Best things to do in Chiapas (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

The cultural and natural richness of the state of Chiapas made it one of the states we most wanted to visit in Mexico and it did not disappoint. It is one of the states with the largest indigenous population that still speaks pre-Hispanic Mayan languages today and getting a little closer to their world in places as curious as San Juan Chamula or Zinacantán, from curiosity and respect, is one of the best travel gifts you can experience.

We visited colorful colonial cities such as San Cristóbal de las Casas and ancient Mayan cities such as Palenque, we entered impressive corners of nature that are less known than in other parts of the country, such as the Sumidero Canyon, the Montebello Lagoons or the Misol-ha and Agua Azul waterfalls. And we learned about the Mayan cosmovision from inside the lungs of Chiapas, the Lacandon Jungle, from the hand of those who feel and live it.

Although it is one of the richest states in terms of culture, Chiapas is the poorest at the national level. Its name was brought into the world spotlight in the 1990s by the Zapatista cultural and political movement, with the public eruption of the EZLN in 1994. Its oblivion and neglect by the government as well as the struggle for the life of the indigenous communities, their forms of democratic participation and their ways of vindication persist to this day and one cannot begin to understand Chiapas without knowing its history.

In this guide we try to reflect everything you can visit in Chiapas with a brief introductory history, specific itineraries of 4 or 5 days, a week or even two weeks, with practical suggestions, where to sleep and even where to eat to make your trip as special as ours has been.

Basic facts for traveling to Chiapas

Language: Spanish

Currency: MXN ($) Mexican Peso (1$ equals 20$ MXN approx.). Check the updated exchange rate here

Population: 5,543,828 (in 2020)

When to visit: There are two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season, ideally you should visit Chiapas during the dry season (November to April) and best from February to April. In addition, there are festivities in which you can coincide your trip. We detail more about when to visit Chiapas in this section of the blog.

How long to stay: Minimum one week but if you can dedicate two or even three weeks to Chiapas you will not regret it. In this section we share specific itineraries for Chiapas to help you organize your trip.

How to get there: There are no direct international flights to Chiapas so you will always have to fly first to some point in Mexico and then to the Chiapas airport of Tuxtla Gutierrez where there are daily flights from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tijuana, Merida or Cancun (where we flew from) or to Villahermosa (which is not in Chiapas but is 2h30 from Palenque). We recommend you to use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price. More details in this section of the guide.

Visa: With a US, Canadian, European or UK passport it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days. Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Where to stay: Ideally, you should make at least two bases to get to know the region: a few days in San Cristobal de las Casas and other days in Palenque, as we did in Randomtrip . More details in the Where to stay in Chiapas section of this guide.

What to bring: A good travel insurance (in this link we give you a 5% discount on the one we always carry) and here is the list of what you must have in your backpack for this trip

How to get around: The most common option is to walk around the center of the cities of San Cristobal de Casas and Palenque and hire tours to explore the surroundings, which is what we did in Randomtrip (tours from San Cristobal with Paxial Tours, tours from Palenque with Kichan Bajlum). You also have the option of renting a car to move around freely, although when we went this option was not recommended due to conflictive areas in some parts of the state and police checkpoints, but if the situation changes it would be the easiest and most recommendable. More info on how to get around Chiapas in this section of the blog.

How much it costs: From 1000 pesos/60$ per day per person (approx.) depending on the type of accommodation, meals and how much you want to explore the surroundings. More budget information in this section of the guide.

Internet connection: If you are visiting for a few days, your phone supports eSIM and you don’t want to complicate things, we recommend Holafly eSIM (unlimited data, 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP) or Airalo eSIM (limited data, but cheaper, 15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15). Otherwise, the cheapest way is to get a local SIM (we recommend Telcel). More info here

Vaccines: there are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

Time zone: UTC -6

Where is Chiapas

The state of Chiapas is located in southern Mexico, bordering Guatemala to the southeast, the states of Tabasco and Veracruz to the north and the state of Oaxaca to the west.

When to visit Chiapas

Chiapas is a destination that is best visited in the dry season (between November and April), thus avoiding the rains and being able to enjoy its waterfalls and turquoise blue waters. If you have a choice, the weather is usually better from February to April, since from November to January it is still possible to get rains and/or colder weather. In our case we were there in early November and some areas had “chocolate” colored water instead of turquoise blue; even so, we enjoyed it very much, the nature in Chiapas is amazing.

To decide the best time of the year, there are 2 main factors: the weather and the tourist demand, as follows

Weather in Chiapas

The climate in Chiapas is divided into two main seasons: the dry season (November to April) and the rainy season (May to October). The rainy season should be avoided, and depending on the year, the months of November to January may still have some rain, so if you have a choice, February/March is better.

The climate varies from one zone to another, especially between the jungle (like Palenque) and the mountains (like San Cristobal de Las Casas). We leave you the summary tables of the climate in these two zones to give you an idea.

San Cristóbal de las Casas weather chart, with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Rainy days
January	6º	17º	6
February	7º	19º	5
March	8º	21º	5
April	10º	23º	6
May	11º	22º	14
June	11º	21º	23
July	10º	21º	22
August	11º	21º	23
September	11º	20º	24
October	10º	19º	16
November	8º	18º	8
December	7º	17º	6
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Rainy days

Palenque weather chart with temperatures and rainy days by month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Rainy days
January	19º	28º	9
February	20º	30º	7
March	21º	33º	6
April	23º	35º	6
May	24º	35º	12
June	24º	34º	20
July	23º	34º	20
August	23º	34º	22
September	23º	33º	23
October	23º	31º	18
November	21º	30º	12
December	20º	29º	9
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Rainy days

Tourism demand in Chiapas

The times of highest tourist demand (and therefore, when we will find more people, more lines, more expensive prices and more complications to go to the most famous restaurants or places) are:

• Summer (June to October): in addition to being school vacation time in many countries and increasing demand (and prices), it is the rainy season.
• Easter Week (March/April)
• National Holidays (November, December)

So we recommend you to avoid those dates if you want to enjoy the city more calmly and with better accommodation prices.

Important festivities in Chiapas

If you want to be in Chiapas during the biggest festivities of the year, don’t miss out:

• Fiesta Grande de Chiapa de Corzo: between January 4th and 23rd.
• Foundation of the City of San Cristóbal: March 31st
• Mundo Maya Festival in Palenque (usually in March or April)
• Spring and Peace Fair: during the month of April to celebrate the arrival of Spring.
• Feast of St. Christopher: from July 16 to July 25
• Santo Domingo de Guzman Fair in Palenque (beginning of August)
• Cervantes International Baroque Festival: at the end of October, during one week, San Cristobal transships cultural events in its cultural centers, theaters and various public spaces with dance programs, concerts, art and street theater.
• Day of the Dead celebrations: October 31, November 1 and 2: both in the city of San Cristobal (there is a parade of catrinas and catrinos) and in the surrounding areas, in the indigenous towns (Romerillo, Zinacantan and San Juan Chamula).

Also, keep in mind that there are national festivities, transversal to the whole country, which are also celebrated in Chiapas:

• Easter: between the end of March and the beginning of April, depending on the year.
• Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe: from December 1 to December 12
• Day of the Dead: October 30 & 31, November 1 & 2
• Christmas and New Year’s Eve: December 24 to December 31

Summary: best months to visit Chiapas

Based on the above, if you are looking to visit Chiapas with less people, good weather and reasonable prices, the best months are November, December, January and February, being that March to May is also a good time although very hot (temperatures above 40º) but ideal for swimming in its rivers and waterfalls (less flow and more bathing areas).

How to get to Chiapas

There are no direct international flights to Chiapas so you will always have to fly first to Mexico and then to the Chiapas airport of Tuxtla Gutierrez where there are daily flights from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tijuana, Merida or Cancun (where we flew from) or to Villahermosa, which is not in Chiapas but is close to Palenque, 2h30 away. We recommend that you use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price.

How to get from Tuxtla Gutierrez Airport to San Cristobal de las Casas

From the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport, colectivos (shared vans) depart when full, direct to San Cristobal, for 240 pesos per person. The trip takes about 1h30 and you will be dropped off at the bus terminal in San Cristobal (depending on the bus company), from where cabs will be waiting to take you to your accommodation (50 pesos per cab). You can also take a cab directly to your accommodation from the airport (the price is about 1000 pesos approx., but if you can get 4 people together it is more economical).

RandomTIP: If you have a choice, stay on the right side of the plane to fly to Tuxtla as you will be able to see the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes from the window.

You can also get to San Cristobal de las Casas by bus (ADO):

• From Oaxaca (night bus), it takes about 11-12 hours.
• From Palenque (day or night bus), it takes about 9h. There is also the option of tours from Palenque that make a few stops and go by a worse but more direct road (the ADO makes a big turn to avoid that road).

How to get from Villahermosa Airport to Palenque

From Villahermosa airport you can take a van (ADO, buy and check schedules here) to Palenque, which takes about 2:30 hours and costs 350 pesos per person (about 18$). You will be dropped off at the bus terminal in Palenque, from where cabs will be waiting to take you to your accommodation, although if you stay where we stayed at Randomtrip, you will be within walking distance of the bus station and restaurants.

You also have the option of taking a cab, although it will be much more expensive (we were told about 1600 pesos, about 80$).

Do I need a visa to travel to Mexico?

For people with USA, Canada, UK and European passports it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days.

Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Are there required vaccines to travel to Mexico?

There are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

How many days to stay in Chiapas

Minimum one week but if you can dedicate two or even three weeks to Chiapas you will not regret it.

In this section we share specific itineraries of Chiapas to help you organize your trip.

Things to see and do in Chiapas

Below is a map and a list of all the places to visit in the Chiapas region. There are quite a few, and enough for a couple of weeks, so if you have less days, although we do not like the must-see (because it depends on each person and their preferences), we leave here the top 6 places to see in Chiapas based on our experience :

• San Cristobal de las Casas
• Sumidero Canyon
• Palenque Archaeological Zone
• Indigenous communities (San Juan Chamula, Zinacantán)
• El Chiflón Waterfalls
• Montebello Lakes

Map of Chiapas

As we told you, we have divided the places into several zones, based on the tourist areas and we have put each area in a different color to make it easier for you to identify them. It’s all on a Google Maps map that you can take with you on your smartphone to use during your trip.

Brief introduction and curiosities of Chiapas

The name of Chiapas made international headlines because of the Zapatista Movement in the 90’s and it was precisely in the city of San Cristobal de las Casas that the first public eruption of the EZLN (Zapatista Army of National Liberation) took place on January 1, 1994. The EZLN moved from the Lacandon jungle to occupy the city and other strategic towns in their struggle against the Mexican government’s permanent neglect of the basic needs of the indigenous populations.

San Cristobal de las Casas and Chiapas jumped from anonymity to the world spotlight in their struggle for survival and dignified living conditions, attracting the support of a large part of the international civil society. The struggle for autonomy and self-management of the Zapatista people in the face of the Mexican government’s neglect and oblivion of these communities and the harassment and abuse of the paramilitary forces was visible on television news and in newspapers around the world (although, as always, in some more than others).

