When to go to Chiapas?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: November to April
At a glance
Why go to Chiapas?
Chiapas is Mexico's most Indigenous state: more than one inhabitant in four speaks a Mayan language, Tzotzil, Tzeltal, Chol or Tojolabal, and the highland villages around San Cristóbal live by community rules found nowhere else in the country. The church of Chamula with its pine needles and healers, the markets where women sell their embroidered textiles, the Zapatista caracoles born of the 1994 uprising: here, the journey is as much about the encounters as the scenery.
And the scenery is considerable. The Sumidero Canyon slices through the plateau with walls 1,000 m high, the Lagunas de Montebello run through 59 shades of blue right up to the Guatemalan border, and the waterfalls of Agua Azul and El Chiflón tumble into turquoise pools. To the east, the Lacandon Jungle, Mexico's last great rainforest, hides Palenque, Yaxchilán and Bonampak, three Classic Maya cities where howler monkeys provide the soundtrack to your visit.
All of this remains affordable and easy to organise. San Cristóbal, a cool colonial town at 2,200 m, makes a base for day trips to every site in the west, before the descent towards Palenque and the jungle. You'll find hostels at €15, colonial hotels at €70, some of the best highland coffee in the country and a cuisine all of its own, from chipilín tamales to sopa de pan. The dry season, from November to April, brings the clearest waterfalls and the sharpest skies.
Map of Chiapas: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Palenque
- Sumidero Canyon
- Lagunas de Montebello
- Lacandon Jungle
- San Juan Chamula
How much does a trip to Chiapas cost?
Chiapas is one of Mexico's cheapest states. A hostel costs €15, a market meal €3, a day trip €15 to 30 and Palenque €10. Only the Lacandon Jungle, a long way to reach, really weighs on the bill.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €30-45/day | Hostel in San Cristóbal, cabaña at El Panchán, markets and fondas, colectivos and ADO buses, group excursions |
| Comfort | €70-110/day | Colonial hotel in the centre, restaurants on Real de Guadalupe, private excursions, Yaxchilán and Bonampak with a guide |
| Premium | €200+/day | Boutique hotel in an 18th-century house, driver for the lakes road, a night in a jungle lodge, private guide at Palenque |
The Mexican peso trades at around 20 pesos to the euro. San Cristóbal, Tuxtla, Comitán and Palenque have working bank ATMs (BBVA, Banorte, Santander), but as soon as you leave the towns only cash will do: entry to community-run sites, colectivos, cabañas, markets, improvised tolls. Withdraw before the Lacandon Jungle and Montebello, and keep small notes, as change is short everywhere.
Is Chiapas safe?
Chiapas is a poor, very rural state and generally calm for travellers who stick to the tourist routes: San Cristóbal, Palenque, the Sumidero, Montebello and the Comitán road can be visited without any particular problem. Two realities call for attention. First, the roadblocks, bloqueos, set up on the roads by communities or transport workers, which halt traffic for a few hours without violence but upset schedules: leave a margin on the day of a flight. Second, the southern border area around Frontera Comalapa and Chicomuselo, where clashes between cartels have made the region one to avoid since 2023; it lies on no sightseeing route. Drive the Ocosingo to Palenque road by day, never at night, and organised tours are preferable to a car there. Add the cold of high-altitude nights, the sun, careless swimming in the waterfalls, where drownings are frequent, and jungle mosquitoes (dengue in the rainy season): that is where real vigilance lies.
What to see and do in Chiapas
- San Cristóbal de las Casas
- San Juan Chamula
- Sumidero Canyon
- Palenque
- Agua Azul waterfalls
- Lagunas de Montebello
- Yaxchilán and Bonampak
- El Chiflón waterfalls
San Cristóbal de las Casas
The base for any stay in Chiapas: a colonial town of 200,000 people at 2,200 m, with pedestrian streets, Baroque churches, an Indigenous market and a buzz of cafés, bookshops and bars where travellers, NGO workers and villagers cross paths. Visit the Na Bolom museum, the Maya textile museum at Santo Domingo and the amber museum, and round off the day with a glass of pox. In the morning, colectivos leave for Chamula and Zinacantán, and agencies offer day trips to the Sumidero, Montebello and El Chiflón. Pack a fleece: nights drop to 5°C in winter.
Palenque
190 km and five hours of hairpin bends from San Cristóbal, or one night on a bus, Palenque is Mexico's most beautiful Maya city for its setting, a dense jungle spilling over the temples. The site opens at 8am and can be seen in three hours before the heat sets in: the Temple of the Inscriptions, the Palace and its tower, the Cross Group, then a walk down past the Otulum cascades to the museum. The modern town, 8 km away, has little appeal: sleep instead in the cabañas of El Panchán, between town and ruins, under the trees, with howler monkeys as your alarm clock. The Tren Maya stops here.
