Your guide to seeing the Palenque archaelogical ruins, Bonampak, Agua Azul, and Misol Há waterfall on a budget.
Chiapas, Mexico is literally a land of wonder-- from green, green rainforests, to the myriad of Mayan dialects, bright blue waterfalls, and pueblos that are teeming with culture, this has to be among my favorite states in Mexico.
If you want to hear of my favorite trip from San Cristobal de las Casas, be sure to check out my blog here. While I heard great reviews of the mountain town of San Cristobal, I was much more impressed by Chiapas' second main tourist draw, Palenque and its pyramids.
Overall, if you are only going to base yourself in two different places in the state of Chiapas, you should choose Palenque and San Cristobal. Although it is a 6-8 hour drive between these two towns, everything I mention below is reachable within 3 hours of one of these places, and there are tour operators a plenty to help you get to these destinations cheaply and safely.
Jump ahead to...
GETTING HERE
Palenque is a somewhat remote spot in Mexico, but luckily there is plenty of affordable transportation to get here.
If you are backpacking throughout Mexico,
Palenque may be a natural next stop after you see the Yucatán peninsula. Once the huge Tren Maya project is complete, in fact, the train will connect both regions without any hassle. Until then, it's a big long bus journey. Your best bet would be an 1) overnight bus from Bacalar or Chetumal or 2) a 4-6 hour journey from Campeche or Merida. Although I didn't go this way, ADO is a safe and reliable bus company that will take you through this region.
Alternatively, you may want to visit Palenque coming from San Cristobal. Here, you have plenty of options, either an overnight bus with ADO OR taking a sprinter van throughout the day which will also make stops at different tourist spots. We booked a day tour like this one heading one-way from San Cristobal to Palenque, which let us store our luggage in the van while we made timed stops at Misol Ha, Agua Azul, and finally the Palenque ruins.
Of course, you could also rent a car from the city of Tuxtla in Chiapas or elsewhere in the Yucatan and drive here. Although it would certainly be affordable, I have heard you need to take extra precaution driving through this region as there are lots of local conflicts and road closings. Be smart and only drive during the day.
And lastly, if you're pressed for time, no need to worry! The city of Villahermosa, Tabasco, is just a couple hours from Palenque and has a small, yet well-serviced airport. You would be surprised at the affordable flights you can find from Villahermosa to Mexico City, in case you have little time but want to explore here.
SEE PALENQUE PUEBLO MAGICO
This small city is a hidden gem! Although tucked away in the jungles of Chiapas, all the nearby destinations make Palenque a funky blend of travelers and locals. It is considered one of 177 Pueblos Magicos in Mexico thanks to its cute, walkable garden and nearby attractions.
We stayed the night in this Airbnb that was simple and affordable in a group. There are a couple hostels with a slightly higher price point, so it is pretty much all the same whether you choose a budget hotel, hostel bed, or an Airbnb.
VISIT PALENQUE RUINS AND PROTECTED NATURAL AREA
Of course, the stunning pyramids are the main draw to this region of Mexico, and for good reason! This spot would be on my top 10 destinations in Mexico hands down, not just because of the richness of the architecture but also the accompanying jungle where hidden ruins still remain...
Since we went on a day long tour, we unfortunately only had two hours to see both the archaeological site and the natural area. I would recommend you allocate at least 3-4 hours to really see and enjoy this place, starting early in the morning if possible to avoid the heat.
Here's the deal on Palenque: you have to enter 2 different areas which charge two different entry fees. The first one is the ruins, where your 97 peso entrance fee goes to the national archaeological institution. The second one is the protected natural area, and your 80 peso fee goes to the national park system. On Sundays, entrance is free for Mexicans.
This is one of the few times I have taken a tour with a local, knowledgeable guide at the entrance. We wanted to get a sense of the history in this place, so we paid $1000 pesos (60 USD) between three people for one hour, a competitive price given what else was available.
Our guide was originally from Palenque as far back as his heritage goes, so it was really cool to hear his understanding of this sacred site, and how the locals advocated to leave over 80% unexcavated as nature has reclaimed the land. Exploring the natural park actually requires a guide so you don't get lost, so we were fortunate that he pointed out all the ruins under our feet, and we even climbed several levels of a hidden "pyramid" that could quite possibly be taller than the ones uncovered. I got to swing from a jungle vine, learned the Mayan names of some plant species, and we got to see some cool small relics like a little carved stone head!
After our one hour jungle tour, we were left with one hour to enjoy the whole excavated part of the archaeological site on our own. This obviously wasn't remotely enough time, especially because you can climb up several pyramids which takes more time and gives you more to see and do. Luckily, the crowds weren't as bad as other popular pyramids in Mexico, so it was easy to find your own peaceful corner and grab photos with others in the background.
VISIT MISOL-HA WATERFALL
If you sign up for a day trip shuttle van making stops from Palenque to San Cristobal, this will likely be the next stop on your trip! It's only about 45 minutes from Palenque
Believe it or not, this gorgeous place just costs a couple bucks to enter and you can even SWIM in it! There are lifeguards eager to lend you a life jacket so you can really take in this majestic spot. I'm so bummed we didn't have time to jump in!
You can hike behind the waterfall and where the trail ends, there are local guides. They charge a small amount to lead you into a large cave with its own hidden waterfall inside!
In total, I would allocate 2 hours here if you want to take photos and swim.
VISIT AGUA AZUL WATERFALLS
These cascades are bright blue as the name suggests, and a very easy place to spend a half day. They are also one of the common stops halfway between San Cristobal and Palenque.
Although you can’t swim right up to the falls, there are plenty of places you are allowed to take a dip with a lifeguard on duty. It is definitely pretty touristic, as plenty of vendors line the steps that trail along the observation walk. Make sure you designate at least 2 hours here to see it fully and to get into the water! My favorite spot to swim was at the very top of the falls.
VISIT BONAMPAK (AND YAXCHILÁN)
Typically, you can expect to find a low end tour for 60 USD or at the higher end 150 USD. which will visit both of these archaeological sites in the same day.
This Mayan site of Bonampak is best known for the bright colorful paintings found within the intact rooms of its pyramids. While it is not an expansive area, it is nonetheless beautiful and completely surrounded by the dense Lacondan rainforest. The Lacondan people still largely control the area and reside in the surrounding communities. There is no signal or signage here, so hiring a guide would be your best bet to getting the full context of the place.
Yaxchilán is the bigger draw because it is a much longer visit and bigger site from the same time period. They actually controlled Bonampak which was their smaller site to the north. It takes several hours from Palenque in a car to arrive to practically the border of Guatemala and Mexico. From there, you would hop on a community guided canoe to get to the site which looks unreal from the photos...
Unfortunately, we had bad timing and the community had closed the site to tourism for several months of 2023-2024. Our tour guides also still charged us the full price without this stop :( However, as of March 2024 it appears it is back open, but you should do your own research to make sure you know what to expect, this is a high conflict zone. This is a place we have to return to for a second chance!
IN SUM
Palenque's natural and cultural beauty is truly one-of-a-kind. Although its main archaeological site warrants a visit in itself, there are also so many more incredible things to see within the surrounding area!
Comment below which of the spots you would most want to see :) Thanks for reading!