Comandanta Ramona (an indigenous Tzotzil revolutionary) and Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos, spokespersons for the EZLN, became known worldwide as public figures of the Zapatista Movement, a historical, cultural and political movement that gave way to a new and permanent form of struggle that quickly became emblematic of the alterglobalization movement.

The struggle for the life of these indigenous communities, their forms of democratic participation and the ways of claiming an indigenous and peasant identity culminated in the creation of “Los Caracoles, centers of Good Government”, self-managed Zapatista autonomous zones, which are found throughout the region.

Unfortunately, however, the inequalities, segregation, neglect and oblivion of the indigenous communities of Chiapas persist to this day.

“(…) This land is so brutal. We always fight and nothing comes out (…) Where there are roads, they put soldiers. Where there are military, they build roads”.

The pride of these men, their faith, accompany their daily lives where a handful of corn or coffee beans plucked from the jungle rhyme with “freedom”.

Exhibition “Thirty Years of the Uprising of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), 1994-2024″ based on the work done by Mat Jacob from 1995 to 2013 of his encounter with the inhabitants of the village of Guadalupe Trinidad, a village of indigenous Tojolabales in the mountains of the San Quintin Valley, in the heart of the Lacandon jungle. At Randomtrip we saw this exhibition at the Museo Amparo in Puebla (Mexico) and loved it.

As a curiosity, I would also like to tell you that not only is Mexico the country in the world that consumes the most Coca-Cola, but also that Chiapas, the poorest state, is the region in the world that consumes the most Coca-Cola (2.25 liters/person per day, vs. the average of 1.7 liters/person per day in all of Mexico). In fact, in the municipality of San Juan Chamula, Coca-Cola went from being a simple drink to something sacred, used in rites and offerings. We tell you all about it in our section Chiapas and Coca Cola, a toxic relationship.

This small introduction, very brief and superficial for such a complex issue as the transformation in the social dynamics of Chiapas throughout history, seems to us indispensable before entering the region. A region so rich culturally and so poor monetarily, with a recent (and not so recent) history of oblivion and neglect of its people, with so many nuances and variables, that we consider it essential to have, at least, a basis to begin to unveil, from curiosity and respect, the incredible state of Chiapas and those who inhabit it .

San Cristobal de las Casas

Considered the intercultural capital of Chiapas and one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico, San Cristobal de las Casas (SanCris, as it is called when you gain some confidence) was one of the first places to be declared Pueblo Mágico in the country and is an excellent starting point to get to know Chiapas.

San Cristóbal de las Casas is an excellent base for exploring some of the nearby Chiapas gems, which we will tell you about below.

We leave you everything to see in our complete guide to San Cristobal de Las Casas, but here is a selection of the main attractions of this magical town:

• Peace Square and St. Christopher Martyr Cathedral
• Zócalo: Plaza 31 de Marzo (Central Park)
• Andadores (Walkways): Andador de Guadalupe, Andador del Carmen and Andador de Santo Domingo.
• Markets: Mercado de Dulces y Artesanías, Mercado de Santo Domingo and Mercado Viejo.
• Climbing to the Temple of San Cristobalito
• Museums: Amber Museum, MUSAC (San Cristobal Museum), Museo de los Altos de Chiapas, Kakaw (Museo del Cacao y Chocolateria Cultural), Museo del Jade and Na Bolom.
• Guadalupe Church
• Arco del Carmen
• Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán

Best things to do in San Cristóbal de las Casas (Chiapas, Mexico) [with MAP]: a travel guide with everything you need to know

Cañón del Sumidero (Sumidero Canyon)

Of all that we saw of Chiapas nature, the Sumidero Canyon National Park was what impressed us the most. The canyon is located on a tectonic fault and rises above the course of the Grijalva River (250 meters at its deepest part) whose walls reach more than 1000 meters high. Its relevance is such that the canyon is part of the coat of arms of Chiapas.

The Grijalva River feeds four dams and crosses the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. At its southern mouth, the canyon begins in Chiapa de Corzo, and flows into the artificial reservoir of the Manuel Moreno Torres hydroelectric dam, popularly known as Chicoasén Dam. In fact, it is possible to navigate the riverbed precisely from the construction of the Chicoasén hydroelectric dam, one of the largest Mexican works of hydraulic engineering, with a 32-kilometer long reservoir that covers the entire canyon. As a curiosity, 70% of the energy produced here is sent abroad (Honduras, Belize, Guatemala…).

Before the Grijalva River was not navigable and for that reason it is called Cañón del Sumidero: since the river was born in Guatemala and was submerged (hidden) because it was subway and 6/7 meters wide, it was given the name of the subway river, Sumidero.

Although it made river navigation possible, the construction of the dam affected the town of Osumacinta (where the wharf is located) whose only income was from corn and livestock. The town of Osumacinta was located on an island that you will see on the right on the boat ride.

The canyon has 21,789 hectares in five municipalities of the state of Chiapas, a few kilometers from its capital, Tuxtla Gutiérrez. In fact, the first time we saw it was on the way from the Tuxtla airport to San Cristóbal, and since then we knew we wanted to see it up close.

Its ecological value led it to be declared a National Park in 1980 and a Ramsar site in Mexico in 2004. The light and heat on the cliff walls, as well as its runoff have facilitated the emergence of several microclimates and variety in the flora and fauna at different heights of the canyon. Some of its endemic species are the Lengua Hongueada salamander, the Mexican cuija, the Canelo chupaflor, the Marbled toad, the Chiapa de Corzo mojarra and the Dwarf oak, although at Randomtrip we saw several birds (such as the heron), spider monkeys and crocodiles up close.

To admire the Sumidero Canyon, there are two ways: from above (from the viewpoints) and from below (on a boat ride).

Sumidero Canyon Viewpoints

From one side of the canyon, there is a road that leads to several viewpoints from which you can contemplate the immensity of the Sumidero Canyon from above.

IMPORTANT! The viewpoints are closed on Tuesdays, so if you want to visit them, choose another day to visit the Sumidero Canyon.

The viewpoints are, in order of appearance as we enter the road:

1. La Ceiba Viewpoint
2. La Coyota Viewpoint
3. El Roblar Viewpoint
4. El Tepehuaje Viewpoint
5. Cañón del Sumidero Viewpoint

The tours usually stop at only 2 (at La Coyota and at the Sumidero Canyon viewpoint). The views from the top are incredible, you will see the very small boats and the curves of the river as it passes through the canyon.

Sumidero Canyon boat ride

After seeing the Sumidero Canyon from above, there is nothing better than seeing it from below, navigating the Grijalva River for 32km. There are several piers in Chiapa de Corzo, and also in Osumacinta. In our case, the tour took us to the Osumacinta pier, and then the driver took the van to the pier in Chiapa de Corzo, where he waited for us while we took the boat ride through the canyon.

During the walk we contemplate its flora and fauna, and we feel minuscule before the immensity of the canyon walls.

On the boat ride we highlighted an authentic “Christmas tree” that makes up the moss of a 250 meter waterfall whose water rejuvenates (so they say), a “cave of colors” where they saw the form of Jesus Christ and now lives a virgin who goes out every year to Chiapa de Corzo in a procession, and an aquatic supermarket (which we baptized “AquaOxxo“, since Oxxo is a famous chain of convenience stores in Mexico) that consists of a boat that sells you, among other things, micheladas for 50 pesos to see crocodiles in 3D (the people on the boats are really fun and charming).

The boat ride lasts about 2 hours. During the ride, in addition to the stops at the places mentioned, the driver and guide will explain what we see, as well as trying to show the fauna of the place. As soon as we leave, we pass by a small island, a bird sanctuary (cormorants, herons, pelicans…). Further on we also see several crocodiles and several groups of spider monkeys.

Unfortunately, in one area we also see a lot of garbage in the water. The guide tells us that the currents drag the garbage into the river, and that although there is still garbage there, it used to be much worse, since there have been several projects to remove the garbage in recent years.

At its deepest part, the river is currently about 240 meters, and the canyon walls exceed 1000 meters in height in the highest areas.

How to get to Sumidero Canyon?

From San Cristobal de las Casas, it takes about 1h30 to the area of the viewpoints, and from there 1h30 more to the Osumacinta pier. You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: in case you want to go by public transportation, it is easier to go to the pier in Chiapa de Corzo. You have to go by combi or bus to Tuxtla (the area where you can catch them is in front of Mercado de Dulces y Artesanías), and from there by local bus or cab to Chiapa de Corzo. For the viewpoints, you also have to go by bus to Tuxtla and from there another bus drops you off at the entrance of the road to the viewpoints, but there is no transportation to them, so you would have to hitchhike, pay a cab, or walk. Considering that you will also have to pay for the boat tour through the canyon, in this case the tour is worth it.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point to access the road to the viewpoints, and this one to the Osumacinta pier, or this one to the Chiapa de Corzo pier. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: this is the most common option, and in this case, the most comfortable and the most profitable. The price is about 450 pesos per person.

Although at Randomtrip we usually advocate exploring destinations on your own, in this case (and in the case of tours around San Cristobal in general), we believe that it is not worth doing it for price reasons (the difference between doing it on your own and on a tour is minimal, since you will still have to pay 250 pesos per person for the boat tour through the canyon), for security reasons (there are usually several checkpoints, both from the police and the local communities) and because you will not see the canyon from above at the viewpoints on your own and the views are really impressive and worth it. Of course this will depend greatly on how the situation is in Chiapas when you visit and if the prices have not changed. At Randomtrip we finally did it with the agency Paxial Tours and we liked it very much.

The tour includes: stop at two viewpoints of the Sumidero Canyon, boat ride through the Sumidero Canyon one way (from Osumacinta to Chiapa de Corzo) and visit to Chiapa de Corzo.

Price of the Sumidero Canyon + Chiapa de Corzo Tour: from 450 pesos/person. Departure from San Cristobal de las Casas at 9:00 am and return at 6:00 pm. You can hire the tour with Paxial Tours when you arrive in San Cristobal as the agency is located here, in the middle of the Andador de Gualalupe, or, if you prefer, contact them by Whatsapp at +52 967 312 8471 or +52 961 458 6362.

Sumidero Canyon tour from San Cristobal:

• Between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. you are picked up at San Cristobal
• 1h30 drive to the area of the lookout points
• 11:00 we arrive at the viewpoints, where we stop at 2 (La Coyota and Mirador del Cañón del Sumidero). In total 1 hour is dedicated to the viewpoints, between travel and time in them.
• 12:00 we continue on to Osumacinta (1h30 drive).
• At 13:30 we arrive at the Osumacinta dock, where we are given life jackets and are assigned a boat.
• 13:45 boat leaves for a 2 hour tour of the Sumidero Canyon to the pier in Chiapa de Corzo.
• 15:45 we arrive at the pier in Chiapa de Corzo and normally go to a restaurant for lunch.
• After lunch, you can visit Chiapa de Corzo on your own.
• 17.00 departure back to San Cristóbal de las Casas, 1h drive.
• 18:00 arrival at San Cristóbal

If you prefer to go to the Sumidero Canyon on your own, without an organized tour, the OCC stop is in front of the candy and handicrafts market. In addition to the bus fare to the Sumidero Canyon pier (150 pesos round-trip bus fare), you will have to add the 250 pesos for the boat ride through the Canyon. Also, keep in mind that you will not see the Canyon from the viewpoints because the bus goes directly to the pier, so in the end the tour is worth it…

You can also hire the tour online in advance here which includes the same (viewpoints, boat ride and visit to Chiapa de Corzo)

Chiapa de Corzo

Our boat ride through the Sumidero Canyon ends in Chiapa de Corzo, a magical Chiapas town on the banks of the Grijalva River and the first urban center founded by settlers in the region.

