AMATENANGO DEL VALLE

01 amatenango

It is a beautiful Tzeltal town located over an elevation with a fertile valley covered with crops, where the use of pre-Hispanic pottery techniques prevails; it has a population of about 6600 people and it is located 1810 meters above sea level. The name of Amatenango del Valle means fortified place of fig trees in Nahuatl; due to the numerous wars, the towns used to be fortified. As a consequence of this, the word Tenango, meaning wall place, changed its meaning to town or place. The Tzeltales group established in the town during the pre-Columbine times and in 1846 it was invaded by Aztec troops. After the conquest of Chiapas in 1528 it was supposed to be part of Teopisca but at the end of the XVI Century it was named as we know it now.

AGUA AZUL (Waterfalls)

02 aguazul

Located 133 km from San Cristobal de Las Casas, the blue color of the water, the abundant vegetation, the constant breeze and the inexhaustible water sound make this site one of the most spectacular and unforgettable sites in Mexico. The Agua Azul river descends from the top in a stairway forming a series of impressive waterfalls that create natural swimming pools in calcareous dikes, the so called "gours" in geological terms. The intrepid ones can reach, with the help of the experts, other more impressive waterfalls, because the stairway goes all the way to the bottom until the river ends in Tulijá, forming one of the most beautiful water curtains. Its special color can only be seen in dry seasons and this is due to the calcareous rocks.

COMITAN DE DOMINGUEZ

03 comitan

Comitan Dominguez is located to the East of Chiapas state, only 164km away from the capital city Tuxtla Gutierrez, near the Guatemalan borderline. Previously known as Balum Canan, center of the border region of the state, Comitan is delightful city located 1,650 meters over the sea level. At present, Comitan has a population of 104,986 inhabitants. It is the origin of men and women such as Dr. Belisario Dominguez and Rosario Castellanos. The town is rich in natural beauty, colonial art, traditions, archeological sites, and enjoys great gastronomy.

Welib Há ( Waterfalls)

04 welibha

Welib Ha waterfall displays the water beauty in the jungle at going down natural pools and crystalline water.

Lacanjá Chansayab

05 lacanja

Lacandona community, located at the margins of Reserva de la Biosfera Montes Azules, surrounding Bonampak archeological zone, is a natural place to see water falls and rivers, since Mayan descendent, still operate their traditions and culture.

Laguna Miramar

06 miramar

No Information

Las Guacamayas

07 guacamayas

This tourist center is located within the community of Reforma Agraria. It was created to preserve this species of Red Guacamaya (scarlet macaw) birds. It is ideal for bird watchers and nature lovers since many species of animals, especially birds, and the natural vegetation can be observed while hiking through the rain forest. This center ensconced in the mountains of eastern Chiapas, in the part known as the Lacandona Jungle, will attract those who not only seek adventure but also anyone interested in the study, conservation and knowledge about the reproduction of the scarlet macaw, a species in danger of extinction. Las Guacamayas is situated at the edge of one of the areas with the greatest biodiversity in Mexico: Natural Reserve of the Biosphere Montes Azules. The region has a humid warm climate with abundant rains in summer and is inhabited by the ethnic group "Chinanteco". The center is ideal for the observation of flora and fauna, boat rides, trekking, nature observation. As tourist services the center offers: Restaurant, cabins; camping area with services, parking, wharf, two observatories, aviary, orchidiarium and nature paths. The center offers the possibilities of having boat tours to the Natural Reserve of the Biosphere Montes Azules.

LAS NUBES

08 lasnubes

Las Nubes are in the Maravilla Tenejapa municipality, at 50 Km from Las GuacaMayans; there is a copious river, Santo Domingo, turquoise in whose path offer special strong current to rafting. This is an affluent from the Jataté and rise several water falls to spectacular beautiful falls at the Mexican South East. The river will slowdown in certain parts, to so reappear to a so high water fall, wondered by any observer.

MISOL HA (Waterfalls)

09 misolha

This spectacular waterfall of 30 meters in height is at 38 Km from Agua Azul (Blue Water) and it functions as tourist park, with basic services, in the middle of a great jungle with trees like chicozapotes, canshanes, caobas and palos de agua. In the wide pool falling to the river; it is prudentially practical swimming.

