Lonely Planet Mexico (19th edition)Lonely Planet
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Mexico (19th edition)
Lonely Planet · 2025
Newest edition of the standard Mexico guide, covering Chiapas near Palenque, the Huasteca Potosina and Copper Canyon.
Mexico · San Lorenzo Albarradas Municipality
Hierve el Agua
Hierve el Agua is a set of natural travertine rock formations in San Lorenzo Albarradas, Oaxaca, Mexico that resemble cascades of water.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Hierve el Agua drops over a series of steps. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is San Lorenzo Albarradas, Mexico. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Fullest at the end of the wet season (October to December); the dry months of January to April are the easiest for swimming and access.
Getting there
- Base town San Lorenzo Albarradas, Mexico
- Country Mexico
- Region San Lorenzo Albarradas Municipality, Mexico & Central America, North America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Hierve el Agua
Mexico
Height—Width—
Most similar
Agua Azul
Mexico
Height30 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, with swimming and in Mexico too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
30 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Agua AzulVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Hierve el Agua yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
On the map
16.86552, -96.276
Quick answers
Where is Hierve el Agua?
Hierve el Agua is in Mexico (San Lorenzo Albarradas Municipality). The nearest base is San Lorenzo Albarradas, Mexico. Its coordinates are 16.8655, -96.2760.
When is the best time to visit Hierve el Agua?
Peak flow is January to February and October to December. Fullest at the end of the wet season (October to December); the dry months of January to April are the easiest for swimming and access.
What can you do at Hierve el Agua?
Beyond the viewpoints: swimming, hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
Can you swim at Hierve el Agua?
Yes — swimming is a normal part of a visit to Hierve el Agua, in the pools away from the falling water. Only swim where it is permitted on the day, stay clear of the base of the falls where currents recirculate, and skip it after heavy rain.
How do you get to Hierve el Agua?
The usual base is San Lorenzo Albarradas, Mexico. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Hierve el Agua
Eyipantla Falls
Mexico · 50 m · 200 km away
Eyipantla Falls is a waterfall located in the Los Tuxtlas region of southern Veracruz in Mexico. It is forty…
Agua Azul
Mexico · 30 m · 440 km away
One of Mexico's most photographed natural swimming spots
Swimming
Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla
Mexico · 50 m · 450 km away
The Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla are tall columnar joints of basalt rock near Huasca de Ocampo in the…
Misol Há
Mexico · 35 m · 460 km away
The Cascada de Misol-Há is a waterfall located in the Municipality of Salto de Agua, 20 kilometers from…
CavingSwimming