I've really never been to a place where you can actually FEEL the place. A place that touches you…read moreimmediately once you arrive. I believe this place is magical. I'm not sure what struck me this way - whether it's the jungle setting or the fact that I'm literally walking around an ancient civilization. Whatever it is, something hit me hard. Something that calls me back - even a year later. This location is fairly priced. There were some people there when I went, but not a lot. You can, however, tell this place is getting more and more popular. People are coming via tour buses. Locals are setting up souvenir shops. Things that I don't like about tourism - says the professional tourist. Prepare to spend an entire day here. There is more here than meets the eye. Take your time walking through the sites. Spend time reading the information (in English) and you'll be rewarded. Want to get an even better idea of what to expect? Check out my personal adventure here: https://youtu.be/EJmkuezzWCQ

A 1 hour and 25-minute flight from Mexico City, Mexico to Palenque, Mexico puts you in a UNESCO…read moreWorld Heritage site of Pre-Hispanic City Palenque, home to the National Park of Palenque the northwestern most city-state in the Maya World with origins that date back to as far as 100 B.C.. To get to the park from Palenque, you can use a taxi or the better and cheaper version is the bus van (see my pictures). Bus vans are very common in Palenque and from the City Center to the National Park you pay about MXN $10 ($0.55 USD). If you decided to take a taxi travelers expect to pay anywhere from MXN $500 to $1000 ($27 to $55 USD!) The drive from City Center to the Park is about 20 minutes to 30 minutes long since they pick-up and drop off other passengers along the way. I used the bus van and found it safe and the people driving it were always friendly. Prior to accessing the temples expect to be charged two entrance fees. The first charge will be MXN $15 will be charged by the Council of Protected Areas at the park's main gate. The second charge will be MXN $45 ($2.50 USD) and collected at the archaeological park's entrance. The bus van will drive you all the way up to the archeological park's entrance. But be aware that it might be faster to just get down and walk since traffic can get congested at the archeological park entrance. Once you get down, be prepared to be overwhelmed by tour offers, souvenir and water vendors! Once you've entered the archeological park and left the hustle and bustle of vendors, you will be surrounded by a lush green jungle home to howling monkey's, jaguars and amazing birds. Many of the temples of Palenque was rebuild and currently visitors can climb the many temples. However, I was told by my guide that this would soon change. Expect to stay here for the entire day! Below are some additional tips from my trip: - For a one hour tour, I paid about MXN $200 ($10 USD). I found a tour vendor located to the right-hand side prior to entering the main archeological entrance. They were dressed in brown. Rates vary so expect to bargain. I recommend doing a one hour tour if you are interested in learning about the history of the city. - The park is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., every day of the week, 365 days a year. - Bring your own water or buy one before you enter the park! You will need it, the weather (depending on the time of the year) during my visit was hot and humid!! - Make sure to bring a small bottle of insect repellant. - Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing. - Be respectful of the area!

DO NOT COME HERE AS A TOURIST...THE POLICE WILL TAKE YOU, ISOLATE YOU, AND ROB YOU. I was traveling…read morewith my partner and their mom (who are from México). I was here legally, with my passport and paperwork that says tourists are allowed to be here for a maximum of 180 days. I was traveling by public bus when we were stopped by 5 different police check points over the course of 7 hours. There was Chiapas state police, city police, immigration officers, and 2 other groups. The police got on the bus and out of around 60 people on the bus, they ONLY asked for identification from myself and the only other white person on the bus. I hate to make it about race but the police ONLY spoke to the white people. When they looked at my passport they told me "you have stayed too long. You need to leave the country today." This was absolutely wrong so we tried to tell them, and they argued with us, saying I needed to get off the bus and come with them ALONE. My partner and their mom asked if they could come with me at least and all 5 times the police said no, I had to go alone. DO NOT GO. IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN THE COUNTRY LEGALLY, DO NOT GO WITH THEM. THEY WILL ROB YOU, IF NOT WORSE...PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU, DO NOT GO WITH THE POLICE IF YOU KNOW YOUR PAPERWORK IS CORRECT. PLEASE NEVER COME TO CHIAPAS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE LIGHT SKINNED. Palenque, Chiapas is beautiful but when exiting Chiapas is when I had major issues with corrupt police and immigration officers. Other notes if you still decide to come even after i do not recommend: in mine, my girlfriend's, and her mom's opinions (they are from central México), the food is not so great here compared to other parts of México and it is very expensive compared to other places because this is a big tourist area. With all that said, it is beautiful here as it is so green. It is also HOT and HUMID; you will sweat more in your life here than ever before. It rains a lot but usually in the evening time.

