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El Palacio Mayan ruin.

Justin Foulkes

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Overview

Chilly pine-forest highlands, sultry rainforest jungles and attractive colonial cities exist side by side within Mexico’s southernmost state, a region awash with the legacy of Spanish rule and the remnants of ancient Maya civilization. Palenque and Yaxchilán are evocative vestiges of powerful Maya kingdoms, and the presence of modern Maya is a constant reminder of the region’s rich and uninterrupted history. The colonial hubs of San Cristóbal de las Casas and Chiapa de Corzo give way to sandbar beaches and fertile plots of coffee and cacao in the Soconusco, and for outdoor adventurers, excursions to Laguna Miramar and the Cañón del Sumidero are unmissable.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • The ancient pyramids of Tonina, a Mayan Archaeological Site in Chiapas, Mexico.

    Toniná

    Chiapas

    The towering ceremonial core of Toniná, overlooking a pastoral valley 14km east of Ocosingo, is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in…

  • Temple of the Inscriptions. Ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Palenque, in the jungles of Chiapas, Mexico; Shutterstock ID 38923966; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; Project no. or GL code: 56530; Network activity no. or Cost Centre: Online-Design; Product or Project: 65050/7529/Josh Vogel/LP.com Destination Galleries

    Palenque Ruins

    Chiapas

    Ancient Palenque stands at the precise point where the first hills rise out of the Gulf coast plain, and the dense jungle covering these hills forms an…

  • Yaxchilán

    Yaxchilán

    Chiapas

    Jungle-shrouded Yaxchilán has a wonderfully atmospheric setting above a horseshoe loop in the Río Usumacinta. The control this location gave it over river…

  • Templo de las Inscripciones Group

    Templo de las Inscripciones Group

    Palenque

    As you walk in from the entrance the vegetation suddenly peels away to reveal many of Palenque’s most magnificent buildings in one sublime vista. A line…

  • Chinkultic ruins, Chiapas, Mexico.

    Chinkultic Ruins

    Chiapas

    With a dearth of other tourists, this is one of those magical archaeological sites where the sense of wild atmosphere is as enthralling as the stories…

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    Templo de las Inscripciones

    Palenque

    Perhaps the most celebrated burial monument in the Americas, this is the tallest and most stately of Palenque’s buildings. Constructed on eight levels,…

  • El Chiflón

    El Chiflón

    Chiapas

    These mighty waterfalls tumble 120m off the edge of an escarpment 20km southwest of Comitán. In a region with a surfeit of impressive waterfalls, these…

  • Zona Arqueológica de Iglesia Vieja

    Zona Arqueológica de Iglesia Vieja

    Chiapas

    Believed to be the regional capital of the Zoque during the Classic period, these ruins were inhabited between AD 250 and AD 400. The site's most…

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