Villahermosa is located in the southern state of Tabasco. The area's petroleum industry spurred the city's growth into a bustling tropical metropolis. Courtesy of this boom, the city enjoys some tree-shaded boulevards, spacious parks, fancy hotels and excellent cultural institutions.
Sandwiched between the Grijalva River, usually busy with river boats carrying people and produce, and the historic downtown, the Zona Luz or Light District, has been redone as a brick-paved pedestrian zone, with restored colonial buildings, galleries and museums of popular culture and history, and sidewalk cafes.