It was also Diego de Mazariegos who founded it in 1528 as Villa Real de Chiapa although, prior to the Spanish colonization of America, this was one of the main settlements of the Zoque culture, until the arrival of the Soctones or Chiapanecas, who founded their political capital, Napiniacá. In fact its name comes from the soctona ethnic group that originally populated it, called by the Aztecs as “Chiapas”, which in Nahuatl means “water that runs under the hill”.

Chiapa de Corzo is 15 km from the capital of Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, and 50 km from San Cristóbal de las Casas.

What stands out most in Chiapa de Corzo was the Mudejar ensemble of the sixteenth century formed by La Pila or La Corona, a Moorish-inspired fountain made of brick that was consecrated as one of the best examples of Hispano-Arabic art in colonial America. Also noteworthy is the ancient ceiba tree known as “La Pochota” that shelters hundreds of birds that provide the soundtrack to the square along with the occasional chords of marimba.

If you have time during your walk through the city, visit the temple of Santo Domingo and the convent building annexed to it, now home to the Armando Duvalier Lacquer Museum (with pieces of ancestral craftsmanship) as well as the ruins of the temple of San Sebastián Mártir.

Also, if your visit to Chiapa de Corzo coincides between January 8 and 23 you can enjoy the Fiesta Grande de Chiapa de Corzo (celebrated since the 18th century) with music, floats, confetti warfare and dance of the Parachicos (name of the dancers and the type of dance) and chiapanecas (with their colorful dresses) that go all over the town of Chiapa de Corzo visiting places of worship. The great celebration is in homage to Our Lord of Esquipulas, San Antonio Abad and San Sebastián Mártir (especially the latter) and the Parachicos are distinguished because they wear a mask carved in wood that is the central element of their costume along with the montera, a headdress made of natural fiber.

How to get to Chiapa de Corzo?

From San Cristobal de las Casas, it is 1 hour drive to Chiapa de Corzo. You have 3 options to go:

• Public transportation: in case you want to go by public transportation, you have to go by combi or bus to Tuxtla (the area where you can catch them is in front of the Mercado de Dulces y Artesanías), and from there by local bus or cab to Chiapa de Corzo.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: the most common is to visit Chiapa de Corzo as part of the Sumidero Canyon tour. The price of the tour is about 450 pesos per person.

Price of the Sumidero Canyon + Chiapa de Corzo Tour: from 450 pesos/person. Departure from San Cristobal de las Casas at 9:00 am and return at 6:00 pm. You can hire the tour with Paxial Tours when you arrive in San Cristobal as the agency is located here, in the middle of the Gualalupan walkway, or, if you prefer, contact them by Whatsapp at +52 967 312 8471 or +52 961 458 6362.

In case you do the tour, here is a word of caution. When you arrive in Chiapa de Corzo you will have time to eat and walk around. Although the whole group decided to go to eat at the same place recommended by the driver, this buffet, at Randomtrip we found it pretty bad (bad value for money) and we would recommend you to go somewhere else or take a snack with you, since you don’t arrive in Chiapa de Corzo until 15:30 / 16:00.

Indigenous Communities: San Juan Chamula, Zinacantán and Romerillo

The visit to the indigenous communities of the municipality of San Juan Chamula is one of the most interesting visits in the state of Chiapas because you can learn first hand the languages and customs of people descended from the Mayas.

San Juan Chamula is the capital of the municipality of Chamula, which is made up of 150 villages (almost all of them autonomous, receiving little help from the government in terms of schools, for the rest they do not want help) and in the tour of indigenous communities we visited, in addition to San Juan Chamula, Zinacantán and Romerillo. Chamula, in fact, is used to name several Mayan ethnic groups that inhabit the highlands of Chiapas such as Tzotziles (who we met on this occasion), Tzeltales, Mames, Tojolabales, Choles.

Sheep are sacred in the municipality of San Juan Chamula so you will not see this animal or its derivatives as part of their gastronomy and we were even told that in pandemic times they used to put masks on the sheep, but this is an unusual fact that we have not been able to confirm.

Their hair is used in their clothing as a status symbol. Women wear a Nagua (black sheep wool skirt) and men wear a chujo (sheep wool vest). Only the mayordomos, the local authority (the religious leaders of each community), can wear the black chujo, in addition to a cloth on their head and the baton in their left hand. It is important that you know how to tell them apart since it is forbidden to take pictures of them. Those who have a certain religious or civil rank wear a white chujo.

The only church in the municipality is located in San Juan Chamula and here San Juan Bautista is venerated. It is one of the most curious temples we have been to in our travels and of enormous ethnographic importance due to its religious syncretism, a mixture of Christianity with native cultures. Rituals and cures are performed here, including animal sacrifices, and you will see lots of Coca-Cola – we tell you more about the curious and perverse relationship between Chiapas and Coca-Cola in this section of the guide: Chiapas and Coca-Cola: a toxic relationship.

In the Church of San Juan Bautista de Chamula there is no lectern or pews to kneel on. There are no luxurious gold carvings, stained glass windows or paintings. Instead of an imposing vaulted ceiling, colorful fabrics hang, making the place more intimate. There is no shiny marble floor but the rustling of pine leaves that cover it. The soundtrack is the sound of prayers and confessions in Tzotzil and the smell is of incense. All around the temple, dozens of small stained glass windows with saints and, in front, the image of San Juan Bautista.

You can observe all this in silence, with respect, from a distance and complying with the rules. For example, inside the temple it is not allowed to take pictures or videos, under penalty of a fine of 4200 pesos (220$ approx.) or worse (we have been told of cases in which some people were arrested, both them and their cameras). The feast of San Juan Bautista (June 24) and carnivals are important moments for the people so if you go on these dates, book your tour in advance.

In addition to the church, we also visited the Plaza de la Paz (on Sundays there is a market), the town hall (in the same square, in an ochre color) and the cemetery of San Juan Chamula with several Coca-Cola bottles buried next to the graves. It is located on the outskirts, next to the ruins of the church of San Sebastian and takes on a special symbolism during the Day of the Dead celebrations when family members are there waiting for their loved ones.

Zinacantán, which means House of Bats in Tzotzil, is located in an elevated area dedicated to floriculture and includes more than 70 sites. It is possible to see the large greenhouses full of flowers (ponpon, chrysanthemum, sunflowers…) of one of the main flower commercialization points of all southern Mexico. They have a catholic religious patron saint, San Lorenzo, whose feast day is August 10th.

Here we visited a textile workshop , the house of the artisan Toñita, where we saw two Tzotzil women weaving by hand, with the pre-Columbian loom (or waist loom, because it goes precisely around the waist) and controlled ourselfes not to buy everything. In addition to having the possibility of taking some handmade souvenirs (it is all very flowery, also representing the floriculture, to which they are dedicated in the community), they also offered us some handmade tortillas and a delicious Chiapaneco coffee.

On the left, a Tzotzil woman weaving with the backstrap loom in Zinacantán (Photo by Randomtrip. All rights reserved). On the right, representation of the same in an acrylic on canvas that we saw in the Collective Exhibition ‘Xkuxlej Chamo’ on the culture, life and daily life of Chamula, at the Musac (Museum of San Cristobal).

Be careful! You have to pay a tax to enter the village of Zinacantán (it is included in the tour) and say exactly how many people we are when we enter so that no one stays in the village without authorization.

On the left, two Tzotzil women making corn tortillas in Zinacantán (Photo by Randomtrip. All rights reserved). On the right, representation of the same in an acrylic on canvas that we saw in the Collective Exhibition ‘Xkuxlej Chamo’ on the culture, life and daily life of Chamula, at the Musac (Museum of San Cristobal).

Day of the Dead in the indigenous communities of San Juan Chamula, Zinacantan and Romerillo

At Randomtrip we had the privilege of visiting these towns during the Day of the Dead celebrations on November 1st, and we were able to observe, from a distance and with respect, how they celebrate the arrival of the souls of their loved ones. Contrary to San Cristobal de las Casas where catrinas and catrinos parades abounded, the celebrations of the native towns are symbolic of ancestral beliefs.

In addition to the abundance of the orange cempasuchil flower, a flower that dresses the whole country on these dates since it is the one that indicates the path of the souls back home, we could see how families gather in the cemeteries, with music, food and, of course, Coca-Cola(we tell you more about this curious obsession in this section of the blog) to join their loved ones who return these days from the underworld. In fact, it is for this reason that the tombs in this community do not have cement and that on the 31st the wooden boards in the pantheons are lifted so that the souls can leave, returning to be placed again on November 3rd.

While we were able to see the celebrations at the Romerillo and Zinacantán cemeteries, with dances by the Mashes and many bottles of Coca-Cola included, the church in San Juan Chamula was quite empty as most of the people were at the cemetery waiting for the arrival of the souls of their loved ones.

While in the Romerillo pantheon the Day of the Dead celebrations include Ferris wheels and even verbenas, in Zinacantán, the celebration in the pantheon is more solemn. The cemetery is located at the top of a hill, because for these communities their ancestors are the guardians of the community. This is precisely what they are dedicated to, flowers.

How to visit the indigenous villages of San Juan Chamula?

You can get to San Juan Chamula on your own or on a tour. In this case we did not contemplate any other option than taking a tour because we wanted to soak up everything we were seeing and the explanations of our guide Miguel Angel (who speaks both Tzotzil and Tzeltal) were essential for this.

At Randomtrip we did it with Paxial Tours and the tour included a visit to the indigenous communities of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán and, in addition, since we went during the Day of the Dead celebrations, the tour also included a visit to the Romerillo cemetery.

In San Juan Chamula you will visit the cemetery and the famous church of San Juan Bautista de Chamula (one of the highlights of the tour) and in Zinacantán you will be able to enter a textile workshop and meet several Tzotzil women.

Romerillo is not normally included in the tour (in our case it was a special edition for the Day of the Dead).

Price of the tour Indigenous Villages Zinacantán and San Juan Chamula (Romerillo is included only on 30/10, 31/10, 1/11 and 2/11): from 300 pesos/person with Paxial Tours. Departure from San Cristobal at 09:30h and return at 13:30/14:00h. You can hire the tour with Paxial when you arrive in San Cristobal as the agency is located here, in the middle of the Gualalupan walkway, or, if you prefer, contact them by whasap at +52 967 312 8471 or +52 961 458 6362.

