A few hours by bus from San Cristobal de las Casas are the Mayan ruins of Palenque. These ruins contain some of the finest examples of Mayan architecture and art and are surrounded by steamy jungle with refreshing streams for a dip and abundant wildlife. No, that’s not a jaguar you’re hearing roar in the jungle…it’s a howler monkey. You’ll hear these fascinating primates as you make your way around the ruins.

Entrance to the ruins is roughly $5 and another couple of dollars for the nature reserve. Bring plenty of water as it does get hot and you’ll be doing a lot of walking and climbing. Personally I would give myself two days to really take in the entire site and make a worthwhile trip out of it.

Both times I have visited the site I have stayed at the Mayabel Campground, the last campground on the road to the ruins and within easy walking distance to the park entrance. The Mayabel is a relaxing campground with sites for tents as well as palapas to hang your hammock. There are communal showers available as well as a stream fed swimming pool. Behind the campground is a trail that takes you into the jungle and, if you don’t get lost, to a lovely little waterfall. They also have a restaurant available that serves traditional dishes and cold beer, something you’ll appreciate if you’ve spent the day at the ruins.

Finally, about 60 KMs from Palenque is the swimming hole of Agua Azul. While I haven’t been here myself I’ve heard enough about it from other travelers to warrant  a mention. There are a series of breathtaking turquoise falls that drop into swimming holes at the base. Cost to enter the falls is a couple of dollars and I’m sure there are tours running from both San Cristobal and Palenque.

All in all Chiapas is a wonderful state to visit if you’re looking for a place to chillax and unwind. A week would be a fair amount of time to devote to the area although you could probably spend months here if it tickled your fancy. It’s one of my favorite places to visit in Mexico and I look forward to returning on my next trip south.

Galleries related to this article can be found below.