El Oriente is what the Mexicans call this region, by which they mean all the land stretching from the central valley of Mexico east to the Gulf. (So when you see signs advertising tacos orientales, don't think of egg rolls.) El Oriente encompasses the states of Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz, and has much to recommend it. For adventure travelers, it affords excellent white-water rafting, challenging climbs that include Mexico's highest mountain -- a dormant volcano called the Pico de Orizaba -- and scuba diving along Veracruz's coastal reefs. For the culture crowd, the region has three fascinating ruins, some excellent museums and historical sites, and great food.
Puebla and Cholula have the ideal highland climate, beautiful colonial architecture, incredible food, and a strong culture. The ruins in the area feature the startlingly vivid pre-Columbian murals of Cacaxtla, the great ceremonial center of El Tajín, and the New World's largest man-made structure, the great pyramid of Cholula. The port of Veracruz is a fun town for music and food, and for soaking up the easy-going rhythms of the Tropics.