If you prefer to go on your own to San Juan Chamula, the combi (collective transport) leaves a few blocks from the Santo Domingo temple and costs 18 pesos each way (36 pesos round trip) just to go to San Juan Chamula (not to Zinacantán). There is no schedule, the van leaves when it is full. If you choose this option, ask beforehand (for example, at your hotel) what the situation is like when you go because you should avoid scheduling your visit with political events. We were also told that Wednesdays are slower days, i.e., the faithful do not usually go to the temple as much. When you arrive it is important to look for a guide to learn more about what you are seeing.

And if you want to go with the tour booked online, book your excursion to San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán online here

Amatenango del Valle

Amatenango del Valle is a small town 2h30 from San Cristobal de las Casas famous for its pottery made by women. They are the ones who learn the trade from a young age, with pre-Hispanic techniques, and make different works of art, where the clay jaguars stand out for example. You can follow artist Juana Gómez Ramírez on Instagram if you want to learn more about her work.

How to get to Amatenango del Valle?

From San Cristobal de las Casas to Amatenango del Valle it takes approximately 1h30. You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: we were unable to find information about buses that go to or pass through Amatenango del Valle, but we are sure there are, just ask the locals.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point to visit the workshop and gallery of Juana Gómez Ramírez (although there are also others). Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: you also have the option of hiring a tour from San Cristobal, such as this tour that, in addition to the visit to the pottery community, includes a visit to the Vertedor, a turquoise water lagoon.

Sima de las Cotorras

The Sima de las Cotorras is a land subsidence (a very large hole), the result of erosion and tectonic processes. There are several in the area, and in fact some larger ones, but this particular one became more famous because the local population created an ecotourism center next to it, to facilitate the visit and create a source of income. The name comes from the fact that it is home to many parrots, which with luck can be seen at sunrise or sunset (the best time is said to be from March to November, especially from March to May).

The hole is about 160m in diameter and 140m deep, and on its walls you can see cave paintings and stalactites. Another curiosity is that inside the hole there are species of trees not present above, up to 30m high.

As the parrot “show” is short (only at dawn when they leave or at dusk when they return), the ecotourism center has other activities such as rappelling and hiking to better observe the hole.

How to get to the Sima de las Cotorras?

From San Cristóbal de las Casas to the Sima de las Cotorras it takes approximately 1h30. You have 2 options (unfortunately, there is no public transportation to take you there):

• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: you also have the option of hiring a tour from San Cristobal, such as this one to rappel in the Sima de las Cotorras or this one that does not include rappel but also includes a visit to the waterfall El Aguacero.

Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time)

Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time) is an incredible and little known place in Chiapas, and is nothing more and nothing less than the highest natural arch in the world, with 158 meters high, formed more than 80,000 years ago.

Visiting this place is not easy and is an adventure in itself: it can only be visited during the dry season (from November to June, depending on the year as the weather is not 100% predictable, since the rains make access dangerous and the agencies do not offer the tour for safety reasons), and you must hire an authorized local guide in General Cardenas.

Although if conditions are good you can visit Arco del Tiempo in one day, the minimum recommended is 2 days/1 night.

How to get to the Arch of Time?

From San Cristóbal de las Casas to Arco del tiempo it takes approximately 3h30/4h (2h30/3h to Cintalapa and another hour to General Cárdenas, from where the guides leave). You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: from San Cristobal, you have to go first to Cintalapa (you have OCC bus). From Cintalapa, you have to go by combi to General Cárdenas (in theory there are only a couple a day, check to calculate the times). In General Cárdenas you can hire a guide.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point and there you can hire the guide. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: you also have the option of hiring a 2-day tour from Tuxtla and some agencies also sell it from San Cristobal, although it is much more expensive.

El Chiflón Waterfalls

El Chiflón is the name given to a group of 5 waterfalls (one of them, the best known, tallest and most impressive, is called El Velo de la Novia), fed by the San Vicente River.

To access the waterfalls, there are two options, in both cases through ecotourism parks that control access and provide tourist services: on the left side, there is the Centro Ecoturístico Cascada Velo de la Novia; on the right side, the Centro Ecoturístico Cascadas El Chiflón. The one on the right side is the most visited and where the tours take you, where you can get closer to the waterfalls, although from the left side you have a wider view of them. In our case we visited the right side.

Price: To visit the center, you will have to pay an entrance fee of 80 pesos per person (about 4$).

Although the site is prepared for tourism (with a paved trail to the Velo de la Novia, food stands, zip lines, cabins to sleep there, etc.), which takes away some of the charm, the place is incredible and worth the visit.

The 5 waterfalls of the Chiflón, in order of appearance from the entrance to the ecotourism center, are the following (with the height of each one):

• El Suspiro Waterfall (25 meters high)
• Ala del Ángel Waterfall (30 meters high)
• Velo de la Novia Waterfall ( 120 meters high)
• Arcoiris Waterfall ( 50 meters high)
• Quinceañera Waterfall (60 meters high)

To give you an idea of the time, from the entrance to the Cascada del Velo de la Novia it takes about 30 minutes on foot (always uphill, with lots of steps), passing through the Suspiro and the Ala del Ángel. If you dare to visit the other two, the climb is a bit steeper and more “rustic”, but it is totally worth it. From Velo de la Novia to Arcoiris it takes 20 minutes, and from there to Quinceañera 10 minutes more. In other words, it takes about an hour to go up to the last waterfall (Quinceañera Waterfall). It takes about 30-40 minutes to descend, depending on your pace.

n some areas you can take a dip, depending on the time and weather. You can also do a part of the descent (from the Velo de la Novia) in a zip line: there are 3 sections, and you can do just one of the sections or buy a package. Here are the 3 zip lines (from top to bottom), with their length and price:

• First stretch: 400m, 250 pesos
• Second stretch, 600m, 300 pesos
• Third stretch, 300m, 200 pesos

If you want to do all 3, you can save 100 pesos since the package costs 650 pesos.

How to get to El Chifón Waterfalls from San Cristóbal?

From San Cristóbal de las Casas, it takes about 2h30 to El Chiflón Waterfalls. You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: you have to go by colectivo (small vans that connect different points) or ADO to Comitán de Domínguez, and from there wait for another colectivo to El Chiflón, with this option it will take you longer but it is much cheaper.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: this is the most common option, although the tour also includes the Montebello Lagoons, so the time in each place is a bit limited. The price is about 400 pesos per person.

At Randomtrip we did it on tour, with Paxial Tours and the tour includes, besides the visit to the waterfalls, a visit to the Montebello Lagoons and the border with Guatemala.

If you have time, and in our opinion, the recommended option would be to sleep there in the ecotourism centers (or in Comitán de Domínguez), and dedicate a full day to visit the waterfalls of El Chiflón and enjoy them, and do the same with the Lagunas de Montebello, which we will talk about next.

Price of the tour El Chiflón + Lagunas de Montebello from San Cristóbal: from 400 pesos/person with Paxial Tours (does not include lunch, nor the Chiflón zip lines or the boat ride in Lagunas de Montebello). Departure from San Cristobal at 08:00h and return at 22:00h. You can hire the tour with Paxial when you arrive in San Cristobal since the agency is located here, in the middle of the Guadalupan walkway, or, if you prefer, contact them by Whatsapp at +52 967 312 8471 or +52 961 458 6362.

Tour to Chiflón and Lagunas de Montebello (may vary depending on traffic and stops):

• 8:00 Pick up between 8 and 9 am at your accommodation in San Cristobal de las Casas.
• 2h30 drive to El Chiflón Waterfalls Ecotourism Center.
• 11:30: Arrival at the Ecotourism Center and 2h of time (until 13:30) to visit the waterfalls.
• 1h30 drive to the Montebello Lagoons.
• 16:00: Arrival at Lagunas de Montebello and wooden boat ride through the lagoons (not included, price 250 pesos per person + tip). It is agreed with the group whether to eat before the boat ride or after. There is a viewpoint next to the lagoons from which to contemplate the lagoons.
• 17:30: Arrival at Tziscao, where the International Lake (half Mexico, half Guatemala) is located.
• 18:30 departure back to San Cristóbal
• 3h30 drive back to San Cristóbal
• At 22:00 we are back in San Cristóbal.

What should you bring to Cascadas El Chiflón?

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Comfortable and light clothing (in El Chiflón it is much hotter and more humid than in San Cristóbal).
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen and hat or similar
• Water
• Some snacks to eat during the visit (or you can also buy them there).
• Swimsuit and towel if you are going for a swim

And if you want to go with the tour booked online, you can hire this tour that includes both Cascadas de El Chiflón and Lagunas de Montebello.

Comitán de Domínguez

Comitán de Dominguez is one of the 177 (as of December 2023) Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns) of Mexico, with colonial architecture, where it is advisable to get lost in its historic center, visit the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, in the Central Park, the House Museum Dr. Belisario Domínguez or the Cultural Center Rosario Castellanos.

How to get to Comitán de Domínguez?

From San Cristobal de las Casas, it is about 2 hours to Comitán de Dominguez. You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: you have colectivos or ADO from San Cristobal to Comitán de Dominguez, a fast, cheap and comfortable option.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point (the Central Park) or to your lodging in case you are staying there. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: you also have the option of hiring a tour from San Cristóbal, such as this tour that includes the magical town of Comitán Dominguez and the Cascada de las Nubes waterfall.

In our opinion, if you have time, it is advisable to spend at least one night in Comitán de Domínguez, and take the opportunity to visit the Chiflón Waterfalls and the Montebello Lagoons from there.

Montebello Lagoons

The Lagunas de Montebello National Park is formed by a group of about 60 lagoons (the number varies according to the weather and the time of the year), which acquire different shades of color (turquoise, green, blue, black…) depending on what is in their bottoms. Theoretically, these lagoons were formerly cenotes, which erosion and time “destroyed” until what we have today, and which are known as “uvalas”.

Some of the lagoons are accessible by road, while the rest (most of them) are accessible only on foot through trails.

Price: To visit the Lagunas de Montebello park, you will have to pay 30 pesos per person to the community that administers it + 54 pesos per person for the entrance fee to the national park (84 pesos, about 4$).

Some of the lakes that are usually visited:

• Cinco Lagos: five lakes that are now linked together, where you can ride on a traditional cork raft and see the views from the roadside lookout.
• Lago Pojoj: lake with various shades of colors, where you can also take a ride on the cork boat, sailing to the Orquídeas Island and take a bath.
• Lago Montebello: the lake from which the park gets its name
• Lago Tziscao: the largest and deepest lake in the national park, it is right next to the small International Lake.
• Lago Internacional: small lake on the border with Guatemala, which is in fact half Guatemalan, half Mexican.

In our case, when visiting the Lagunas de Montebello on a tour that also included the El Chiflón Waterfalls, we were only at Cinco Lagos (with the traditional cork raft ride), Lake Tziscao and Lake Internacional.

In Cinco Lagos we did the traditional cork boat ride (250 pesos per person + tip); in our boat we were 4 people (Randomtrip and another couple) plus the boatman and guide. It is important to wear waterproof footwear (such as water shoes or similar) as the boat is made of logs and some water gets in (as we didn’t wear any, we took off our shoes and went barefoot). The ride lasts about an hour, and there is a stop to go up to a lookout point and see a cenote. After the walk, there are some food stands, restrooms and stairs to a viewpoint with incredible views of the Cinco Lagos.