MONTEBELLO LAGOONS NATIONAL PARK

10 montebello

Montebello Lagoon, a former Hacienda, Tepancuapan property was finally protected in 1959, as declared. Spectacular beauty, one of the most beautiful natural places of all the country, framed in dense pines, oak and mixed forest and attractive orchids and bromelias; there is also those named uvalas, lakes from ancient cenotes derived from corrosion of limestone and eroded for a long time. It is not so certain, they could be 56 lakes, famous for the water colors, changed due to the deepness and refraction light. There are ways to the park, at Esmeralda lake, La Encantada, Bosque Azul, Ensueño and Agua Tinta; all of them surrounded by pine forest.


SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS

11 sancristobal

Colonial city, at 2,200 meters over sea level at the central plateau, the city was founded on March 31, 1528 by Capitan Diego de Mazariegos, who established the Ciudad Real de Chiapa de los Españoles.San Cristobal de las Casas gathers the most important state's ethnics, like Tzotzil and Tzetzal, very numerous groups with cultural tradition, with a population of 132,317 inhabitants. One of the best ways to enjoy a quiet afternoon and try to understand the history of the foundation and development of this Mexican jewel, is taking fresh air on a Plaza Mayor's bench, at the same time admiring the beautiful civil and religious monuments.

PALENQUE ZONA ARQUEOLOGICA

12 palenque

The antique Mayan city of Palenque has a principal group of buildings such as the Temple of the Inscriptions (which kept one of the most important king remains called Pakal the great), the palace complex with it's observatory tower (unique in its gender) and the Grupo de las Cruces (Crosses Group) formed by three worship temples in which they worshiped the cosmos everything related with Mother Earth. Palenque is then the place where Mayan people reached their highest point and where the Gods related with men to full fill their political, economical and religious power. Mayan city from the classic period known as one of the most spectacular over the world and which singular architecture with armony and great beauty is sorounded by an overwhelming tropical ainforest.


BONAMPAK ZONA ARQUEOLOGICA

13 bonampak

Bonampak is located 23km from Las Golondrinas, it is a ceremony center built in the heart of the jungle. Its best period was during the rule of the Jaguar – Ojo Anudado (Tied Jaguar Eye) who ascended to the throne in 743 A.D. This fact is printed in the paintings that still remain. The name Bonampak means: "Painted Walls". Of the whole group the most important buildings are the Gran Plaza (Great Plaza) and the Acropolis. In the first one, the magnificent stele 1 raises. It shows Chaan Muan II dressed very elegantly to celebrate his fifth year of ruling. The building of the paintings was built over the acropolis. This building has three chambers.The first one shows the presentation of the heir to the throne ceremony that was given by the ruler family, and also shows the dressing of this lord by the servants. In the same room the procession of the musicians is shown. The wall paintings were never finished and the site was abandoned for unknown reasons. It was discovery in 1946, and it is now one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in Chiapas, that allows us to know one of the biggest testimonies of the Mayan culture and the extraordinary color concepts and traces of its painters. The passages of history here represented provide information of the customs, physical characteristics, dress, society, plus the political and religious organization of the Mayan classic world. Bonampak had its great raise at the end of the Classic Mayan period and was abandoned in 800 a. C.

CHINCULTIC ZONA ARQUEOLOGICA

14 chinkultic

62km from Comitan city, over calcareous hills, there are three great water deposits —the Blue Cenote and Chanujabab and Tepancuapan— there were four main nucleus to conform this Maya site, where water and sun gods are sacred and give the best example of Maya architecture; Chinkultic in Maya is Stepped deep hole. The first observations have been defined during early classic (100 AC to 200 a. C.) and the peak during late classic (600—900 a. C.) The chronology is given due to made studies about pottery.The flourishing period to place during classic Maya; the so called Acropolis crowns one of the hills and is composed of five structures, three small adorations, the major temple of five stepped bodies and a basement next to the Cenote where the offers were launched. Chinkultic has also a ball play with associated sculptures. Besides its archeological interest, this site adds a spectacular location over a lacustres zone and wide plains.


