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A information to the best way to get to Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico – and the best way to go to the Mayan ruins within the Palenque Archeological Zone…
One of many largest Mayan websites in Mexico, however far much less identified than Chichen Itza, the ruins at Palenque are an unbelievable sight.
This was an enormous Mayan metropolis from round 200BC to 800AD. After it was deserted, the town was overtaken by the jungle – and immediately solely about 3% of the buildings have been excavated. The remainder stay misplaced to the jungle, overgrown by towering sequoias and tangled vines, their mossy partitions mixing into the bottom.
For these searching for Mayan ruins with fewer crowds than Chichen Itza and Tulum, the Palenque ruins are a must-visit. The trendy-day city of the identical title can be a super jumping-off level for evocative jungle adventures, waterfall excursions, and exploring Chiapas state.
However getting there is usually a little bit of a problem! Palenque is tucked away within the nook of Chiapas, not removed from the Guatemalan border, and it’s not likely close to another main vacationer hubs.
So, I’ve outlined the finest methods to get to Palenque – in addition to the best way to get to the Archeological Zone ruins (with or with out a tour information) and a few ideas for visiting them.
Don’t need to learn the entire information? Use the desk of contents beneath to leap straight to the part you want! Buen viaje…
Get to Palenque (the City)
The closest airport to Palenque is Villahermosa in neighbouring Tabasco state. From there, it’s a few two-hour drive or 2.5 hours by bus to Palenque.
You can too fly into Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the capital of Chiapas state. That is round a 6-hour drive to Palenque (7 hours by bus), however you may at all times cease off on the lovely mountain city of San Cristobal de las Casa alongside the way in which.
FYI – driving in some components of Chiapas isn’t at all times protected because of an ongoing battle between some native indigenous teams and the Mexican authorities. I’ll share extra particulars on the finish of this weblog submit.
ADO run a number of buses a day to Palenque from Villahermosa (ranging from $110 MXN). From Tuxtla, OCC (a associate firm of ADO) run a number of buses every day to Palenque, together with in a single day buses. These take about 7 hours and value round $380 MXN.
From Cancun
Getting from Cancun to Palenque by bus takes 13 to 14 hours, so it’s not a straightforward journey. You possibly can take an in a single day bus and journey the total distance in a single go.
Should you choose to interrupt the journey up, you may cease in Campeche for a day or two. It’s 7-8 hours to Campeche, then 6 hours from Campeche to Palenque. You can additionally cease in Merida or Valladolid on the way in which to Campeche to interrupt the journey up even additional.
From Merida
From Merida to Palenque is about 9 hours by bus. ADO run each a day and an evening bus (round $950 MXN) so you may select whichever fits your schedule finest.
From San Cristobal de las Casas
The street between San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque is identified to have frequent blockades (see the part on driving in Chiapas on the finish of this submit).
Both because of this, or just because it’s such a winding mountain street, the ADO buses go the good distance spherical (by way of Tuxtla Gutierrez and Villahermosa) – leading to a 9+ hour bus experience.
A a lot better different is to ebook a personal switch or a tour that features a switch. Many native firms provide a waterfalls tour which features a switch from San Cristobal to Palenque (or vice versa). That is what I did (click on right here for the tour I booked) and it was a good way to journey between the 2 cities.
Value noting: after the waterfalls tour, we have been transferred onto one other bus for the journey to San Cristobal. A police escort guarded us whereas we swapped! It was a little bit unnerving to know this was obligatory, however good to know that the authorities are taking good care of vacationers.
Visiting Palenque Ruins with a Tour
Most individuals who head to Palenque are there to go to the traditional Mayan ruins on the Zona Arqueologica de Palenque (Archeological Zone). These are throughout the Palenque Nationwide Park simply outdoors of city, a few 20-minute drive from the centre.
You possibly can drive there your self, or take a cab or public transport (extra on that beneath). However for those who’re the form of one that prefers becoming a member of an organised tour, there are many choices. Pop into one of many tour firm workplaces within the vacationer space, or ebook certainly one of these excursions on-line:
Get to Palenque Ruins
Don’t fancy a tour? It’s VERY straightforward to go to Palenque Ruins your self utilizing public transport.
You possibly can rent a information once you get to the park entrance, or just discover the ruins alone. Right here’s the best way to go to Palenque Archaeological Zone…
- Take a colectivo (minibuses that run a public transport service) to the ruins. These depart from straight outdoors the ADO bus station and normally have an indication within the window that claims “Ruinas” (ruins). The charge is 20 MXN per particular person – attempt to have the change prepared.
- The colectivo will drop you on the ticket workplace so you may pay your entry charge. As of January 2023, the price was 104 MXN to enter the Nationwide Park, plus 90 MXN to enter the ruins.
- FYI – the Museo de Sitio de Palenque is right here on the ticket workplace. You possibly can go to it earlier than or after you discover the ruins.
- If it waited, hop again on the colectivo to get to the precise entrance to the ruins. You can too stroll – it’s about 1km from the ticket workplace to the ruins following the street.