From Cinco Lagos we went to Tziscao, a small town between Lake Tziscao (the largest and deepest lake in the national park) and Lago Internacional (a small lake that is right on the border with Guatemala and is shared by both countries.

There you can appreciate Lake Tziscao, border the International Lake to cross into Guatemala (there are no border posts or checkpoints), see the sculpture that marks the change from one country to another and buy Guatemalan handicrafts on both sides of the lake.

How to get to the Montebello Lagoons?

From San Cristobal de las Casas, it is about 3h30 drive to the Montebello Lagoons. You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: you have to go by colectivo (small vans that connect different points) or ADO to Comitán de Domínguez, and from there take another colectivo to the Lagunas or to Tziscao (from where you will have to pay a cab or similar), with this option it will take you longer but depending on the plan it can be cheaper. It is important to note that the lakes are at considerable distances from each other, so once you get to one you will have to hitchhike (or pay a cab to take you to several, but there the price goes up and the tour might be a better option).
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point (Cinco Lagos) or to one of the other lakes listed above. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: this is the most common option, although the tour also includes the El Chiflón Waterfalls, so time at each site is limited. The price is about 400 pesos per person.

At Randomtrip we did it on tour, with Paxial Tours and the tour also includes a visit to the El Chiflón Waterfalls.

If you have time, and in our opinion, the ideal would be to enjoy the Montebello Lagoons staying at least one night, for example in the Cabañas Islas de Tziscao, and dedicate a full day to visit the Montebello Lagoons.

Price of the tour El Chiflón + Lagunas de Montebello from San Cristóbal: from 400 pesos/person with Paxial Tours (does not include lunch, nor the Chiflón zip lines or the boat ride in Lagunas de Montebello). Departure from San Cristobal at 08:00h and return at 22:00h. You can hire the tour with Paxial when you arrive in San Cristobal since the agency is located here, in the middle of the Guadalupan walkway, or, if you prefer, contact them by Whatsapp at +52 967 312 8471 or +52 961 458 6362.

Tour to Chiflón and Lagunas de Montebello (may vary depending on traffic and stops):

• 8:00 Pick up between 8 and 9 am at your accommodation in San Cristobal de las Casas.
• 2h30 drive to El Chiflón Waterfalls Ecotourism Center.
• 11:30: Arrival at the Ecotourism Center and 2h of time (until 13:30) to visit the waterfalls.
• 1h30 drive to the Montebello Lagoons.
• 16:00: Arrival at Lagunas de Montebello and wooden boat ride through the lagoons (not included, price 250 pesos per person + tip). It is agreed with the group whether to eat before the boat ride or after. There is a viewpoint next to the lagoons from which to contemplate the lagoons.
• 17:30: Arrival at Tziscao, where the International Lake (half Mexico, half Guatemala) is located.
• 18:30 departure back to San Cristóbal
• 3h30 drive back to San Cristóbal
• At 22:00 we are back in San Cristóbal.

Some things you should bring for the Montebello Lagoons

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Water shoes or flip-flops, because if you do the ride in the traditional boats you will get your feet wet (at Randomtrip we didn’t have them with us so we took off our shoes).
• Comfortable and light clothing
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen and hat or similar
• Water
• Some snacks to eat during the visit (or you can also buy them there).
• Swimsuit and towel if you are going for a swim

And if you want to go with the tour booked online, you can hire this tour that includes both Lagunas de Montebello and Cascadas de El Chiflón.

Las Nubes and Las Guacamayas Ecotourism Centers

Las Nubes Ecotourism Center (also known as Causas Verdes Ecotourism Center) is an access point to visit waterfalls on the Santo Domingo River in the Lacandon Jungle. You can admire the Cascadas Las Golondrinas, take a dip in its turquoise water pools, climb to the Vista Hermosa viewpoint as well as other activities (rafting, hiking…) and they also have lodging and restaurant.

Relatively nearby there is another ecotourism center called Las Guacamayas, which owes its name to the fact that there they do conservation work for the Red Guacayama. If you have your own car and you are on the road, you can visit both places and stay overnight in one of them.

How to get to the Centro Ecoturístico Las Nubes

From San Cristobal de las Casas, it is about 5h30 to Las Nubes (3h30 to Lagunas de Montebello and 2h more to the center). You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: it is not easy and will take time. You have to go by colectivo (small vans that connect different points) or ADO to Comitán de Domínguez, and from there take another colectivo to Las Lagunas or to Tziscao. From there you will have to hitchhike or look for a cab or similar to make the trip to the Ecotourism Center.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: there is this option, although you have to take into account that due to the distance (5h30 from San Cristobal de Las Casas), you will not have much time to enjoy, so it is not a highly recommended option. If you still want to visit the place and you don’t have time to sleep there, you have this tour to the Cascada de las Nubes or this other tour that includes the magical town of Comitán Dominguez and the Cascada de las Nubes.

In our opinion, it is not worth going and returning from San Cristobal, the ideal is to go and sleep there or in the surroundings to enjoy the place calmly, something that is only possible with your own car or looking for transportation from closer places.

Rancho Nuevo and Arcotete Caves

The Rancho Nuevo Caves are an ecotourism center where you can enter into caves formed over the years and appreciate their stalactites and stalagmites and their whimsical shapes. The center also has other activities such as zip lines or jumping down the giant slide.

The Arcotete is a natural stone arch formed by the Fogótico River, around which an Ecotourism Center has been created to access the arch and other activities offered.

How to get to Rancho Nuevo and Arcotete?

From San Cristobal de las Casas, the Rancho Nuevo Caves are about 20 minutes away, and Arcotete is also about 20 minutes away. You have 3 options:

• Public transportation: there are buses that can drop you off at both places. In theory there are several near the ADO terminal in San Cristobal and also behind the Church of Santo Domingo, ask which ones can drop you off and ask them to stop at the entrance of the corresponding ecotourism center.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or if you rent a car, simply go to this point for Grutas de Rancho Nuevo or to this point for Arcotete. Remember that it is not recommended to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: you also have the option of hiring a tour from San Cristobal, such as this tour that includes a visit to both ecotourism centers (Rancho Nuevo and Arcotete).

And if you want to go with the tour booked online, you can hire this tour that includes a visit to Rancho Nuevo Ecotourism Park and El Arcotete .

Palenque and the Archaeological Zone of Palenque

Although what attracts most travelers to Palenque is precisely the archaeological site of one of the most important cities of the classic Mayan period, the possibilities of the area are not exhausted there, since in its surroundings you can enjoy more archaeological sites, waterfalls and the Lacandon Jungle.

We tell you more in our complete guide to Palenque, although we’ll leave you here with the most important places to visit in the archaeological zone and some basic information:

• How to get there: from Palenque, you can go by colectivo (25 pesos per person), by cab (160 pesos per vehicle), in your own/rented car, or by tour ( this tour picks you up at your hotel in Palenque, takes you to the archaeological site and includes a guide. If, in addition, you want to see 3 in one, this tour picks you up at your hotel in Palenque, you visit the archaeological site with a guide, and then a swim in the waterfalls of Misol-Ha and Agua Azul. )
• Price: 200 pesos (95 pesos for access to the archaeological zone and 105 pesos for access to the National Park).
• Hours: Monday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last access at 4:00 p.m.). The opening hours of the Alberto Ruz L’Huillier Site Museum are from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. It is recommended to visit early in the morning and avoid weekends.
• Guide: it is advisable to hire a guide to better understand everything you are going to see (we paid 700 pesos for the guide to be shared by 3 people).
• How long it takes to visit: 2 to 3 hours
• What to visit:
  • Temple of the Skull
  • Temple of the Red Queen
  • Temple of the inscriptions
  • The Palace
  • Subway aqueducts
  • Ballgame Playground
  • Cross Complex: Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Foliated Cross and Temple of the Sun.
  • Alberto Ruz L’Huillier Site Museum

Best things to do in Palenque (Chiapas, México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Toniná Archaeological zone in Ocosingo

The Toniná Archaeological Zone has the tallest pyramid in Mexico, 75 meters high (higher than the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacán). The name Toniná comes from the Tzeltal language and means “The house of stone” or “The place where stone sculptures are erected in honor of time”.

It coexisted with other cities such as Palenque and Tikal (in Guatemala).

Unfortunately, the archaeological zone was closed during our visit in November 2023 due to a conflict between the owners of the land where the archaeological zone is located and INAH (apparently, the landowners have to allow people to enter the archaeological zone but receive nothing in return from INAH).

How to get to Toniná?

• Public transportation: ask for the colectivos to Ocosingo in Palenque; from Ocosingo you will have to use another colectivo to get to the archaeological site. Remember to ask until what time there are colectivos in the opposite direction to return.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: If you prefer a more comfortable solution, you can find out about the tours available to Toniná from Palenque when the archaeological site reopens.

Misol-ha waterfall

The Misol-Ha Waterfall is an incredible waterfall of 30 meters high, which we can observe both from the front and from the inside. It is located in an ecotourism center, and during the visit, besides being able to admire the waterfall, if the weather is nice, you can also take a dip. As a curious fact, the movie Predator (1987, with Arnold Schwarzenegger) includes a scene filmed right here.

How to get to Misol-ha?

• Public transportation: ask for the colectivos in Palenque, in theory they leave you at the entrance, and remember to confirm until what time they return to Palenque.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: If you prefer more comfort, you can hire this tour, which also takes you to the nearby blue water waterfalls, which are described below.

In Randomtrip what we did is the Paxial tour from San Cristobal de las Casas to Palenque, which stops at Misol-Ha and Cascadas de Agua Azul on the way and ends at the archaeological zone of Palenque, only that we asked not to do the archaeological zone part to go the next day more calmly (i.e. we did the transfer to Palenque with stops at these two places). It leaves at 4:00 am (early morning) and costs 700 pesos per person (including Palenque).

Agua Azul Waterfalls

Another set of waterfalls that, in dry season, have turquoise blue, and in which you can also take a dip. Unfortunately during our visit in November it was still raining so the color was not what you see in most photos during the dry season.

How to get to Agua Azul?

• Public transportation: ask about the colectivos in Palenque, in theory they will take you to the entrance/diversion, and be sure to ask about the buses back to Palenque.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, simply go to this point. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: If you prefer more comfort, you can hire this tour, which also takes you to the nearby Misol-ha, which we talked about in the previous point.

In Randomtrip what we did is the Paxial tour from San Cristobal de las Casas to Palenque, which stops at Misol-Ha and Cascadas de Agua Azul on the way and ends at the archaeological site of Palenque, only that we asked not to do the archaeological site part to go the next day more calmly (i.e. we did the transfer to Palenque with stops at these two places). It leaves at 4:00 am (early morning) and costs 700 pesos per person (including Palenque).

Roberto Barrios Waterfalls

One hour from Palenque are the Cascadas de Roberto Barrios, several waterfalls where you can get lost, take a dip and even enjoy a natural jacuzzi!

They are a group of waterfalls that can be accessed by trails, where you can cool off and relax. There are areas where small pools are formed, and one of the star activities, in the dry season, is to slide down some of the waterfalls.