TENAM PUENTE ZONA ARQUEOLOGICA

15 tenampuente

No Information


TONINA ZONA ARQUEOLOGICA

16 tonina

Tonina is a sacred space in an artificial mountain of seven platforms, over a calcareous hill over an extended and long valley. At 85km from San Cristobal de Las Casas lived the peak at VI century a. C. and was a military power, as can be seen with many prisoner representations in stucco and stone. The most important governor, Tzots Choj (Tiger - Bat). In Tonina the last classic Mayan age inscription was written in 909.The ball game field were for the prisoners; that was an important time located in the great platform where sacrifice altar stands and the field ball game of katunes of which there are sculptures samples. Infraworld Palace is hidden at the third platform, while fourth was found for Grecia frets and the war; that frontispiece was composed for four spiral stepped frets. Over the side slop of sixth platform it was located the four suns mural, a manuscript made in stucco to represent the myth of four cosmogonist ages over world is crossing.It outstands dead God representation that holds in his hands a decapitated man. There is the Monster Temple of the world in the stucco monster devouring a stone sun sphere. The world monster temple in the sixth platform. This temple is guided in the solstice winter and spring; Tonina visit is complemented with a magnificent Site Museum inaugurated at 2000 year.


YAXCHILAN ZONA ARQUEOLIGICA

17 yaxchilan

A splendid scenario of high jungle; always green covers this magnificent archeological site, famous for its sculpture art, evident in steles and lintels. Mayas took advantage of this peninsula features, surrounded by a river meander. Yaxchilan development occurred between years 350 and 810 a. C. Although the political expansion to place during Jaguar Shield I government, who rose to the throne in 681, Yaxchilan reached its character and consolidated its hegemony during Bird Jaguar V Government during VIII century.The emotion accompanies the climbing to the stairs that communicate the plaza with the Great Acropolis, presided by the magnificent Building 33, the city's most arrogant. The cresting, hieroglyphic stairs with scenes of Bird Jaguar IV playing the ball, the lintels, the decapitated sculpture of Bird Jaguar IV in its interior, are the most outstanding feature. A Lacandona legend tells that when Bird Jaguar's head returns to its place, the world will be eliminated by the heavenly Jaguars.

SUMIDERO CANYON

18 sumidero

The features integrating one of the most impressing Mexican landscapes, el Cañón del Sumidero include calcareous walls of hundreds of meters high, exuberant flora, abundant dripping decorating them that also feed the Grijalva, one of the most water volume rivers. This landscape's features have led to the development of an abundant flora and fauna in the middle of the jungle.For this reason the Federation named it National Park in 1980. Its surface is a little more than 20,000 hectares, the canyon walls reach almost a thousand meters high; at the end of it, Central Hidroeléctrica Manuel Moreno Torres, known as Chicoasén, is located.


TUXTLA GUITIERREZ

19 tuxtla

Tuxtla Gutiérrez is at present a city characterized by its fast demographic growth; very hot seasons and strong winds, and its neighborhoods festivities. Although it is a modern city, many traditions survive as cuisine, legends, rites, vernacular architecture, and its rich and varied vegetation.


ZOOLIGICO MANUEL ALVAREZ DEL TORO (TUXTLA GUTIERREZ)

20 zoomat

Located in Tuxtla Gutierrez, El Zapotal ecological reserve was founded in 1942 by Eliseo Palacios for regional fauna conservation. It was honored for who was director in 1942 to 1996.It comes in the middle of a jungle of medium trees of different species, proper to a similar habitat of those for animals over there. the round takes three; the animals are composed of regional fauna.


SIMA DE LAS COTORRAS

21 Sima-de-las-Cotorras

A deep sinking opened 140 to 160 meters diameter offer a view of a lost exuberant jungle in a dry environment. The name indicates who were such noisy inhabitants, thousands of parrots, graceful flying in spiral come up to surface; there are rupestrian wall paints painted in red and black. Most trees are up 30 meters high, these species are not found at the exterior.

MOXVIKIL

22 moxviquil

No Information

ZINACANTAN

23 zinacantan

The town of Zinacantán, of Tzozil origin, is located only l0 km from San Cristobel de las Casas in what in the Tzotzil language means "Valley of Bats." Similar to the neighboring community of San Juan Chamula, sacred spaces are marked by the hills around the small valley and the group formed by the San Lorenzo church, the Esquipulas Chapel and San Sebastian chapel. In the past, the town of Zinacantán paid taxes and tribute to the ruling ethnic groups of Central Mexico.Zinacantán was conquered in 1486 by the Aztecs, during the reign of King Moctezuma Xocoyotzin. Here, the Aztecs established an important commercial center, while looking for precious merchandise such as the coveted feathers of quetzal, amber and jaguar skins, among others. During the Aztec time there was an extensive exploitation of the local salt mines, this being one of the economic activities more important of that era. The colorful landscapes have made Zinacantán one of the most photographed communities in the region. The inhabitants are hard working, having as main activities the floriculture and the production of vegetables for local consumption. The colorful clothes they wear give a singular beauty to the typical multicolored picture of Mexico. Zinacantán is located 2,100m over the sea level and has a population of more than 30.000.The diversity of colorful crafts also imitates the valley dotted with greenhouses full of flowers, which are a very important part of Zinacantán's economy as well as its rituals. The people of Zinacantán have always been naturally talented business people and merchants; perhaps a characteristic passed down from their Aztec ancestry.

