Why visit Tapalpa
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 1 park or trail, 12 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Weather in Tapalpa
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Tapalpa
Tapalpa (Spanish: [ta'palpa] ) is a town and municipality in Jalisco, a state of central-western Mexico. It has an oceanic climate.
From the Wikipedia article Tapalpa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Tapalpa on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes12
History
The word "Tapalpa" comes from the Nahuatl word "tlapalpan" meaning "land of colors."
The region was inhabited by the Otomi prior to the arrival of the Spanish.
In 1523, the Spanish, led by Alonso de Ávalos Saavedra, reached the region. They encountered a native tribe called Atlacco, who did not resist the Spanish colonizers. In 1531, a group of Franciscan friars began evangelizing to the natives.
By 1825, Tapalpa was already registered as a town and in 1869 it was declared a municipality.
The first paper factory in Latin America was opened in Tapalpa in 1840. The factory shut down and was abandoned in 1923 due to the Mexican Revolution. Today its abandoned ruins have become a tourist attraction.
The town was ravaged by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on 22 February 2026 when the leader of the CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes was killed by the Mexican Army as a result of the 2026 Jalisco operation. This led the CJNG to attack the town (plus other parts of Jalisco and 14 other Mexican states) as a form of retaliation. Oseguera, also known as "El Mencho," was confirmed to have been in Tapalpa when he was killed.
From the History section of Tapalpa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping4
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare2
Map of Tapalpa
36 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lic. Miguel de la Madrid Airport (CLQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 77 km away.
- Sayula 18 km southeast, about 18 min by car
- Ciudad Guzmán 41 km southeast, about 41 min by car
- Cocula 47 km north, about 47 min by car
- Zapotiltic 50 km southeast, about 50 min by car
- Villa Corona 53 km north, about 53 min by car
- Tuxpan 59 km southeast, about 59 min by car
- Autlán de Navarro 66 km west, about 1 h by car
- Ajijic 65 km northeast, about 1 h by car
- Tlajomulco de Zúñiga 67 km northeast, about 1 h by car
- Ciudad de Villa de Álvarez 75 km south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Templo de la Inmaculada Concepción Tapalpa 1, Victor Daniel Rosales Lopez, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.