Sumidero Canyon
A half-day from San Cristóbal or Tuxtla: the lancha leaves from Chiapa de Corzo, a colonial village whose great square is graced by a brick Mudéjar fountain from 1562, and heads up the Grijalva for 35 km between walls rising to 1,000 m. Along the way you'll see crocodiles, pelicans, monkeys and rafts of rubbish washed down after the rains. The five viewpoints on the upper rim, reached by car from Tuxtla, give a plunging view the boat can't offer. Chiapa de Corzo celebrates its Fiesta Grande from 8 to 23 January with the parachico dancers, inscribed by UNESCO.
Lagunas de Montebello
Three hours from San Cristóbal via Comitán, a quiet colonial town well placed for an overnight stop, the Lagunas de Montebello National Park strings together turquoise, green and midnight-blue lakes in a pine forest. The road through the park serves around ten lakes; the rest are reached on foot or on horseback with a local guide. Round off the day with El Chiflón, on the same road, or the ruins of Chinkultic and their cenote. The communities of Tziscao rent lakeside cabins for €20 to 40 a night, for those who want to see the morning colours.
Lacandon Jungle
East of Palenque, the Frontier Highway skirts the Montes Azules reserve and the Lacandon villages, home to a people of fewer than 1,000 in white tunics who escaped the Spanish conquest in the forest. Yaxchilán, on the Usumacinta, is reached by lancha, and Bonampak holds the most complete murals in the Maya world. In Lacanjá Chansayab, Lacandon families put visitors up in cabins and guide them to waterfalls and ruins lost in the forest. Allow a night there to make the most of it: day trips from Palenque last 12 hours.
Tzotzil villages
Around San Cristóbal, the highland villages can be visited by colectivo or with a guide in a morning: Chamula for its church and Sunday market, Zinacantán for its flower greenhouses, its flower-filled church and weaving workshops where you're welcomed with tortillas and pox, San Andrés Larráinzar for its brocades, Tenejapa for its Thursday market. Each village has its own dress, recognisable by the colours of the shawls and sashes. Respecting local rules is essential: no photos inside churches or of people without consent, and no skimpy clothing.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Five days are enough for San Cristóbal, its villages, the Sumidero and Palenque. A week adds Montebello and El Chiflón, and ten days allow for Yaxchilán, Bonampak and a night with the Lacandon before carrying on to the Yucatán.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Chiapas guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Mexico
The essentials (5 days)
Day 1: San Cristóbal, the centre, Santo Domingo, Na Bolom, sunset from the Guadalupe church. Day 2: Chamula and Zinacantán in the morning with a guide, market and cafés in the afternoon. Day 3: Sumidero Canyon by lancha on the first departure, Chiapa de Corzo, back to San Cristóbal. Day 4: road to Palenque with stops at Agua Azul and Misol-Ha (combined tour, 12 hours), night at El Panchán. Day 5: Palenque ruins at opening time, then a night bus or the Tren Maya to Mérida or Campeche.
The whole of Chiapas (10 days)
Three days in San Cristóbal with the villages and the Sumidero. Day 4: El Chiflón and the Lagunas de Montebello, night in Comitán or in a cabin at Tziscao. Day 5: back to San Cristóbal along the lakes road. Day 6: Agua Azul, Misol-Ha, night in Palenque. Day 7: Palenque ruins in the morning. Days 8 and 9: Bonampak and Yaxchilán with a night at Lacanjá Chansayab with the Lacandon, and a forest walk. Day 10: back to Palenque, a flight from Villahermosa (2h by road) or the Tren Maya to the Yucatán. The pace stays manageable, though the roads are slow.
Chiapas and the Yucatán (2 weeks)
The most popular combination: arrive in Tuxtla Gutiérrez via Mexico City, five days in the highlands (San Cristóbal, villages, Sumidero, Montebello), down to Palenque via Agua Azul, a day at the ruins, then the Tren Maya or an overnight ADO bus to Campeche, Mérida and the cenotes, ending on the Caribbean coast with a flight home from Cancún. Two full weeks, two very different states and a single west-to-east direction of travel that avoids doubling back.
Getting there and getting around
Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport (TGZ) has flights from Mexico City (1h30), Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Shared shuttles reach San Cristóbal in 1h15 for ~€15. Villahermosa airport, 2h from Palenque, serves as an exit point to the east, and Palenque has a small airport with a few flights from Mexico City.