CHAMULA

24 chamula

This is a community of Pre-Hispanic origin whose name means "Thick "Water." The Chamulas have always been a fiercely independent people. As part of the Tzotzil community, they resisted the Spanish upon their arrival in 1524 and later staged a famous rebellion in 1869, attacking the nearby colonial settlement of San Cristobal. San Juan Chamula takes a very important position in the history of Mexico as it was the main battleground during the War of the Castes.San Juan Chamula is the principal town of the Tzotzils, being the main religious and economic center of the community. The most important highlight in San Juan Chamula is its famous Cathedral San Juan Bautista, inside you sense that a higher power speaks to you, and you can feel the sincerity and intensity of the worship. The thick smoke of incense and burning candles, the murmur of prayers fill the air. It is completely forbidden to take pictures inside the Church.

MUSEOS SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS


Maya Medicine Museum

25 museo-medicina-maya

In 1997, the Museum of Mayan Medicine received the National Museum Prize "Miguel Covarrubias", given by the National Institute of Anthropology and History. The Museum's primary objective is spreading information about Tzotzil and Tzeltal curative practices on regional, national and international levels. The Museum consists of several museographic environments depicting the traditional Mayan practices and therapeutic resources of the indigenous physicians of Chiapas. The museum possesses six exhibit spaces and a demonstrative garden containing many important medicinal plants. If you have health problems, you may want to try the herbal pharmacy. Or, you may visit a traditional doctor (pulsador) in the church of the museum, who may diagnose your condition by reading your pulse, or perform a ritual to heal body and soul, using prayer or the temazcal (traditional steam bath). The Museum is open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 18:00 and Saturday and Sunday: from 10:00 to 17:00. The Mayan Medicine Museum is located at the Center for the Development of Mayan Medicine


Los Altos Cultural Center

26 nabolom

Located in the old Convent of Santo Domingo, on Av. 20 de Noviembre. Inside the old Dominican convent is the Cultural Center of the Highlands; in it is a large room with depictions of the history of the city of San Cristobal, showing the main events through the years. Among its pieces are some silver petals from the pomegranate receptacle that held the Host at the cathedral, which was the most important silversmith work from Chiapas, and the bishop's cathedra, the main piece from the lost choir stalls of the cathedral. Here you can visit the Sna Jolobil (House of Weaving in the Tzotzil language) crafts store, showing textiles with pre-Colombian designs exemplifying the Mayan cosmological vision.


Na-Bolom Museum

29 na bolom

Located at 33 Av. Vicente Guerrero, on the corner of Calzada Frans Blom. This museum was founded by famed Danish anthropologist and philanthropist Frans Blom and his wife Gertrude Blom, who left behind a collection of archaeological pieces, crafts and regional Mayan objects. The house is decorated with regional crafts, exhibiting Mayan ceramics and everyday objects of the Lacandons (inhabitants of the Lacandon jungle) in one of its halls. Another hall is devoted to the archaeological zone of Moxviquil, and yet another displays traditional textiles. Also here is the "Fray Bartolome de las Casas" library with over 10,000 volumes on history, culture and regional anthropology. The museum has an archive of journals, an audio archive, a chapel with religious art and a temporary exhibition space.


Amber Museum

27 ambar

Housed in the old Convent de la Merced. The museum exhibits exceptional pieces of that resin from Mesozoic trees. This amber was extracted from mines within the state, which, along with those in the Dominican Republic, are the only sources in America.

The House of Jade

28 jade

Located in the historic downtown district of in San Cristobal. It contains an archaeological exhibit of sculptures and other pieces from the Mocaya culture, which developed in Chiapas before the Olmecs or the Mayas. It also has an extensive end exquisite collection of unusually colored jade pieces, from white to the darkest almost black, passing through the shades of pinks and shades of purple. The House of Jade guarantees the authenticity of its products. The most spectacular exhibit of The House of Jade is the sepulcher of Pakal, the eleventh governor of Palenque. This mausoleum shows an excellent reproduction of the grave of this king, who was interred wearing a jade mask and other adornments under the Temple of the Inscriptions.