There are two entrances, one on each side of the river, and there is a restaurant where you can have a snack (dishes between 140 and 200 pesos, a beer 50 pesos) if you feel like it. Then in the waterfall area there is nothing to buy, although you can bring your own food if you feel like it. It is also important to bring some booties.

During our visit in November, it had rained several days before so the water was not blue, but brown, and the water came down hard so it was not feasible to relax or bathe in most waterfalls.

How to get to the Roberto Barrios Waterfalls?

• Public transportation: in case you want to go by public transportation, ask for the colectivos to confirm that there are buses from Palenque (it is also important to check if there are return buses).
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, you just have to go to this point. The place has ample parking. Remember that it is not advisable to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: If you prefer more comfort, you can hire a tour, which usually leaves you about 3 hours to enjoy the waterfalls.

At Randomtrip we did it with Kichan Bajlum and the tour includes the round trip to Roberto Barrios (pick up at 10:30, around 12:00 you arrive at the waterfalls, and at 15:00 you leave back to Palenque). It costs 350 pesos per person. You can book with Kichan Bajlum directly at his agency in Palenque or through whatsapp +52 916 117 2035 or +52 916 112 8394.

Lacandon Jungle

The lung of Chiapas is one of the most biodiverse areas of Mexico and its name, Selva Lacandona, comes from the indigenous community that lives there, the Lacandones, descendants of the Mayas.

On the jungle trail, thanks to our Lacandon guide, we learn about trees, medicinal plants and meet the famous Ceiba! Famous because the ceiba was a sacred tree for the Mayas that represents the three levels of the universe in Mayan cosmology: the branches represent the sky, the trunk represents the earth and the roots represent the underworld. It is one of the trees with the longest longevity, it can live up to 500/600 years!

Yaxchilan Archaeological Zone

The two most important cities in pre-Columbian times that fought for control over the Usumacinta River were precisely Yaxchilan and Palenque. Bonampak was not so important in pre-Columbian times but today it is very interesting for its original murals. Famous for its sculptural art evident in stelae and lintels, in Yaxchilan what is most impressive is its structure and its environment, on the banks of the river and sheltered in the Lacandon jungle, which makes it very special. Unfortunately, there are hardly any pieces left in Yaxchilán and practically all the pre-Hispanic jewels of its interior are in the British Museum (it is about time they return them, isn’t it?).

To build Yaxchilán, the Maya took advantage of the terrain characteristics of a peninsula surrounded by a meander of the Usumacinta River. The development of Yaxchilan took place between 350 and 810 A.D., although the political expansion of the site over the region took place during the rule of Escudo Jaguar. The surface of Yaxchilan is very extensive but the visit to the area is restricted to part of the Great Plaza, the Great Acropolis, the Small Acropolis and the South Acropolis.

Unfortunately when we went to Chiapas (November 2023), Yaxchilán was closed. Why? Yaxchilán is an archaeological site on the banks of the Usumacinta River that can only be accessed by boat from Frontera Corozal . According to what we were told, the town of Frontera Corozal, from where you take the boat, has suffered problems related to drug trafficking, which led them to remove the criminals and close the town, so only people from the community could enter. This meant that, at the moment, it was not possible to access Yaxchilán.

Fortunately, it is possible to visit Yaxchilan again since March 2024. More info here

Bonampak Archaeological zone

At 30 km from Yaxchilan and in the heart of the Lacandon jungle is this ceramic center built between 300 and 900 AD whose heyday occurred during the rule of Jaguar Ojo-Anudado who ascended to the throne of Bonampak in 743 AD and was reflected in the stelae (stone monoliths), lintels and mural paintings still in existence.

In fact, here is the largest stele of the Mayan World in Mexico with the image of the King, which was the political propaganda of the time, an outdoor or something like that.

But what is most impressive and what we believe makes a visit to Bonampak a must is inside the three chambers of the ceremonial center: well-preserved colored Mayan engravings depicting three scenes!

• The first chamber depicts the presentation of the heir to the throne:

• The second chamber depicts warfare, more specifically the scene of the greatest battle of all Maya art that took place in 792 AD:

• Finally, the third chamber depicts a post-war scene:

How to get to know the Lacandon Jungle, Yaxchilan and Bonampak?

• Public transportation: in case you want to go by public transportation, we could not find much information. As we understood, you have colectivos (shared vans) from Palenque to different zones (like to Frontera Corozal to go to Yaxchilan or to Lacanjá for Bonampak). From there you will have to take other transportation (another colectivo to Bonampak, and the boat to Yaxchilan) to the archaeological zones.
• Own/rental car: if you have your own vehicle or in case you rent a car, you simply have to go to the desired point (Bonampak, Frontera Corozal for Yaxchilán or other points in case you are going to spend the night in one of the ecotourism centers or to hike through the jungle). For Bonampak you will have to stop before, where it is mandatory to get on a colectivo from the community to get to the archaeological site. Remember that it is not recommended to drive at night in Chiapas.
• By tour: If you prefer more comfort, and in this case, due to the problems of the area, this is the option we recommend, you can hire a tour that will take you to both archaeological sites.

At Randomtrip we did it on tour with Kichan Bajlum and the tour includes Selva Lacandona + Bonampak Archaeological Zone and, in case it is already accessible, Yaxchilán): from 950 pesos/person. Departure from Palenque at 05:30h and return at 19:00h. If you prefer the tour with one night in the jungle included: from 2000 pesos/person with breakfast, lunch and dinner and basic cabin accommodation (depending on the accommodation the price increases). You can check the type of accommodations and book with Kichan Bajlum directly at their agency in Palenque or through whatsapp +52 916 117 2035 or +52 916 112 8394.

You can also book the tour online in advance here with Viator.

RandomTIP: In case you do the one-day tour of the Lacandon Jungle without overnight stay, take clothes to change if you get wet (especially if you go during the rainy season), booties or similar for hiking through the jungle (in Randomtrip we had ankle-deep water pools) and a snack in your backpack because you will not sit down to eat before 16:00h.

If you travel to the Lacandon Jungle with your own car and want to spend the night among ancient trees, monkeys and jaguars, there are a few options to stay and varied depending on your budget. The best value for money is the Cabaña Sak Ja (from 79$/night). If you are looking for something more special take a look at Tu Casa en La Selva (from 139$/night). If, on the other hand, you want something more economical you have the Topche (from 40$/night).

Southern coast of chiapas: Pacific beaches

Unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit the south of Chiapas, with its Pacific beaches and coffee area. But here we leave you some points that we had written down to visit in case you do have time to visit this area (be careful with the beaches, the sea can be dangerous in this area of the coast):

• Puerto Arista: the main vacation destination in Chiapas, with 32 kilometers of beach.
• Boca del Cielo: possibility to witness the nesting of up to four different species of sea turtles between the months of August and November.
• Chocohuital: Beach with an estuary full of mangrove swamps that can be visited by boat to see birds, crocodiles…
• La Encrucijada: Biosphere Reserve, normally accessed from Embarcadero Las Garzas, and has several communities, connected by canals that can be traveled by boat.
• Barra de San Simón: sand bar that separates the sea (with strong waves) from the estuary, with large extensions of mangroves that can be visited by boat.
• Tapachula: the second most populated city in Chiapas (after Tuxtla). You can make a base to visit some nearby places like the Izapa Archaeological Zone, do the coffee route visiting some coffee haciendas, the cocoa route or climb the Tacana volcano (4092 meters above sea level, shared between Mexico and Guatemala).

Get inspired with stories from our visit to Chiapas

You can see the featured Instagram stories about our visit to Chiapas here.

Chiapas and Coca-Cola: a toxic relationship

You may know that Mexico is the country in the world that consumes the most Coca-Cola, but did you know that Chiapas (specifically the municipality of San Juan Chamula) is, nothing more and nothing less than the region in the world that consumes the most Coca-Cola (2.25 liters/person per day, vs. the average of 1.7 liters/person per day in all of Mexico)?

In the municipality of San Juan Chamula, Coca-Cola went from being a simple drink to something sacred, part of the offerings (that is why we saw so many Coca-Cola bottles next to the tombs) and part of the religious syncretic rites, where they venerate Christian saints and virgins under pre-Hispanic ceremonies in which even shamanism is practiced (something visible inside the Church of San Juan Bautista in Chamula). The drink commonly used for these rites (pox, a distillate of corn and sugar cane), was substituted in part by coca-cola, due (in theory) to the negative impact of alcohol and its association with the devil.

Moreover, the municipal president of San Juan Chamula is, in many cases, the same as the Coca-Cola distributor or someone close to the distributor and, when the truck arrives, it is of enormous responsibility who distributes it because he is, after all, the one who holds their most precious asset.

In addition, all religious, civic or commercial dealings involve the delivery and drinking of coke. For example, a Randomtrip follower who spent some time in Chiapas collaborating with an NGO (thanks Marta!) told us that when there is a conflict between indigenous communities, if the parties do not bring coca-cola on the day of the mediation, there is no resolution.

To understand how this point was reached you have to go back to the 70’s, when Governor Luis Echeverría Álvarez enacted the land distribution and subsequent exploitation and colonization of the Lacandon Jungle, that’s when the Cola-Cola company (more specifically FEMSA, the food and beverage giant that owns the rights to bottle and sell Coca-Cola throughout Mexico and much of Latin America) bought a reserve with access to a spring (towards the Huitepec hill, the highest hill in Chiapas). As a curiosity (and so that you can start connecting the dots), Femsa is one of the most powerful companies in Mexico and one of the former CEOs of Coca-Cola in Mexico, Vicente Fox, was president of the country from 2000 to 2006.

In communities with so few resources and infrastructure and so little access to quality drinking water as those of San Juan Chamula, the entry of these companies led to the opening of roads connecting populations with each other and, in the meantime, they gave away lots and lots of Coca-Cola for free. To those who were never given anything (quite the contrary) it was a matter of time before this drink became sacred and part of their collective identity.

This exploitation of the land by Coca-Cola has also caused the water around San Cristóbal de las Casas to become contaminated. Apparently, it all arose from failures in the drainage and water purification process, since the contaminated spring water to which the company has access joins with the wastewater used for irrigation and generates this serious effect in San Cristóbal with bacteria.

In fact, they usually warn in the accommodations not to drink tap water under any circumstances and to choose well where to eat in the city because the bacteria in the lack of hygiene in this city are increased by the lack of water quality.

The truth is that in Randomtrip, despite trying to be careful, Chris fell ill because of some irresistible tacos and ice cubes. Nothing that with careful nutrition and plenty of hydration will not pass in a couple of days. You can take probiotics such as kombucha , which helps protect the intestinal flora, or an infusion of chilchahua, a plant you can buy at the market.

The Femsa Coca-Cola bottling plant continues to have permits to extract 419,774.3 cubic meters of water per year (1,150,065.75 liters per day) as part of a contract with the federal government signed several decades ago, excessively favorable to the factory’s owners. Meanwhile, the water continues to be polluted.

As a consequence, in addition to the scarcity of drinking water that causes many inhabitants to hydrate themselves with Coca-Cola, since in many cases it is easier to obtain than drinking water and at a similar or even cheaper price than bottled water, diabetes and tooth decay are multiplying in these communities.