It is amazing to see these ruins and practically impossible to see every thing in one day . So much…read moreto see and learn and wonder how these ancient civilization had so much knowledge about science and technology. One of the must visit place on earth and I feel lucky I was there .

There are SO many places in Chiapas that I'd like to write Yelp reviews for - but almost none have…read moreeasily verifiable names or addresses (yet somehow still seem to attract plenty of visitors willing to travel terrible roads to do so). This is probably the most well-known and only one I could find already listed on Yelp. Don't bother!

This is a bucket list item. For me, the ruins of Palenque are THE BEST attraction to see in Mexico!…read more This is an incredible archeological site of a Mayan city, on a highland overlooking a vast plain on the edge of the Chiapas jungle near the Guatemalan border. The jungle rises up behind the striking buildings. We walked back into the jungle and found half-buried stone structures covered in jungle vines. It felt like we were some of the original explorers of the place, like Indiana Jones or something, and this ancient and mysterious scene left an imprint. By 2005, the explored area was about 1.5 square miles, which is estimated to be less than 10% of the city, with an estimated 1,000 or more thousand structures still covered by jungle. Palenque is located in Mexico's southernmost state of Chiapas is about 500 miles (800 km) southeast of Mexico City and about 150 km by road from the city of Villahermosa, which is the way we came. You can also take a bus from Cancun or Merida. Very recently Interjet Airlines started non-stop flights from Mexico City directly into the Palenque airport (Thursdays, and Sundays). The city reached its peak in the seventh century A.D. with a major building expansion under the reign of "Pakal the Great" who ascended the throne at the age of twelve to his death at age eighty. The construction included of the huge "Palace", and the "Temple of the Inscriptions" which sits on top of a step pyramid. Other notable buildings are the Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Foliated Cross and the Temple of the Sun. The King's tomb of Pakal the Great was rediscovered in 1952 inside the "Temple of the Inscriptions". It had been previously overlooked. Back in 1987 when I was there, you descended huge steps deep down into the pyramid to see Pacal's incredible tomb. The large carved stone sarcophagus lid in the Temple of Inscriptions is one of the most important pieces of Classic Maya art. The New World's earliest known example of engineered water pressure was discovered at Palenque. It was previously thought that the Spanish brought this technology to the Americas, but the aquaducts here predate the arrival of the Spanish and other Europeans. Archaeologists believe this site was occupied from about 500 B.C. to around 850 A.D. when it was abandoned. What led to the collapse of the Mayan civilization is still the subject of debate, but recent research suggests that drought caused by climate change played an important role. After its decline, Palenque was absorbed by the jungle. However, the vegetation largely protected the structures from looting and the elements. The Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque is a World Heritage site since 1987. The experience of Palenque blows away even Chichen Itza because of its lush greenery, exotic jungle location and because the crowds and sellers are less. The local rainfall is about 85 inches (2160 mm) per year. YELP was not even a figment when I visited here in 1987. I really need to search in my storage for my hard-copy pictures and convert them to digital to post here. I can only post internet pictures at this time, but I had to post something cause this place is truly AWESOME. Even more "awesome" than a Frappuchino from Huntington Beach Starbucks.

