Mexico's Perfect Mountain Town?

Martinez, who was born and raised in the area, explored the caves as a child. "Coming to Cuetzalan and not visiting the caves," he told me, "is like going to Veracruz and not seeing the ocean."

The next town over from Cuetzalan is San Andres Tzicuilan, a hamlet that's home to a waterfall known as El Salto, or "the jump." The walk itself was beautiful: about two miles on a cobblestone road past cornfields, coffee bushes and the occasional roadside chicken foraging in the brush. After passing through the village, I picked my way down a steep path to the waterfall, which crashes down moss- and fern-covered rocks into an idyllic swimming hole. I'd been told this was one of the most visited waterfalls in the area, but on this sultry afternoon I had it all to myself.

Another day I took one of the local transports -- pickup trucks with two padded benches in the back -- to visit the ruins about six miles north of town. Yohualichan, meaning "house of the night," is thought to be a ceremonial site built by the Totonac Indians around 400 A.D. Set among grassy fields are several pyramids decorated along the base with rows of niches.

In addition to the pyramids, the site contains a tomb and a large ball court -- a rectangular field once used to play traditional indigenous ballgames. Walking along the length of the court, it was easy to imagine lines of spectators cheering on the competitors.

While it's easy to get to Yohualichan and El Salto on your own, other attractions around Cuetzalan are trickier to find. Local boys, many of them accredited as guides by the town tourism office, will take you to some of these lesser-known spots for a small fee, usually about $5.

Leobardo Lino Mendez, 15, approached me one afternoon and told me he could show me places I'd never discover on my own. He proved himself true to his word: After walking about a mile outside of town, he led me onto a narrow path meandering through towering cornstalks until we reached Las Maravillas ("the wonders"), two magnificent waterfalls cascading side by side over a rocky cliff.

Lino couldn't have been more friendly -- or knowledgeable, as he showed me edible plants, told me about some of the local legends and customs, let me in on a few of the "secret spots" he likes, and even warned me about the little dog that would come snap at my heels. It appeared, as if on cue, a few moments later.

Despite the warning, the pint-size pup caught me off guard. But by then I was used to being surprised.

Bart Beeson last wrote for Travel about the United Villages in Oaxaca, Mexico.