Chiapas - Lonely Planetmedia.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/cancun-cozumel-the-yucatan-6-chiapas... ·...
Transcript of Chiapas - Lonely Planetmedia.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/cancun-cozumel-the-yucatan-6-chiapas... ·...
Why Go?Chilly pine-forest highlands, wildlife-rich rainforest jungles and well-preserved colonial cities exist side by side within Mexico’s southernmost state, a region awash with the legacy of Spanish rule and some fabulous remnants of ancient Maya civilization.
The state has the second-largest indigenous population in the country, and the modern Maya of Chiapas form a direct link to the past, with a traditional culture that persists to this day. The fine city of San Cristóbal de las Casas is at the heart of this region and was once the central bastion for the rebel group Zapatistas, now much less influential than in the 1990s.
Chiapas contains swathes of wild green landscape that have nourished its inhabitants for centuries. And nature lov-ers willing to venture off the beaten path will be rewarded with frothy cascades, exotic biosphere reserves and adven-turous geological destinations.
When to Go ¨ The rainy season is between May and October, with
the heaviest rainfall mostly in June, September and early October. Some of the less visited, more out-of-the-way Maya ruins are located on dirt roads which are impassable during the rainy season.
¨ The dry season is between November and April, when warm sunny days are the norm.
¨ Temperatures don’t vary much with the changing seasons – altitude is a much more influential factor. Lowland areas (such as Palenque and Villahermosa) are hot and sticky year-round, with punishing humidity and daily highs above 30°C. In more elevated places (like San Cristóbal), however, the climate is fresher and nights get fairly cold in winter (November to March).
Best Places to Eat
¨ Don Mucho’s (p239)
¨ Trattoria Italiana (p231)
¨ Tierradentro (p231)
Best Places to Stay
¨ Boutique Hotel Quinta Chanabnal (p238)
¨ Casa Felipe Flores (p230)
¨ B¨o Hotel (p230)
San Cristóbal de las Casas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Around San Cristóbal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Palenque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Bonampak & Yaxchilán . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Chiapas
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ChIAPAs
ChIAPAs
ChIAPAs C
HIA
PAS
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222Campeche
(95km)
(130km)Juchitán
(173km)Chetumal
CampecheBahía de
MEXICOGULF OF
TérminosLaguna de
O C E A NP A C I F I C
Veracruz
Chiapas
Tabasco
Campeche
de ComillasMarques
Benemerito
OroPico de
CITYGUATEMALA
QuintínSan
MagallanesSánchez
Tziscao
TulpicoBarra de
ManglarPuntaCeiba
Puerto
Tacotalpa
Nahá
Metzabok
Tapijulapa
El Ceibo
de CorzoChiapa
Malpasito
Jonuta
GrandePlaya
Tapachula
Jaltenango
Unión Juárez
Tecún UmánCiudad
CarmenCiudad del
CuauhtémocCiudad
Emiliano ZapataPemexCiudad
MargaritasLas
ChancaláRío
TilaSimojovel
del ValleAmatenango
CarranzaVenustiano
Soyaló
GUTIÉRREZTUXTLA
HidalgoCiudad
ChiapasPuerto
El HueyateSan José
Las GarzasEmbarcadero
del CieloBoca
AristaPuerto
Escárcega
Candelaria
Catazajá
Frontera
Pichucalco
Mazatán
Motozintla
Huixtla
Escuintla
Mapastepec
Pijijiapan
San Javier
ChajulIxcán
La Palma
AltamiranoCintalapa
ParedónLa Trinitaria
TenosiqueTeapa
Reforma
Comalcalco
CárdenasLa Venta
Ocozocoautla
Huimanguillo
Comitán
Ocosingo
Tonalá
Arriaga
Cobán
Sacapulas
La Mesilla
Pipiles
Bethel
Huehuetenango
Chimaltenango
QuetzaltenangoTalismán
Frontera Corozal
Chinkultic
Cotorrasde LasSima
La Venta
Comalcalco
Izapa
Palenque
Toniná
Parque NacionalMontebelloLagos de
AzulesBiosfera Montes
Lacan-tunla BiosferaReserva de
Reserva de la
La Sepulturala BiosferaReserva de
Selva El Ocotela BiosferaReserva de
Biosfera MayaReserva de la
La Encrucijadade la Biosfera
Reserva
El Triunfode la Biosfera
(4110m)TacanáVolcán
AtitlánLago de
AngosturaPresa La
SumideroCañón del
El Soconusco
AzulAgua
Misol-Ha
GUATEMALA
NegrasPiedras
de CentlaBiosfera PantanosReserva de la
Reserva
MiramarLaguna
El Chiflón
MEX
MEX
MEXMEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
199
200
187186
186
261
186
180
200
190
180
190
195
190
180D
5
1
2
Fronteriza
Carretera
de las CasasSan Cristóbal
Yaxchilán
Bonampak
VILLAHERMOSA
Palenque
0 100 km0 50 miles
1 Explore the extraordinary ruins of Palenque (p234), where jade masks and priceless jewels were found inside a ruler’s sarcophagus, and the architecture boasts unique features
2 Wander around high-altitude San Crístobal de las Casas (p223), home to
charming cobblestone streets, pretty colonial buildings and colorful indigenous peoples
3 Ponder the mysterious sculptural art of the ancient Olmecs while wandering around the junglelike grounds of Villahermosa’s Parque-Museo La Venta – a paradise within the bustling city (p228)
4 Visit the ancient cities of Yaxchilán (p240), reachable via an adventurous river-boat trip, and Bonampak (p240), which offers amazingly preserved painted murals
Chiapas Highlights