- Present your ticket and enter the Palenque Ruins. You possibly can rent a information for those who like (see beneath), or discover at your personal leisure.
- When you’re executed exploring, take the Motiepá path via the forest again down in the direction of the ticket workplace and Museum. This path will take you thru the jungle and previous a reasonably waterfall.
- Take a colectivo again to Palenque city centre.
Meals, services and bathrooms at Palenque Ruins
There are loads of distributors and few totally different meals stalls in entrance of the doorway to the ruins. I like to recommend bringing some snacks with you as the costs will typically be larger throughout the Archaeological Zone.
Contained in the ruins, I noticed distributors promoting souvenirs and many others, however no meals or drinks. So you should definitely purchase water earlier than coming into.
There are a number of bathrooms inside Palenque Archeological Zone. You’ll discover them on the ticket workplace (these are the nicest), in addition to simply earlier than the doorway to the ruins, and throughout the ruins web site itself.
What to take to the ruins
- Loads of water!
- Mosquito repellent is VITAL – the ruins are surrounded by forest and the mozzies right here aren’t any joke!
- Suncream, sunhat and many others.
- Put on free, cozy clothes and attempt to maintain coated – the solar will be fairly fierce!
- Trainers/sneakers or sturdy strolling sandals are a good suggestion. Though there are paths all through the principle Archeological Zone web site, it’s a big space and also you’ll be strolling rather a lot. Plus, you may climb a number of the pyramids (that are uneven stone steps) – and for those who head into the jungle the paths will be muddy.
Do I would like a information for Palenque?
A LOT of guides will give you their providers, each on the ticket workplace and park entrance. Having one will be useful if you would like a extra in-depth historical past of the ruins and a few data about how the Mayans lived, nevertheless it’s not important.
The Zona Archeologica is effectively signposted, there’s a map on the entrance and a path main across the web site. There are indicators in English and Spanish in any respect the pyramids and temples, so that you’ll get a reasonably good overview of what you’re . And you may study much more on the Museum earlier than or after you go to the ruins.
How a lot do guides value?
Should you do desire a information, it’s price noting that you simply pay one value for the information moderately than per particular person. So if there are a number of of you you may cut up the price. Should you’re visiting Palenque solo it really works out costlier, however it’s possible you’ll discover another solo travellers who need to workforce up.
The official costs for guided excursions are marketed as 1300 for the “tour corto” (quick tour – simply exploring the principle space) and 2600mxn for the “tour largo” (the lengthy tour, which additionally encompasses a quick stroll via the close by jungle). You possibly can generally haggle these costs down, particularly on quieter days. The very best value we have been capable of get supplied was 1300mxn for the lengthy tour.
The Palenque “jungle tour”
The “jungle tour” is an add on to the principle tour, and moderately an costly one for what you get. Some guides may also give you simply the jungle tour, with out the ruins, for a less expensive value – which is what I ended up doing.
In equity, the tour was fairly cool. However it was mainly a brief, one hour stroll within the jungle near the doorway to the ruins. We noticed traces of moss-covered partitions belonging to un-excavated ruins, towering bushes, jungle vegetation and howler monkeys.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t fairly as thrilling because the information made it sound when he pitched it to us. Plus, you may really enter the jungle your self on the Motiepá Path – and we noticed howler monkeys within the automobile park outdoors the Archeological Zone. On steadiness, I’d say you may in all probability skip the jungle tour.
Is Driving in Chiapas Protected?
As talked about above, a number of the roads in Chiapas state are thought of to be unsafe. Most notably, the street between San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque.
Many will advise you to take the freeway by way of Villahermosa – it appears to be like like an extended approach round on the map, however is definitely about the identical drive time because the winding mountain street.
On the entire, Chiapas is a protected state and very talked-about with vacationers – so I don’t need the next to place you off visiting! However for those who’re planning a street journey in Mexico, it’s price being conscious of the state of affairs.
There may be an ongoing battle inside Chiapas between an area group preventing for indigenous folks’s rights – often known as Zapatistas – and the Mexican authorities.
Inside Chiapas, there are a number of autonomous territories, known as Insurgent Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities. The area’s autonomy isn’t recognised by the federal government, so tensions will be excessive at occasions.
Though there’s presently no energetic battle, there have been cases of protests and blockades alongside the street between Palenque and San Cristobal. I’ve additionally heard studies of locals placing a rope throughout the street and never letting vehicles go till they purchase one thing or hand over some money.
Public buses take the longer freeway street between the 2 cities (by way of Villahermosa), whereas personal transfers that take the mountain street appear to have safety from the native police pressure. I took a personal switch right here not too long ago and we had an armed police guard whereas we modified buses after our tour! My buddy travelled a few days earlier than and instructed us she had a police escort for a part of the journey.
Should you do drive, solely journey through the day. It’s a good suggestion to have some $100 MXN notes prepared in case you encounter a blockade.
Extra on Palenque and close by
I hope you discovered this information on the best way to get to Palenque and the Archaeological Zone ruins useful. Acquired a query? Scroll down and depart me a remark – I’ll attempt to assist if I can!