Such is the addiction and normalization of drinking Coca-Cola on a daily basis that we were told that it is even given to babies from a very early age.

Where to stay in Chiapas

Chiapas is a fairly large region where distances are quite long, also due to the state of the roads, so the ideal is to make at least two bases (San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque), although if you visit for a long time and you dare to rent a car, we would recommend adding more in a function of the itinerary: Tuxtla, Comitan, Montebello Lagoons, Lacandon Jungle …

Where to stay in San Cristobal de las Casas

The truth is that the whole center of San Cristobal de las Casas is ideal to stay and make a base to explore the city and its surroundings. At Randomtrip we stayed in an apartment on a street parallel to the Andador de Guadalupe (Calle Real de Guadalupe) close to many restaurants, bars, street music and general liveliness and it seems to us the best option if you can stay close to the street itself.

There is a lot of lodging in San Cristobal de las Casas, here we propose a few accommodations of all price ranges, all with excellent reviews, and in the middle of the Andador de Guadalupe or very close (keep in mind that prices vary according to season):

• Hostal Ikal: from 8$/night in bunk bed or from 20$/night double room

• Casa Zenia: from 24$/night for a double room
• Hotel Neutro San Cris: from 34$/night for a double room
• Noma Bed&Breakfast: from 37$/night for a double room
• Yox Hotel Boutique: from 42$/night for a double room

• Casa Cafeólogo: from 58$/night the suite for up to 5 persons
• Casa Lum: from 126$/night for a double room

Not what you are looking for? Find more accommodations in San Cristobal de las Casas here.

Where to stay in Palenque

At Randomtrip we stayed at the Hotel Maya Palenque (from 54$/night) and we highly recommend it for its location, services and staff. The only thing, in terms of food we only tried a sandwich one night when we arrived late, but we didn’t think it was very good. In terms of location, it is equidistant from the ADO bus station (ideal for walking as you only have to cross the street) and the street with a variety of restaurants (area known as La Cañada). It has a swimming pool, ideal for cooling off after a visit to the archaeological site where it is usually very hot.

Our hotel was located in La Cañada, one of the recommended areas to stay in Palenque. Other options to stay that we know first hand in La Cañada are:

• Casa Janaab (from 13$/night for a single bed in a shared room): the hostel of Sara, the traveler we met in Palenque and with whom we shared the visit to the archaeological site. If you are looking for something more economical, Sara loved this hostel. She told us that it had 24h reception and security and that the shared rooms are for 4 people, no more, and that some of the shared rooms even include a double bed in case you don’t want to stay in the bunk bed. The bathrooms have 3 showers and 3 toilets. This hostel also has lockers to store your belongings, washing machine in case you need to wash your clothes and swimming pool with sun loungers and massage service, something not so common in a hostel.
• Hotel Maya Tulipanes (from 65$/night) is one of the best hotels in the city and, in addition to having spacious and comfortable rooms and a swimming pool where you can cool off, we have heard great things about the hotel’s restaurant service.

Another option is to stay near the archaeological site, in the jungle, where there are plenty of accommodations and some restaurants around the corner, although in our case we discarded it for having less variety of dining options.

• Cabañas Kin Balam Palenque (from 23$/night in shared room, from 38$/night in double room): has several types of rooms depending on how much you want to spend and is located 3 km from the archaeological site. It also has a swimming pool.
• Hotel Maya Bell (from 60$/night): If you want to stay close to the archaeological site, this hotel is a 15-minute walk away! Besides being just a few meters from the ruins, it is in the middle of the jungle and has a swimming pool, restaurant and even live music on some nights.

• Bamboo Cottage in the Jungle (from 92$/night): if you are looking for a little more privacy, this cottage with 1 bedroom, living room, kitchen, terrace and garden has a private pool!

• In this link you can check more options near the Archaeological Zone of Palenque (open the map to make it easier to locate where each lodging is located).

And if none of these still convince you, or if you don’t have availability for your dates, you can find a few more options here. As always, we recommend you look at the map for the location where it is located.

Where to eat in Chiapas

Here are the restaurants we recommend in the two bases we made in Chiapas: San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque.

Where to eat in San Cristobal de las Casas

Before recommending specific restaurants, we would like to tell you that you have to try two drinks: Pox (pronounced posh, medicine, in Tzotzil), a corn liquor (although in many places it is made with sugar cane) and Pozol, a thick drink based on cocoa and corn. As for food, the most typical things you can try in this region are mole chiapaneco, tamales chiapanecos, sopa de pan, caldo or sopa de chipilín and cochito horneado.

For specific restaurants, we leave here our recommendations and the prices we paid in the ones we tried):

• Taqueria El Charrito: the best cochinita tacos we tried in San Cristobal (6 tacos and a coke, 100 pesos – about 5$).
• Taniperla: gastronomy of the Lacandon jungle and live music, we loved the food, the service, everything (two plates of quesadillas and two beers, 385 pesos, about 19$).

• Belil Sabores de Chiapas: here we tried the pozol, bread soup and mole chiapaneco, all delicious (two tasting menus, a beer and a pozol 550 pesos, about 30$).

• La Lupe: we had breakfast here a couple of times and very tasty tacos for dinner (two breakfasts – with bread, coffee, etc. – 170 pesos, about 8$; for dinner, two courses and two beers – 376 pesos, about 20$).
• Sarajevo Café Jardín: it is not very local, but it has a menu of the day for 120 pesos with soup, main course and water of the day that we loved and that we repeated several times, what are we going to fool ourselves. Besides, the space is, dare we say it, one of the nicest in San Cris.

• Tierra y Cielo: the best restaurant we went to during our stay in SanCris, with a renowned chef who won several awards. Delicious and more chic locale (better to reserve), and also more expensive prices (we ordered several things to try (tacos al pastor, tamal, quesadillitas and mole coleto), 2 glasses of wine (165 pesos each), 1 sparkling water and the special pan de muerto for dessert, and paid 1419 pesos, about 75$).

• Cocoliche: restaurant with somewhat more western food, and many days with live music. We ordered 2 courses, 1 glass of wine and 1 sparkling water and paid 463 pesos, about 25$.
• Fogón de Jovel: one of the most famous restaurants to try typical Chiapaneca gastronomy but we ended up not going (better to book).
• Las Pichanchas, perfect to taste typical gastronomy such as mole, bread soup, asado coleto, chipilín soup and empanados or chiles de relleno. It also has typical dances at night (best to book).
• Yo’o Moc: the best tamales in SanCris are said to be in this tamalería. Yo’o Moc means corn tamale in Zoque (there are tamales coated with mole and saffron).
• Ciao Coleto: both chiapanecan and international flavors
• Plaza Libertad: cultural space with a terrace with an art gallery, pizzeria, craft beers and cocktails.

• Esquina San Agustín: in the middle of the andador del Carmen, more posh and 100% aimed at “coolonizators” people and 0% at locals (the way things are), around here are concentrated different, modern and good international restaurants but also with local gastronomy. We tried Mazorca, with local gastronomy, where we ordered 2 plates and 2 margaritas and paid 517 pesos, about 27$).

• Cacao Nativa: in addition to tasting their chocolates, here you can eat the best bread in the area, in the neighborhood of San Ramon.
• Cafeología: You have to taste coffee in Chiapas (it is a coffee region, 60% of Mexico’s coffee is produced here) and we drank one of the best espressos we tasted in SanCris here. Of course, at a premium price (compared to others in the city), as it costs 45 pesos each espresso (plus tip), about 2.40$.

• Carajillo Expendio: Delicious espresso coffee

• Mezcalería La Surreal and its famous botanas (tapas that accompany the drinks and get better and better depending on the amount of drinks you order). We ordered 6 beers (each with a snack) and paid 230 pesos, about 12$

• La Viña de Baco: one of the best value-for-money places to have a wine on the Guadalupe walkway and, perhaps for that reason, it is always full. We ordered 3 glasses of wine and paid 100 pesos (about 5$).
• Bandera Negra: heavy metal bar if you want to escape from the reggaeton of most places.
• Café Bar La Revolución: live music and a lot of salsa
• La Poshería: a SanCris place to try the pox/posh, in the middle of the Andador de Guadalupe, although, apparently, this pox is made mostly of sugar cane, not corn like the traditional one, so although we recommend you try it, both for the taste and for the project behind it, we also recommend you to go to La Espirituosa, which we will tell you about next.

• La Espirituosa: if you want to try Pox/Posh, this is the place. Pox/Posh means medicine in Tzotzil and it used to be used ceremonially in the Mayan populations. Nowadays, in the communities of San Juan Chamula, it is still common to see a bottle of Posh along with a bottle of Coca-Cola in their ceremonial rites. Behind La Espirituosa there is a project called Poxna, which is the posh you can taste in Chiapas because they have recovered the fermentation process (with corn) and not with sugar cane. They told us that pox is drunk for 3 reasons: ceremonial, festive and medicinal. At La Espirituosa we tried the natural posh (70% corn), the posh distilled with hibiscus flower, very smooth, and the posh distilled with cocoa (denser and more intense). In addition, the lovely Sofi, the woman behind the project that started 13 years ago, also does Chiapaneca cooking classes called Cooking with Sofi. You can learn more about the Poxna project here.

If you prefer, you can book a mexican cooking class here

Where to eat in Palenque

On the street of Maya Tulipanes, perpendicular to our hotel, there are several restaurants and some stores. At Randomtrip we liked Café Jade where we tried the enchiladas suizas and tacos dorados, delicious and it also has vegetarian options!

Two other restaurants that looked good (a bit more expensive than Café Jade) but we did not go were the Maya Cañada restaurant and Kinich Kan Balam. We tried Chivo’s although it was also a bit expensive and the service was bad. You also have this family restaurant with homemade food: La Tradición. If you arrive late and don’t feel like going out, you can always bring a Pizza del Panchán to eat at the hostel/hostal.

We were also recommended these other 3 restaurants in the center of Palenque: Café Haki Palenque, Las Tinajas, and Café de Yara.

Chiapas itineraries

Things to see and do in Chiapas in 4-5 days

If you only have 4 or 5 days for your trip to Chiapas, you will have to discard quite a few things, as you will not have time for everything. We recommend that you read this guide carefully to see what places catch your attention and how you can combine them in a 5-day itinerary. Likewise, here is the 5-day itinerary that we would do in Randomtrip after our visit to Chiapas:

• Day 1: Arrival in San Cristobal de las Casas and visit to the main points of interest.
• Day 2: Sumidero Canyon tour in the morning, see other points of interest in San Cris in the afternoon.
• Day 3: tour of indigenous communities in the morning, see other points of interest in San Cris in the afternoon
• Day 4: tour to El Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lakes.
• Day 5: Tour to Palenque (departs 4am) including Misol-Ha, Roberto Barrios and Palenque Archaeological Zone.