Sometimes you wonder how much a stunning place, can be left untouched. That's the case with Tonina…read more These beautiful ruins haven't seen its share of tourists yet, and that's amazing. The set of ruins are amazing, and you can climb right to the top of the pyramid. Prices aren't "fixed". They have suggested prices listed including those for photo taking and filming. Instead of paying the inflated prices, I decided to allow a local guide (paid of course) to take me through and they looked the other direction at my camera. The guide spoke English well enough that I was able to get quite a bit from his tour. We were there for hours, sitting at the top of the pyramid and just looking. It was one of my favourite views of the entire trip. You have stunning views of the jungle and country side. It's spectacular, and I would recommend going if you even come close to this area of the country. Want to see an amazing video of this place? Check it out here https://youtu.be/j1deWh_y3Bg

I sat atop the Temple of the Smoking Mirror, the highest point at Toniná, looking out at the green…read morehighlands. I was the sole visitor on an overcast day of incredible peace and silence. I had no reason to leave. The first time I was here, my foot was attacked by fire ants and I was almost bitten by a coral snake. That better reflects the real Toniná: a violent place that was responsible for the downfall of nearby Palenque. Chopping heads, binding captives and tattooing them with their vital information was the routine here. Toniná is a series of brown stone platforms, one upon the other, rising toward the sky with ominously-name structures, like the Temple of the Earch Monster and Palace of the Underworld, on each level. There are dark passageways both above and below ground. Fantastic stucco friezes are one strong reason to visit. Sculptors here were adept at creating three-dimensional sculptures, too. In 2011, archaeologists found two masterfully-sculpted 1,300 year-old stone statues depicting captives of war. There is much more to discover. Toniná has a small but colorful museum at its entrance. There are stone sculptures on display but the highlight may be the lid of a vessel. It depicts a god of chocolate wearing a necklace of cacao. So, why the lack of tourists? The lone guard here said revolution and the poor economy. Others have said the area can be dangerous. Certainly, this area has its political challenges and clashes between cultures. It's unfortunate. I've never had a problem in this area and driving the twisty Ruta Maya highway route to get here is its own highlight. You'll see many men carrying machetes: their essential work tool on farms. Watch out for the Mayan women who stretch string across the highway in an effort to get drivers to stop and buy their goods. Visit the Ocosingo market near Toniná to watch the interaction between traditional and modern cultures. It all adds up to a great experience.

Accessibility: they have 1 wheelchair but unfortunately it is broken so they have no working…read morewheelchairs for guests. If walking is difficult for you, this may not be the place to visit. There are built in seats all throughout the park which made it do-able for me using a cane, but it was still a lot of walking. The bathrooms were wheelchair accessible and the entire park is flat ground with no stairs. There were sections of the park that were very sunny but most of the park was shaded from the trees. I still recommend wearing sunblock, a sunhat, and sunglasses as it is VERY hot and humid. A sweater is not needed in July, even for kids. BRING WATER. You will not come across very many employees while in the park, so if you need assistance, make sure to ask when you are entering. What it is: This is a beautiful animal rehabilitation facility where they rescue animals from bad situations, house and feed them so they become strong again, then let them go back into the wild. Some of the animals, however, choose to stay here because they enjoy it (such as the birds). Cost: 150 pesos per person. Size: the place is medium size...big for kids but not super huge for adults. The average adult could probably go through this whole place in 2-3 hours but for me, a person with physical disabilities, it took 4 hours. Experience: this place is truly beautiful and worth coming if you love animals and nature. You will see crocodiles, birds, butterflies, ocelots, snakes, turtles, monkeys, jaguars, ants, hawks, pigs, coatís, iguanas, deer, tapirs, bearded lizards, raccoons, manatees, and flamingos. Some of these animals are in enclosed areas, and some of them (such a birds, butterflies, and iguanas, are just roaming around freely. The whole place is very beautiful. There is a gift shop before you exit and they sell t-shirts, reusable water bottles, jewelry, patches, stuffed animals, posters, books, and hats.

I have been here over a dozen times. It's a beautiful zoo filled with well maintained wildlife as…read morewell as a bevy of wildlife that lives here inside the zoo just roaming the jungle. It's a spot you definitely want to take your family. They have lots of activities for children as well, feeding the different animals and photos.

Huge park good for jogs and bicycle rides. Lots of vendors selling chicharrones de arina.read more