Top Things to do in Chiapas
Top Hotels in Chiapas
10 Nature & Parks in Chiapas That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Chiapas, Southern Mexico including National Park of Palenque, Barra De San Jose, Cascada El Chiflon, Laguna Miramar, Cascadas de Agua Azul, Laguna Koila, Zoologico Miguel Alvarez del Toro, Cascada el Aguacero, Orquideas Moxviquil, Cascadas de Misol-Ha.
Restaurants in Chiapas
1. National Park of Palenque
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,199 reviews
A wide variety of pyramids, temples and sculptures have all been found at this famous Mayan archaeological site.
Reviewed By 301lisa33 - Coventry, United Kingdom
Fabulous. This site is quite extensive and diverse. Do look for the Tower Palace (which seems quite unusual). Go inside and explore some of the tunnels. (There are bats, if you want to look for them.) There is a very interesting quadrangle with the Temples of the Sun and Cross. Dramatic. There is also a ball court although that takes a bit of imagination. This site is a major attraction - so get there early
2. Barra De San Jose
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
3. Cascada El Chiflon
4. Laguna Miramar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
This lake, 190 kilometers from San Cristobal, is buried deep in a rainforest filled with diverse forms of wildlife.
5. Cascadas de Agua Azul
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,717 reviews
Reviewed By Jesterinoz - Sydney, Australia
A beautiful spot with some spectacular waterfalls & swimming spots. A great place to spend 90mins to break up the drive between Palenque & San Cristóbal
6. Laguna Koila
7. Zoologico Miguel Alvarez del Toro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 525 reviews
Reviewed By johnpB3780YQ - Guadalajara, Mexico
When I read that the zoo in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, had been called, back in 1979, “The Best Zoo in Latin America,” I knew I had to pay it a visit. And I was not disappointed. Zoológico Regional Miguel Álvarez del Toro, affectionately known as ZOOMAT, struck me as quite unusual, first because every single one of its 1600 animals is native to Chiapas. Then there is its location. Most zoos I’ve seen look as if their architects started with a flat, featureless plot of ground which was then landscaped. Here in Chiapas, however, you have jungle everywhere and it appears they chose one of their finest tropical forests, put in paths, and transformed it into a zoo so beautiful that a walk through it would be utterly delightful even if you never saw a single animal. A third thing I really like about this zoo is that many of its inhabitants are not behind fences or walls at all, but run about just as free as the visitors. Fortunately, there are plenty of signs reminding people to stay on the walkways at all times, and the result is that you are quite likely to discover, all by yourself, creatures you have never seen or heard of before, such as the endangered Guatemalan black howler monkey or the critically endangered guaqueque or Mexican agouti, a rabbit-sized rodent with a big black rump, which I bumped into over and over. Then again, you might find yourself suddenly engulfed by a whole family of noisily chatting chachalaca birds crossing your path on their way to who knows where, clearly letting you know that it is they who own this place while you are merely a guest. Chiapas has one of the greatest diversities of wildlife in the Americas, with more than 700 species of birds, 50 species of mammals and more than 200 of reptiles. It’s famous for its species of regional fauna such as wild boars, black jaguars, toucans, macaws and of course quetzals, all of which you can see in this zoo. And let’s not forget the nocturnal animals: ZOOMAT certainly hasn’t. To see them in semi-darkness, you first step into a dimly lit room where you are asked to do nothing for a while so your eyes can adjust to the dark. Then you are asked to keep silence as you enter a long, wide tunnel with window after window giving you a rare opportunity to observe animals like the tepezcuintle (lowland paca), the martucha (kinkajou or honey bear), the cacomixtle (ringtail) and, of course, murciélagos, bats, all doing their thing in the murky twilight. ZOOMAT is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. That is not a typo: it closes unusually early because the path is 2.5 kilometers long and getting everyone out must be quite a challenge. On top of that, the tall trees and dense foliage bring darkness well before sunset. So, if you would like to be among ZOOMAT’s 450,000 yearly visitors, I suggest you go there as early as possible and psychologically prepare yourself for spending most of the day within its boundaries. After all, if you dedicate only four minutes to visiting each of the zoo’s 80 attractions, that alone would take over five hours.
