2-3 Star Itinerary for Chiapas

For the 2-3 star travelers, I have one suggestion for transportation: Taxis when convenient, but mostly walking and buses. The bus system from state to state is amazing in Mexico. The first-class buses are deluxe and do not cost very much more than the second class buses. The bus stations are easily managed even without speaking Spanish and it is a great way to travel like the majority of Chiapans.

Taxis are abundant all throughout Chiapas (except maybe in Palenque) and are very cheap. There are no meters, you pay one flat rate for the ride. The prices range from $1.80 to $3.50. Never pay more than $4.00 for a cab ride around town. The capital of Chiapas, Tuxtla, is the only city where cab fare varies only because of the size of the city. Taxi drivers will charge you more if you are riding outside of town and this can usually be negotiated.


DAY 1: Tuxtla Gutierrez to San Cristobal de las Casas

Although the modern, new airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas claims to be an international airport, at this time it is not. This is not a big problem. You will just have to fly into Mexico City and change planes to arrive in Tuxtla. Mexicana Airlines, which is affiliated with American Airlines, flies many times daily from Mexico City to Tuxtla. The flight time between Mexico City and Tuxtla is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The airport has recently been relocated to sit in between the capital city and the wonderful, magical mountain town of San Cristobal. San Cristobal is one of the major tourist destinations in the state. It is a charming, cool, colonial city that will capture your heart form the start. San Cristobal is about a 45 minute car ride from the airport.

Grab a taxi. This is the only way to get to San Cristobal (from the airport) if you have not rented a car. The taxi ride costs about $10-$12, but this is split among all the passengers. If you see other foreigners on the plane, see if they want to split the fair.

You don't have to fly to Chiapas, obviously. You can also get there by bus from Mexico City or Oaxaca or the Yucatan, etc. Bus fares will vary, but from Mexico City, the travel time is about 14 hours and the fare is around $70. Take the overnight bus. I suggest buying some Dramamine, or other motion sickness medicine, falling asleep and waking up in San Cristobal. The bus station in San Cristobal is located on the main drag, Insurgentes. You can pick up a taxi to your hostel or walk.

Hostels: San Cristobal for some odd reason has too many hostels. Not all of them are nice places to stay, but here are some suggestions.

Posada Mexico Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez & Madero HI affiliated Dorm & private rooms available
This is by far the best budget place to stay in San Cristobal. Breakfast is included.
Backpackers Hostel Real de Mexicanos #16 Dorms, camping & private rooms available.
Also a nice place to stay with hammocks and a grassy central area. No breakfast.
Magic Hostel Guadalupe Victoria #47 Dorms available.
The party hostel. Loud and rambunctious is its reputation.
Casa Margarita Real de Guadalupe #34 Private rooms only.
This is a quiet centrally located hotel with reasonably priced rooms and free Internet.

Restaurants: There is a plethora of restaurants in San Cristobal. The city is not known for exquisite dining, but virtually all of the restaurants offer good food. As you walk around town for the next few days, experiment with restaurants you find along the way. Here are some suggestions.

Madre Tierra Insurgentes #19 Serves good, local coffee, homemade bread, quiches, soups and great breakfasts.
Emiliano's Moustache Rosas #7 Tacos, carne asada, and combos plates are standard at this popular spot.
El Gato Gordo Real de Guadalupe Artsy atmosphere serving typical Mexican food such as enchiladas, etc.
Mayambe Real de Guadalupe #66 Serving food from all over the world, this restaurant has a great reputation.
Cafe Museo Cafe MA Flores #10 Serving local, organic coffee, this is the best breakfast place in town.

For a more local fare:
All the eateries situated around El Mercado de Artesanias on Insugentes across from Madre Tierra are excellent and will not make you sick.
If you are especially adventurous, try any of the eateries located inside El Mercado Municipal Utrilla.