ADO and OCC buses link San Cristóbal, Tuxtla, Comitán, Palenque and Villahermosa in first class, bookable online. San Cristóbal to Palenque takes 8 to 9 hours via the Villahermosa road, safer than the Ocosingo route (5h), which buses avoid at night.
For excursions, agencies in San Cristóbal run day trips to the Sumidero, Montebello, El Chiflón, Agua Azul and Palenque for €15 to 30, with minibus and driver. Colectivos, shared minibuses, serve the Tzotzil villages from the market for €1 to 2 and leave when full.
A hire car (€35-50/day in Tuxtla) gives freedom on the lakes road but exposes you to community roadblocks, topes (speed bumps) and unlit mountain roads: drive by day, keep the tank full and pay the improvised tolls of a few pesos with a smile.
Where to stay in Chiapas?
San Cristóbal: hostels with a patio and fireplace at €12-20, colonial hotels in the centre at €50-90, boutique hotels in 18th-century houses at €130-200. Nights are cold from October to February, so check that blankets or heating are provided.
Palenque: the cabañas of El Panchán, 4 km from the ruins, under the forest canopy, for €15-40 a night with howler monkeys at dawn, or hotels with pools on the road to the ruins at €60-120. The town itself, hot and charmless, is only worth a night if you're stuck.
Comitán and Montebello: simple hotels around the square in Comitán at €30-60, community-run wooden cabins on the shore of Lake Tziscao at €20-40, without heating but with the colours of the lake when you wake.
Lacandon Jungle: family-run cabañas in Lacanjá Chansayab at €20-40, with mosquito nets and home cooking, or rustic camps at Frontera Corozal on the banks of the Usumacinta. Bring a torch, repellent and cash: there is neither a bank nor reliable signal.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in Chiapas?
Chiapas tamales are a world of their own: with chipilín, a local herb, with mole, bola-style, or wrapped in banana leaves with prunes. They're eaten for breakfast at the San Cristóbal market for €1 apiece, with a hot corn atole.
Sopa de pan, a soup of bread, vegetables and saffron handed down from the convents, cochito horneado, marinated roast suckling pig from Chiapa de Corzo, and queso bola from Ocosingo, a hard-rinded cheese, form the backbone of the regional cuisine. A meal in a fonda costs €4 to 7.
Chiapas produces Mexico's best coffee, on the slopes of the Soconusco and the Chamula highlands, and the cafés of San Cristóbal (Carajillo, La Selva, Frontera) serve it on the spot for €2. Hot chocolate, made here since Maya times, is drunk thick with cinnamon.
Pox, pronounced 'posh', a 35-proof corn and cane spirit, was used in Tzotzil ceremonies before it reached the bars of San Cristóbal, infused with cinnamon, coffee or hibiscus, at €2 to 3 a glass. Tascalate, a drink of toasted corn, cacao and achiote, is served iced in the heat of Tuxtla.
Entry requirements
No visa for stays of up to 180 days with a passport, for EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. An officer writes the number of days granted on entry, so check it.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Chiapas
When is the best time to visit Chiapas?
From November to April, in the dry season: the Agua Azul waterfalls regain their turquoise, the Montebello lakes their colours, and Palenque stays bearable in the mornings. December and January are cold at night in San Cristóbal (5°C). From June to September, the rains turn the waterfalls brown and the jungle roads muddy.
Is Chiapas safe for travellers?
Yes, on the tourist routes: San Cristóbal, Palenque, the Sumidero, Montebello, and the Lacandon Jungle with an agency. The occasional roadblocks cause delays more than danger. The only area to avoid is the southern border towards Frontera Comalapa, well away from sightseeing routes. Drive by day and opt for organised tours on the Ocosingo to Palenque road.
How many days should I allow?
Five days for the essentials: San Cristóbal, its villages, the Sumidero and Palenque with Agua Azul. A week to add Montebello and El Chiflón. Ten days for the Lacandon Jungle, Yaxchilán and Bonampak with a night among the Lacandon. Many then carry on to the Yucatán by night bus or Tren Maya.
How do I get from San Cristóbal to Palenque?
Via the Ocosingo road, 190 km and 5 hours of hairpin bends, on tours that stop at Agua Azul and Misol-Ha (12 hours in total, ~€20), or on ADO buses via Villahermosa, 8 to 9 hours, longer but safer and sometimes overnight. A hire car adds little on this route, and should only be driven by day.
Can you visit the Zapatista villages?
The caracoles, autonomous Zapatista centres such as Oventic, 40 km from San Cristóbal, have welcomed visitors on and off depending on the movement's decisions, with passport checks and permission at the entrance. Ask locally, at Café Rebeldía or among the collectives of San Cristóbal, as the situation changes from year to year. Never go without announcing yourself first.
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