8. Cascada el Aguacero
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 49 reviews
Reviewed By MAB1A - Davis, United States
In summary? Well worth the visit. A nice surprise. Now some detail: This 800+ stair down (and then 800+ stair back up) adventure gave us much more (in a positive sense) than we had expected (from the reviews we read). We drove there from Tuxtla after visiting the Sima de los Cotorras - a good combination of trips. Driving ourselves always adds an element of adventure and uncertainty (something I guess we enjoy). From the falls themselves, to the path up and down, to the road in, it added up to give us a memorable and most enjoyable experience. The entry fee is very modest and parking is secure and safe. There were maybe half a dozen cars when we were there. One possible issue (in terms of driving) is the one lane road in and out just prior to the falls - with a fairly steep drop on one side. We didn’t run in to any counter flow, but it would have made for some interesting negotiations had we met another car. While the walking path down is good, you need some fairly reasonable level of movement to make the cross-country trek at the end. I think we ended up spending about 2 hours up and down.
9. Orquideas Moxviquil
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 449 reviews
Orquideas Moxviquil, OM, began in 1994 with a passionate desire to rescue the fallen flora of Chiapas's ever depleting forests. NOTE: Please enter through the OM entrance, NOT the Moxviquil entrance to experience the full magic of OM. The desire to maintain a small sampling of the natural flora of Chiapas for future generations was the driving force that created this oasis of the varied lifeblood of Chiapas's living natural wonders. These plants rescued from over 200 locations is a divine testament to the passion of rescuing and the desire to save the diminishing gifts of nature for future generations. The plants are preserved from further squandering of natures most delicate and little protected flora gems. This destruction is manifested in the pursuit of food, financial return and greed. OM continues to seek areas of destruction to preserve for the grandchildren of the world an expanding collection of this diversity in a sanctuary of preservation in the valley of San Cristobal, Chiapas. As of October 2014, the collection has over 25,000 rescued plants, comprising 600 species native to Chiapas. The garden located at 2100 meter above sea level has a hothouse for plants from the tierra caliente, hot lands, 1500 meters above sea level down to sea level, a fern grotto, a Maya Medicinal garden, two lakes one that is home to a rare local fish, Popoyote, several seasonal wetlands, extensive areas to walk, meditate and look for birds and other fauna in the cultivated and native wild forests of the Moxviquil 100 hectare reserve. OM has just completed the construction of our second greenhouse dedicated to the Lagos de Montebello, the most bio rich area of Mexico. Bring your headphones to tune in and relax, bring a camera to capture the colors, textures and forms available to you a lunch and a drawing pad. Sit on the last bench in the greenhouse and pretend; pretend you are deep in a Chiapas jungles, the birds will call, the wind will blow and your senses will be bathed in the exotic paradise that is OM. OM is dedicated to enriching your knowledge and enjoyment. One way we do this is by asking each person to please touch the plants, to experience with your fingers the delicate forms, the sharpness, the textural richness of the native plants of Chiapas. Smell and listen for the sounds that permeate the gardens.
Reviewed By R5457FCsandys - Albuquerque, United States
Our combi (collective taxi) on the Ojo de Agua route dropped us right at the entrance to this fascinating botanical garden devoted to hundreds of species orchids and bromeliads. Examples of species native to the surrounding mountains dotted trees along the path. Looking vaguely Tolkienesque, specialized structures housed species from three different ecological zones: rainforest, wetlands and tropical jungle. Our guide, Antonio, was cordial and knowledgeable, pointing out everything from orchids smaller than the tip of a pinkie to those the size of a bread plate, even encouraging us to smell the different varieties. We recommend visiting here before heading to Sumidero Canyon or a hike in the cloud forest. And wear sturdy rubber-soled walking running shoes. Although paths through the garden are well-maintained, this is no place for flip-flops!
10. Cascadas de Misol-Ha
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,489 reviews
Reviewed By The6marbles
The waterfall is amazing. We loved walking behind it. It can get slippery, but it’s worth it and beautiful. It’s a short taxi ride to the falls, or you can take a collectivo to the entrance and a taxi from there to the falls. There is also a restaurant for lunch.