Day 2: San Cristobal de las Casas

After breakfast, there is only 1 task that you must accomplish before starting the day's activities. You must make a reservation at Casa Margarita Real de Guadalupe #34 for their tour of the Mayan village San Juan Chamula. I HIGHLY recommend taking this tour. The English-speaking guide is a sociologist/anthropologist and is an expert in modern Mayan life. You can go see this village on your own, however, the information provided by the guide is exceptional. It may seem pricey, but it is worth every centavo. The tours leave everyday form Casa Margarita at 9am and return around 1pm.

A small note about San Cristobal: The center of town is the Zocalo (the main plaza). The street names change as they pass through the Zocalo e.g. Insurgentes becomes Utrilla.

Now for the list of sights to see. I will suggest a loose itinerary, but all activities may be done at your leisure:

Na Bolom Guerrero #33 www.nabolom.org English tours at 11:30am and 4:30pm
This museum used to be home to a Swiss woman and her Danish husband. They were two of the first white people to live in Chiapas and developed a very close relationship with the Mayans living in the Lacandon jungle. The hacienda is filled with photos and artifacts and also serves as an institute of Mayan study.
I suggest taking a taxi to the museum (as it is about 1km from town) to catch the 11:30am tour and then walking back.

Santo Domingo Plaza on the corner of Calle Comitan & Utrilla
Santo Domingo is a large Cathedral just north of the center of town. The plaza is used as an artisan market where Chiapan as well as Guatemalan wares may be found. Anything from table runners to leather, sweaters to jewelry, this is the best place to buy souvenirs. You may also go into the cathedral, which was built between 1547 and 1560. In the adjoining building is the showroom for a Mayan women weaver's cooperative. It is called Sna Jolobil.
To get there from Na Bolom. Turn left out of the museum and walk to Calle Comitan. Turn right on Calle Comitan and walk until you hit the plaza and the back of the church.

El Andador 20 de Noviembre
From the entrance to the cathedral, turn left and walk down the street. El Andador, or walking mall, begins about a block down. Showcasing shops, Internet cafes, bars and restaurants, this is good place to buy postcards, develop pictures or grab an empty bench and people watch.
A great store to visit just to look is Casa de Ambar, the first amber jewelry store on your right. Amber, or fossilized tree resin, is found in Chiapas. I suggest only buying amber from the stores to assure it's authenticity. Casa de Ambar, in particular, has a great selection and a little museum of amber in the back which is fascinating.
Also take notice, as you walk down El Andador, of the bar La Revolucion. Starting at around 8pm, they have a great little jazz band that ends at around 11pm. On the next block is another fun bar whose name keeps changing. at the time of this post it is called Salon Mundial and is a late-night party spot. Any of the restaurants down this street are also good places to eat.
Be warned...Mayan women will approach you and try to sell you things. repeating "No, gracias." will likely get them to leave you alone. Children will also approach you begging for money. DO NOT GIVE THEM MONEY. A lot of times adults are forcing these children to beg. If you would like to help them, buy snacks at any of the convenience stores around town to carry with you and hand out to the children. This helps them much more than giving them money. Also, may I suggest bringing pens and little notebooks with you to hand out to the children. These children are very poor and may not have access to school supplies.

This list of sights may take you the whole day or it may not. If you have time left, I suggest just walking around and getting lost. At the end of El Andador is the main plaza and the Zocalo. Here, you will find a tourist information booth where you can pick up a map of San Cristobal, if you did not already find one.


Day 3: San Juan Chamula & San Cristobal

From 9am to about 1pm or 2pm, you should be enjoying the wonderfully informative tour to San Juan Chamula.
When you get back from the tour, you will probably be hungry. You will be dropped off at Casa Margarita on Real de Guadalupe. Before leaving to get something to eat, ask the travel agent at Casa Margarit about leaving for Palenque the next day. If you have rented a car ask them for a road map and directions. If you did not rent a car, ask about private transportation to Palenque.

