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Mexico is a wonderful state that offers so many things for tourists to see-this post is dedicated, however, only to what to see in Chiapas! This is one of the poorest states in Mexico. In fact, Chiapas is one of the places where native Indians were most discriminated against by the descendants of the Spanish. Life expectancy in Chiapas is lower than in all of Mexico, and illiteracy is extremely prevalent. Indigenous people, of Mayan descent, suffered racism from mestizos for years. In 1983 the Zapatista Army of National Liberation was born, and in 1994 there was a full-scale insurrection: for a whole day the Zapatista Army occupied seven municipalities, including San Cristobal de Las Casas. Thanks to this action, the Zapatista struggle became known throughout the world and led to an improvement in indigenous conditions.
All this preamble is necessary to understand that Chiapas is not entirely safe. In particular, the area between Palenque and San Cristobal de las Casas has seen, even recently, attacks even on tourists. Also, this preamble will be necessary to better understand what happens in tourist places such as San Juan Chamula. So now we can analyze what to see in Chiapas in a week!
What to see in Chiapas: Palenque
Palenque is definitely one of the things to see in Chiapas. The ruins of Palenque are located about 7 km from the present new city. The ruins that can be seen today date back to the 7th century A.D., when the city was ruled by Pacal the Great, who reigned an impressive 68 years. Under Pacal the Great most of the buildings visible today were built. Notable for its beauty is the Palace, which was remodeled three times within 15 years. Palenque’s decline began as early as Pacal the Great’s death-the ruins were not rediscovered until the 18th century!
The first observable monument is the Temple of Inscriptions, which is the burial monument of King Pacal. It was built in 675 and is in the shape of a stepped pyramid. The tomb contains a huge sarcophagus, decorated with bas-reliefs. According to Mayan tradition, at the moment of death the soul left the body: in this case King Pakal asked for and obtained two human sacrifices, whose souls would accompany him into the afterlife.
Near the memorial you can see the Palace: this complex was remodeled several times under Pacal- The Palace is adorned with a magnificent tower and is embellished with beautiful bas-reliefs.
As many as five other temples can be admired in the archaeological complex, among which the Temple of the Cross stands out for its beauty. There is no shortage of space dedicated to playing ball!
A visit to Palenque takes about three hours. I highly recommend visiting the archaeological site of Palenque with a guided tour!
What to see in Chiapas: Agua Azul and</h2> <h2>Misol – Ha
From Palenque we moved on to the Misol-Ha waterfall, about 20 minutes away from the ruins. This beautiful waterfall is about 35 meters high and forms a pool where, with care, you can swim. The waterfall is made even more beautiful by its wonderful site: in fact, it is located in the middle of a lush forest! In Misol-Ha you can also find spartan little restaurants where you can have something to eat.
About 70 km away from Palenque you can see the Agua Azul waterfalls. The color of the water, as the name implies, is blue, but in winter because of the rains it is more prone to gray. The falls reach a maximum height of six meters: it is beautiful to walk beside them and it is also possible to take a refreshing bath, of course in the quieter pools!
I highly recommend visiting Palenque, Misol-Ha and Agua Azul by participating in an an organized excursion, such as the one proposed by Civitatis.
What to see in Chiapas: Chiflon and the lakes of Montebello
I used the beautiful town of San Cristobal de Las Casas to take tours nearby.
The first tour took me to Chiflon Falls and Montebello Lakes. Chiflon Falls is truly a marvel: it is about 120 meters high and it is possible to walk to the source of the waterfall! The hike is quite steep, but the view from the top is definitely rewarding! To reach the highest point of the waterfall you need to calculate about two hours round trip, while the more touristy viewpoint needs about an hour round trip. The tour organized by Civitatis also leads to the lakes of Montebello. These lakes have the characteristic of having different colors and are located near the Guatemalan border: here, incredibly, there is no customs to pass from Mexico to Guatemala.
This video demonstrates the beauties of Chiflon!
What to see in Chiapas: San Juan Chamula
From San Cristobal it is possible to visit San Juan Chamula, famous for its still well-established Mayan culture. Here I do not have picture support inside the church because it is strictly forbidden to photograph what goes on inside. So what happens inside? Sacrifices still take place here! The floor of the church is covered with pine needles, which are considered sacred. There are no pews, and the candles make for unbearable heat at times. Music can be heard that sounds like a remake of Christmas songs.
I was about to leave when I realized that a believer pulled a chicken out of a box: he placed some alcohol on its head and pulled its neck, then placed it back in the box (in this way, according to Mayan belief, all evil is taken from the chicken, which is therefore sacrificed). I must admit that the visit to this church left me quite disturbed.
As mentioned at the beginning, San Juan Chamula encapsulates the whole essence of the State of Chiapas. In fact, the church building of San Juan Chamula is of Catholic denomination, but Mayan rites are celebrated inside: it is, therefore, a classic example of religious syncretism.
What to see in Chiapas: Sumidero Canyon
A tour can be arranged from San Cristobal to see the Sumidero Canyon. In the morning I visited this canyon with a boat tour of about two hours. This tour is definitely fascinating as it allows you to see the canyon gorges and even some crocodiles! The tour continues with a bus, which allows you to see three different miradores, or viewpoints over the canyon-the beauty of the place leaves you speechless! Once again I organized the tour with Civitatis!
What to see in Chiapas: San Cristobal de Las Casas
Of course San Cristobal de Las Casas cannot be missed among the things to see in Chiapas! San Cristobal was founded in 1528 and was the capital of Chiapas in colonial times. Even now, although the capital is Tuxla Gutierrez, it is still considered to all intents and purposes the cultural capital of the Chipas. San Cristobal de Las Casas is located at an altitude of 2100 meters and is inhabited by about 200,000 people. Its historic center is definitely worth a visit! In fact, walking through the center you can admire the Tempio de la Merced, the Arco del Carmen, the Catedral and the Temple of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The entire historic center is enhanced by beautiful colorful houses and cobblestone streets. Walking around San Cristobal de Las Casas is a real pleasure!
IN ADDITION TO WHAT TO SEE IN CHIAPAS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN…
INFO ON WHAT TO SEE IN CHIAPAS
- I highly recommend using San Cristobal de Las Casas as a base for visiting Chiapas. The city, as mentioned just above, is very beautiful and is generally safe.
- To reach Chiapas there are basically two means: bus or plane. I used both. In fact, I reached Palenque by bus from Merida, and I left Chiapas by flying from Tuxla Gutierrez to Cancun.
- I strongly recommend visiting Chiapas by taking part in organized tours, as Chiapas is not considered completely safe. In particular, it is totally inadvisable to go independently from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas.
- In San Cristobal de Las Casas, I ate divinely at Mercado de la Carne and Taqueria ‘El Charrito’. I also ate well at ‘Los Ches’.
- In San Cristobal de Las Casas I slept well at Puerta Vieja Hostel. I also slept in Palenque, in the excellent Casa Janaab.
- San Cristobal de Las Casas is also famous for its typical spirits! I recommend going for a drink at Mezcaleria and Revolucion!
