Jojutla: Lake, Culture and History

Jojutla brings together different interests for trip planning: water sports on Lake Tequesquitengo, historic architecture in Jojutla and Tehuixtla, and nature in the Sierra de Huautla Biosphere Reserve. If you’re looking for a hotel in Jojutla, first consider whether lake activities, architectural history, or cultural traditions should be the focus of your stay.

Lake, Water, and Nature

The Sierra de Huautla is a legally designated biosphere reserve that also includes the municipality of Jojutla. Lake Tequesquitengo is a closed basin covering 28 km², with a flooded area of 8 km². Activities on the lake include diving, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, water skiing, jet skiing, yacht or boat trips, and kayaking. If a particular activity is important to your plans, check its availability before your trip.

ISSSTEHUIXTLA offers a different water experience: the facility has several large swimming pools and a children’s pool. The pools are fed by sulfurous water from a nine-meter-deep spring. The water offerings described here are therefore quite different: activities on the water are the focus at the lake, while ISSSTEHUIXTLA centers on its pools and their water source.

Architecture in Tequesquitengo and Tehuixtla

Arena Teques in Tequesquitengo, Jojutla, can accommodate more than 10,000 spectators. The venue is distinguished by a modern sculpture by acclaimed Mexican artist Boris Viskin. Its capacity and artwork give it a different character from the historic buildings you’ll find in Jojutla and Tehuixtla.

At the Parish of San Pedro Apóstol in Tehuixtla, visitors can see architecture dating from the early 17th century and a main façade from the 18th century. There is also an old clock from the first half of the 20th century on the tower in the Plaza Mayor, Tehuixtla’s Zócalo. The church and clock thus offer two different points of reference for exploring the town’s architectural history.

Historic Traces in Jojutla

The historic Ex Hacienda La Perseverancia in Jojutla was shaped by a rice mill founded in 1870. The Church of San Miguel Arcángel in Jojutla was built as a religious monument between 1870 and 1969. The two sites offer different historical perspectives: the rice mill as part of the history of the former hacienda, and the church as a religious monument.

Festivals and Culinary Traditions

The Feria de Año Nuevo Jojutla 2025 opened on January 1 in honor of the Señor de Tula, under the motto “301 años en honor al Señor de Tula.” More than 600 vendors, artisans, and exhibitors from Morelos and other states took part. The Festival del Huauzontle Jojutla 2025 took place from April 16 to 18 and showcased Morelos’s culinary heritage. Participants included traditional cooks, local vendors, and state and municipal authorities.

Tequesquitengo is also associated with a named tradition: in 2024, “Altares en el lago” was observed there in the municipality of Jojutla as part of the Día de Muertos celebrations. Together with the two events from 2025, this example shows different cultural occasions and when they take place.

Morelos as a Broader Culinary Destination

Across the wider destination of Morelos, tacos de cecina, mole de caderas, carnitas, and the well-known salsa de chile de árbol are part of the culinary offering. The region’s markets and restaurants offer culinary experiences that reflect Morelos’s cultural diversity. This regional context complements Jojutla’s local themes without conflating them with what the entire state has to offer.

Discover more destinations: Tehuixtla, Atlatlahucan, Tlaltizapán, and Emiliano Zapata.

View the main travel guide: Morelos.