Do not stray far from Real de Guadalupe to eat.
The Cerro de Guadalupe is a great place to get a panoramic view of the city and is topped by the Virgen de Guadalupe church. Walking up Real de Guadalupe on your way to the church, don't miss all the lovely shops, especially Nemizapata (#45). This is a store dedicated to the EZLN. This is a revolutionary group of indigenous Chiapans more commonly referred to as Zapatistas. They were once a violent rebel group, but have since turned to more non-violent political means of change. Nemizapata is store selling crafts and paraphernalia made by and supporting the Zapatistas.

Take your time walking up the hill. Make sure you have your camera. You have the rest of the day to stroll around, people watch in the Zocalo or shop.

Day 4: Arrive in Palenque

Palenque is a magical ancient Mayan city located in the jungle about 5 hours from San Cristobal. By far one of the best places to see evidence of the ancient Mayan way of life, you will not want to leave the tranquility offered by the jungle setting.

**If you do not have a lot of time for this trip, I highly recommend renting a car in San Cristobal to go to Palenque because it is much easier to visit the waterfalls of Agua Azul with your own car. You can rent a car from Budget or Optima Mazariegos #39 in San Cristobal. If you do not have any time constraints, then don't worry. You will just have to spend an extra night in Palenque.**

Head to the bus station on Insurgentes, locally known as Cristobal Colon and grab your Palenque bus. Definitely take this trip during the day as the road is very curvy and it is difficult to sleep on an over-night trip.

Once you arrive in the unimpressive town of Palenque, grab a taxi to your hotel. You can walk up the street from the bus station to grab a collectivo headed toward the ruins and jump off at your hotel, but I recommend just grabbing a taxi. It doesn't cost that much more and is a lot more convenient. The best places to stay while visiting the ruins are on the road to the ruins. The jungle is breathtaking, but don't be alarmed when you hear the low guttural cries of the howler monkeys. Just follow the sounds and look up to find the small black creatures in the trees.

Hotels: there are two really great picks that always have openings.

Mayabell Carr. Palenque-Ruinas km 6 mayabell82@hotmail.com Cabanas and Rooms $6-37
This is by far one of the best places to stay in Palenque. It is the last accommadations before hitting the ruins. The jungle setting caters to all levels of travel. The cheapest level is renting a palapa as well as a hammock and sleeping in el aire fresco. Mastering comfort in the hammock is in art form, but it is an awesome experience. There is a pool and a very good restaurant.
El Panchan Carr. Palenque-Ruinas km 4 elpanchan@yahoo.com All levels of accomodations $2-13
Located just outside the entrance to the "official" park, this is one of the larger, more hippy-esque places to see. The restaurant serves great food and has entertainment every night. It a little loud and very popular.

As far as eating, I recommend eating at your hotel and really relaxing, taking in the natural beauty. Get a good night sleep because you will want to wake up early the next to see the expansive ruins before the day gets too hot.

Day 5: Palenque Ruins

Today is the day you are going to see the mystical Mayan city. Wake up early, eat breakfast and make sure you have water because the jungle can get hot. Plan to be at the ruins between 8am and 9am in order to beat the heat. Bring your camera.

Catch the Volkswagon buses a.k.a. collectivos that go up and down the road every ten minutes and cost about 3 pesos to take you up to the ruins.

Once at the ruins find a guide. The beauty and grandeur of Palenque is best appreciated with a guide. Mexico has strict standards for archeological guides and most of them are very passionate about their jobs. The earlier you get up to the ruins, the better of a selection you will have. One requirement the Mexican government has for guides is that they speak English, but have a conversation with your guide of choice to make sure you can understand them. Soem guides also speak Italian, French and German.

I have had two guides at Palenque and both are very good. The best guide is Edgar. If you are staying at Mayabell, Edgar sometimes comes by the restaurant in the evening looking for people to do a tour the next day. The other is Raul who wears glasses. There is no way to contact either of them other than trying to find them at the park, but both speka impeccable English. It doesn't matter though, I would say that 90% of the guides at Palenque are really good at their jobs. Prices for the guides can vary a little, but I would say $50 will get you an excellent 3-4 hour tour. Prices are for the group, not per person. So, you can find some people where you are staying who want to split the price of a guide.

