If you ask Cuernavaca locals about the best tourist attraction in the city, many will tell you about the Robert Brady Museum, which houses a famous Frida Kahlo self-portrait depicting the artist with a monkey on her shoulder. Others will likely mention the Palacio de Cortés — a towering, castle-like palace overlooking Cuernavaca’s main square. Built between 1531 and 1535 by Hernán Cortés, it is the oldest colonial-era civil structure in the Americas.
Not many people will mention the San Antón Waterfall, or Salto de San Antón. Barely any visitors to the city know about it, and even many Cuernavaca locals have never been. But in our opinion, it is one of the most underrated and magical places in the city: an oasis within the urban area. It is the definition of a hidden gem.
How to Get to the San Antón Waterfall in Cuernavaca?
The San Antón Waterfall is located in the neighborhood of San Antón, one of Cuernavaca’s oldest and most traditional barrios. It is located just on the other side of the ravine (the barranca) from the city center. If you walk there from the main cathedral, it will take roughly 20 minutes, and if you drive, it is less than ten minutes. If it is your first time visiting and you don’t have your own car, we would recommend taking an Uber or taxi because it can be quite hard to find the first time you visit, although the walk is pleasant too if you are feeling adventurous. An Uber or taxi from the city center should cost less than $80 pesos.
What to Expect at the Salto de San Antón
The San Antón Waterfall is 40 meters high and is located in a steep-sided ravine. One side of the ravine is made of overhanging basaltic prisms, which are very impressive. The ravine is full of tropical trees, plants, and overhanging vines. It is also noticeably more humid there than elsewhere in Cuernavaca, so you really feel like you are in the jungle or some sort of terrarium when you are there.
To get to the San Antón Waterfall from the road, you need to descend several staircases, and then the path levels out and skirts around the edge of the cliff towards the waterfall. There are several viewing platforms where you can view the waterfall from different heights and angles. One of the coolest things about the architecture is that the path eventually leads you right around the back of the waterfall — at one point, you are so close to the water you can almost touch it.
Is There Anything Else to do Near the San Antón Waterfall?
The neighborhood near the waterfall is quiet and verdant and is famous in Cuernavaca for having lots of high-quality viveros (plant nurseries), where plants, shrubs, and trees are cultivated from seeds or cuttings and sold for homes and gardens. If you need any houseplants or beautiful ceramic plant pots, then these viveros are great to visit.
There are also several nice family-owned restaurants nearby, serving variations of Cuernavaca’s famous comida corrida lunches. Stopping for lunch and a drink afterwards, and maybe even practicing your Spanish with the local owners, is always a nice way to finish off an excursion to the San Antón Waterfall.
Is San Antón Waterfall Suitable for Families?
The waterfall is a wonderful, exciting place to come with children, as it really feels like you are entering another world when you descend down into the ravine. Near the waterfall, the path can get slippery from the water droplets that are often blown onto it by the wind, but as long as everyone takes care on the stairs and around the waterfall, it is a great place to explore as a family.
Sadly, the location is not accessible to wheelchair users or people with mobility issues due to the stairs.
