalcos, and finally Villahermosa.
From Mérida or Campeche
If you’re traveling from the southeast, the drive from Mérida takes about 6 hours, while from Campeche it’s around 4.5 hours. Both routes connect easily with Federal Highway 180D.
From Tuxtla Gutiérrez
The route from Chiapas’ capital takes approximately 5 hours via the Ocozocoautla–Las Choapas highway, offering green landscapes and smooth driving conditions.
For all these routes, having your own vehicle or using car rental in Villahermosa is an excellent option, as it lets you move easily around the city and explore nearby destinations along the cacao route.
What to visit on Tabasco’s Cacao Route
If you attend the festival, don’t miss the famous Cacao to Chocolate Route, a unique experience that combines history, nature, and gastronomy. Must‑see spots include:
- Comalcalco: visit the brick Mayan ruins and several cacao‑producing estates, where you’ll learn about cultivation and fermentation.
- Hacienda Jesús María: offers guided tours, artisanal chocolate‑making workshops, and tastings.
- Hacienda La Luz: one of the most traditional estates, where you’ll see the drying and roasting process and learn about Tabasco’s chocolate heritage.
- Hacienda Cholula: ideal for enjoying a natural setting, learning about sustainable cacao farming, and tasting locally made gourmet chocolates.
Tips to make the most of your visit
- Arrive early at the fairgrounds to take advantage of the day’s activities.
- Wear light clothing and comfortable shoes—Tabasco’s climate is typically warm and humid.
- Bring cash, as some vendors may not accept cards.
- Take time to visit Villahermosa’s historic center and La Venta Park‑Museum.
- If you’re traveling by car, check the best car rental agency to choose the model that best fits your needs.
The Chocolate Festival 2025 is much more than a gastronomic event—it’s a cultural celebration honoring Mexico’s cacao legacy. A road trip allows you to enjoy not only the festival but also the landscapes, flavors, and traditions of Tabasco at your own pace.