After the ruins, get some water and maybe a little snack from the outside vendors. Head down the road a little ways to the museum. At this point, you may be tired, but the museum is definitely worth the visit and it is air conditioned. It houses all the little artifacts and art from the city.
Then go back to your hotel, change your clothes and grab something to eat. You have only one thing you have to do before you can relax. You have to go into to town and sign up for a tour to Agua Azul and Misol-ha. There is a plethora of travel agencies in town that have tours to these waterfalls. The only down-side to the tours is that you are not on your own time schedule. Also you can buy your bus ticket for the day after back to San Cristobal.

Tonight, if you are not staying at El Panchan I suggest eating dinner there. This is a legendary travelers compound that has a good restaurant with live entertainment. Don't be afraid to walk on the road at night. Many people do it and I have not heard of any incidents. Remember, thoguh, that there is always safety in numbers, so if you want to round up other travelers to head down there...go ahead.

Day 6: Agua Azul

If you are taking a tour to Agua Azul have fun it takes the whole day. You will also be spending an extra night in Palenque, so the rest of the itinerary will just be delayed by a day.

If you rented a car:
Start heading back to San Cristobal and about an hour from Palenque you will start seeing signs for Agua Azul. You will probably have to pay twice to get into the park-once to the people of the nearby village and once to the park itself-but it is worth it. Agua Azul is a series of turquoise waterfalls littered with natural swimming pools. (Note: during rainy season, May-September, the water will not be turquoise.) This is a popular destination on week-ends and there is a plethora of good places to eat along the river serving mostly fish.
Once you park your car, walk up the trail, taking pictures along the way, until you get to the top of the hill. Here you will find a great swimming hole with a make shift diving board. Common sense says not to linger in too isolated of a spot as to this makes you more vulnerable to theft.

Take your time enjoying this heavenly spot. Just remember that you still have a 3 hour drive back to San Cristobal and you do not want to be driving too much at night. There are bathrooms and showers at Agua Azul where you can change out of your swim suit for the ride back.

You will probably be very tired arriving in San Cristobal. Return your car and stay where you stayed before. Eat and sleep because your vacation is almost over.

Day 7: San Cristobal

Well, maybe it is your last full day in Chiapas, so take your time to take it all in one more time.

You have two choices of things to do. You can have a lazy day in San Cristobal. You can go to an Internet cafe, send post cards, write in your journal, and go see:

El Mercado Municipal. Head up Insurgentes/Utrilla, past Santo Domingo until you reach the busy, hub-bub of the market place. This is where the majority of people in San Cristobal go to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, housewares, fire wood, among other things. It's a pretty chaotic place. The large building to the left of the outdoor section of the market is where meat is sold. Go ahead, walk around, but be careful. The outdoor section of the market is a maze. Don't get lost!!

Jardin de Orquideas. Real de Guadalupe #153 Hours: 10am-6pm Tue-Sun
This is an orchid garde that is very pretty and serene.

Or you could take a tour:
Sign at a travel agency for the Cañon Sumidero tour and to the charming little town of Chiapa de Corzo. It is located on the Rio Grijalva where one can take a river boat tour of the Cañon Sumidero. The boat tours down the river are very nice, the only downfall is that most of boats are not covered and the sun is intense. Makesure you have a nice hat, it is cloudy, early in the morning or late enough in the afternoon. Chiapa de Corzo is a quaint little town to walk around and grab a bite to eat on one of the restaurants on the river bank.

There are also horse-back riding tours to San Juan Chamula. I know you already went there, but if you want to ride a horse, this is the destination.

You will also have to arrange transportation to the airport if you are flying home. At the time of this posting, the only way to efficiently reach the airport was to arrange for a private ride with any of the travel agencies. This is a little pricey, but the only way to go.

Day 8: Return home or move on

Well, I hope you enjoyed your time in Chiapas. If you are moving on to another spot in Mexico, you remember where the bus station is. Also, on Real de Guadalupe you will find a place called Ticket Bus. Here, you can buy tickets to any of the destinations serviced by San Cristobal. The prices are the same as they would be at the bus station.