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Chiapas &

Includes  Why Go? San Cristóbal de Chilly pine-forest highlands, wildlife-rich rainforest jungles las Casas...... 230 and well-preserved colonial cities exist side by side within Around ’s southernmost state, a region awash with the legacy San Cristóbal...... 238 of Spanish rule and some fabulous remnants of ancient Tabasco...... 239 Maya civilization. ...... 241 The state has the second-largest indigenous population in & the country, and the modern Maya of form a direct Yaxchilán ...... 246 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. Best Places Chiapas contains swathes of wild green landscape that to Eat have nourished its inhabitants for centuries. And nature lov- ers willing to venture off the beaten path will be rewarded ¨¨Don Mucho’s (p245) with frothy cascades, exotic biosphere reserves and adven- ¨¨TierrAdentro (p236) turous geological destinations. ¨¨Restaurante LUM (p236) ¨¨Café Jade (p245) ¨¨Trattoria La Nonna When to Go (p236) ¨¨The rainy season is from May to 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 Best Places impassable during the rainy season. to Stay ¨¨The dry season is between November and April, when ¨¨Boutique Hotel Quinta warm, sunny days are the norm. Chanabnal (p245) ¨¨Temperatures don’t vary much with the changing ¨¨La Joya Hotel (p235) seasons – altitude is a much more influential factor. ¨¨Hotel b¨o (p235) Lowland areas (such as Palenque and ) are hot and sticky year-round, with punishing humidity and daily highs above 86°F (30°C). In more elevated places (like San Cristóbal), the climate is fresher and nights get fairly cold in winter (November to March). MEX 180

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Soyaló s Río G Río nu o Jaltenango

Simojovel c Teapa

MEX o 195 Tapijulapa

(Ángel Albino l S E Ancient Las Garzas Villahermosa Embarcadero

Bahía de Puerto Ceiba Chiapa

Campeche de Corzo Reforma Sumidero Cañón del Tuxtla Pichucalco Cárdenas Gutiérrez Reserva de la Biosfera La Encrucijada

Tabasco Sierra Madre de Chiapas Pijijiapan MEX 187 Comalcalco Chiapas 100 km Malpasito MEX Cotorras 180 Sima de Las enta Tulpico Reserva de la Biosfera Selva El Ocote Reserva de la Biosfera La Sepultura Barra de Tonalá Ocozocoautla 50 miles Boca ío La V MEX 190 MEX

R 200 del Cielo Malpasito Presa La Venta Arista Puerto Sánchez Arriaga Magallanes Paredón

MEXICO

GULF OF MEX Netzahualcóyotl O C E A N 180D P A C I F I C 0 0

Explore the Explore Visit the ancient Visit Wander around Wander Ponder the the Ponder

San San high-altitude de las Cristóbal (p230), Casas charming home to streets, cobblestone colonial pretty and buildings dressed colorfully peoples. indigenous mysterious sculptural sculptural mysterious the ancient art of while the around wandering grounds junglelike Villahermosa’s of La Parque-Museo – a (p239) Venta within the paradise city. bustling 4 3 2 1 Chiapas & Chiapas Tabasco Highlights extraordinary ruins of ruins of extraordinary (p241), Palenque and jade masks where were jewels priceless a ruler’s inside found and the sarcophagus, boasts architecture unique features. co & Tabasco Highlig Yaxchilán of cities hts reachable (p247), via an adventurous trip, river-boat and Bonampak which offers (p247), preserved amazingly murals. painted

Chiapas & Tabas 228