Things to see and do in Chiapas in 7 days (one week)

With a week in Chiapas you can do the above itinerary in a more relaxed way, or add more places. We leave you our ideal 7-day itinerary in Chiapas:

• Day 1: Arrival in San Cristobal de las Casas and visit to the main points of interest.
• Day 2: Sumidero Canyon tour in the morning, see other points of interest in San Cris in the afternoon.
• Day 3: tour of indigenous communities in the morning, see other points of interest in San Cris in the afternoon
• Day 4: tour to El Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lakes.
• Day 5: Tour to Palenque (departs 4am) including Misol-Ha, Roberto Barrios and Palenque Archaeological Zone.
• Days 6 and 7: tour to Selva Lacandona, visiting Bonampak and Yaxchilán, sleeping in the jungle.

Things to see and do in Chiapas in 2 weeks

If you have your own car or rent one and you dare to visit Chiapas on your own, which in our opinion would be the most recommendable option, this would be the ideal itinerary for 2 weeks (not counting the south coast). You can adapt the order, remove places, or even make it shorter trying to put more things together in less days.

• Day 1: Arrival in Tuxtla, if there is time to visit the city and sleep there.
• Day 2: visit the Sumidero Canyon in the morning, travel to the Sima de las Cotorras and sleep there.
• Day 3: get up early to see the parrots and visit the Sima de las Cotorras in the morning, in the afternoon go to General Cárdenas and sleep there.
• Day 4: Adventure to the Arc of Time (overnight camping)
• Day 5: return from the time arch and drive to San Cristobal de las Casas. Overnight in San Cristóbal
• Day 6: visit the indigenous communities near San Cris in the morning, visit San Cris in the afternoon and sleep in San Cris.
• Day 7: visit the caves near San Cris and in the afternoon visit San Cris. Dining in San Cris
• Day 8: Drive to Comitán de Domínguez in the morning with a stop in Amatenango del Valle. Visit Comitán and sleep in Comitán
• Day 9: visit El Chiflón waterfalls and return to Comitán for sightseeing and overnight.
• Day 10: drive to Lagunas de Montebello, tour the site and sleep there.
• Day 11: travel to Las Nubes and/or Las Guacamayas Ecotourism Centers, enjoy and sleep in one of them.
• Day 12: travel to the Lacandon jungle (to one of its ecotourism centers where you can sleep). Make a plan through the jungle and sleep there
• Day 13: Visit Bonampak and Yaxchilan in the morning, do another jungle activity in the afternoon and sleep there.
• Day 14: Drive to Palenque, stop at the Roberto Barrios waterfalls, and sleep in Palenque.
• Day 15: Visit the Archaeological Zone of Palenque in the morning and any missing waterfalls in the afternoon (Misol-ha). Overnight in Palenque
• Day 16: Visit the ruins of Toniná in Ocosingo. End of trip (transfer to Villahermosa or Tuxtla airport depending on destination).

Transportation: How to get around Chiapas

The best option for getting around Chiapas is with your own car(or rent a car), so that you can move freely and at your own pace, as public transportation is quite limited. If you do so, remember that driving at night is not recommended and that the roads are not always in good condition, in addition to the fact that there are many bumps (potholes in the road placed by the government or local communities to force vehicles to go slowly, which are not always well signposted and/or visible) and that sometimes there are roadblocks also from local communities. Be well informed of the situation before you go.

If you don’t feel like driving, as was our case, you will have the option of combining public transportation (buses, colectivos, cabs) with tours. At Randomtrip we did several tours, from San Cristobal de Las Casas with Paxial Tours, and from Palenque with Kichan Bajlum, all excellent.

How to have internet in Chiapas

To always have internet on your smartphone, the easiest and most convenient way (if your phone supports eSIM) is to buy an eSIM from Holafly, which has unlimited data (you get a 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP), or to buy an eSIM from Airalo, cheaper but with limited data (15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15)

The other option, cheaper but more cumbersome, is to buy a local SIM, which we recommend is from Telcel (the main telecom company in Mexico, with more coverage).

Safety: Is it safe to travel to Chiapas?

Although you may have read about political instability in the region and that Chiapas has become better known internationally because of the Zapatista revolution in the 90’s, visiting Chiapas on your own is safe and not only have we not had any mishaps in all the days we have spent in the area, but we have felt very comfortable. Of course, we applied common sense at all times, we didn’t carry valuable belongings on the street (although we didn’t stop ourselves from using our cell phones whenever we wanted, we put them away when we weren’t using them) and we tried to read the opinions of the companies that gave us tours and transfers by van to different points.

More caution should be taken in the Lacandon Jungle area, where in late 2023 and early 2024 there were problems related to drug cartels and the local population that have led to the temporary closure of access to the archaeological sites of Bonampak and Yaxchilan, so we recommend that you get well informed if you plan to go to the Lacandon Jungle to know the current status and see if it is possible/recommendable to visit.

In any case, we always have our Iati travel insurance (which also covers our belongings) as in all our trips and gives us more peace of mind. If you contract your travel insurance in this Randomtrip link, you will get it with a 5% discount.

Money in Chiapas: cards, tips to save on commissions and tips

To pay and withdraw money in Mexico while minimizing fees, we recommend the 2 cards we use in our case:

• Revolut: with the standard version up to 1000$ without commission on card payments (remember to always pay in local currency – Mexican pesos). Up to 400$ of withdrawals at ATMs without commission, from then on commission of 1%.
• N26: with the free version you can pay with your card without commissions in an unlimited way. For ATM withdrawals, you pay 1.7% commission, which you can eliminate by paying for the monthly plans You (the one we use) or Metal.

It is important to keep in mind that although your card does not charge a fee for ATM withdrawals, ATMs in Mexico do charge a fee for their use. The ones that charge the least are Banamex (31 pesos, 1.7$), Banco Santander (34 pesos, 1.8$) or Banco Azteca (34 pesos, 1.8$), so when withdrawing money try to withdraw as much as possible to save money.

Another important issue when withdrawing money at an ATM in Mexico: many times the ATM will ask you if you want the transaction to be done in local currency (Mexican pesos) or in your own currency (in our case, it was euros): always choose the local currency option, otherwise, it will apply an unfavorable exchange rate and you will be overpaying (as a hidden commission).

The above also applies to card payments (although the option almost never appears, on several occasions also when paying with a card in establishments we were shown an amount in euros instead of pesos). In our case it almost always happened to us with the orange CLIP terminals. If this happens to you, ask the person to charge you in Mexican pesos.

A bad practice in Mexico is that in any business where you want to pay with a card, they have the habit of asking you for your card and do the whole process themselves, passing you the terminal only to enter the PIN (in Mexico they call it “firma” or NIP). This means that sometimes, depending on the type of terminal, you do not see the amount and/or you are charged in the original currency of your card instead of in Mexican pesos – making you lose money because an unfavorable conversion is applied. Always ask nicely to be allowed to see the process to make sure you are charged the correct amount and in local currency.

Finally, some establishments charge an extra commission for payment by card (the times it happened to us, it was 5%), they always tell you before and if you do not see it when confirming the amount. In those cases, it is better to pay with cash.

Tipping: The tipping culture is very well established in Mexico, and although it is not and cannot be obligatory by law, it is in practice, since it is frowned upon not to leave a tip. It is recommended to leave a minimum of 10% (usually you will be asked at the time of payment, and if you pay by credit card, the terminal usually gives you the option of adding 10, 15 or 20% as a tip).

How much does a trip to Chiapas cost?

Making a budget is complex as it depends greatly on your type of trip: how many plans you want to include in your trip, if you are going to go to restaurants or cook to save money, the type of accommodation you are going to use… In any case, so you can get an idea, we leave below the average prices and what we consider as average price per day (we reiterate that these are ORIENTATIVE prices and may vary at any time):

• Flights: From other parts of Mexico you can find flights to Tuxtla from 800 pesos/45$ (without luggage) or to Villahermosa from 900 pesos/50$/person (without luggage), in both cases with low cost companies like Volaris or Vivaaerobus. Use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi to find the best price.
• Transportation: within Palenque and San Cristobal you can move around on foot or by cab (from 20/30 pesos per person – 1/2$).
• Accommodation: from 700 pesos/40$/night for a room with private bathroom or small apartment with kitchen. Find accommodation of all types and prices on Booking, with up to 15% discount.
• Restaurants: many options between 10$ and 30$ per person, for all tastes.
• Entrance fees and tours: the archaeological sites are paid (200 pesos for Palenque – about 10$ -, 75 pesos for Toniná – about 4$-, etc.) and in general, unless you have your own or a rented car, you will most likely do half-day or full-day tours, which cost between 300 pesos and 1000 pesos (between 16 and 50$).

In total, a one week trip (7 nights) to Chiapas can cost you between 1200 and 1800 pesos per person per day (between 60$ and 90$ per person per day), with the cheapest lodging options, eating out in cheap restaurants and doing tours/visiting some of them.

Useful Apps to get around Chiapas

• Google Maps (Android / iOS): is the one we use to save/classify all the places we want to go/ have gone and as a GPS both to orient ourselves in the city and if we rent a car. Sometimes it also includes public transport information to see the best route and prices. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, telephone numbers to contact them, etc. You can also open in it our map with all the places included in this guide.
• Maps.me (Android / iOS): application similar to Google Maps but works offline (although Google Maps can also work offline, it works better) and in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have.
• Windy (Android / iOS / Web): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously the forecasts are not 100% reliable.

Tips for traveling to Chiapas as a responsible tourist

• Be responsible when visiting a place: a large influx of people to a certain site can have a negative impact so respect the rules, do not climb the tree/monument you are visiting, do not paint on its walls, avoid touching and, out of respect for the rest of the people visiting the place, do not make noise or “monopolize” the place with your photos.
• Take care of natural and archaeological monuments and respect existing rules.
• If you rent a car, respect the speed limits on highways.
• Avoid the use of plastic and do not throw garbage away
• Don’t be an accomplice to animal abuse: don’t go to any attraction where animals are in captivity and/or used for human entertainment.
• Respect other people: don’t play your music loud; pick up your trash; don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the place better than you found it.
• Always travel with travel insurance: medical expenses, theft or problems with your plane on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so the ideal thing is to take out travel insurance. At Randomtrip we always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount.

Checklist: what to pack in your backpack/suitcase for Chiapas

Here is a list of must-haves you can’t forget to take with you on your trip to Chiapas:

• International plug adapter such as these as they use type A plugs (those with two flat parallel pins).
• A  reusable water bottle like one of these to carry water with you all the time and void single-use plastic.
• Windbreaker waterproof jacket: like this one. On the boat, depending on the conditions, it can be a bit chilly, so the ideal is to wear a windbreaker to protect you from the cold, the sun, and the water if it splashes.
• A good camera to register your adventures. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony ZV-E10 and a Gopro Hero12 Black (for underwater pictures)
• A Power bank: taking so many pictures will drain your batteries, so it’s always a good idea to carry a good powerbank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Anker 20000 mAh and  Anker 10000 mAh), which allow us to charge both our phones and our cameras.
• First aid kit: In our first-aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication (and a probiotic to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics and, of course, travel insurance. If you hire your travel insurance with IATI using this link you will get a 5% discount

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Are you looking forward to exploring Chiapas, one of the states we liked the most of the ones we visited in Mexico? If you have any questions, leave them in comments, Randomtripper and… Have a good trip!