In the middle of the deep cedar and mahogany jungle of Chiapas lie the remnants of ancient Maya cities which once reigned over the Yucatan Peninsula and much of Central America. The ruins are a testimony of the advanced architectural, mathematical and astronomical capacities of this mysterious civilisation. By far the biggest of the Maya sites in Chiapas, Palenque is an impressive city and the base for excursions to other remote ancient cities of Yaxchilan and Bonampak – this triumvirate of ruins make for an excellent introduction to the Maya culture.
Tip: The jungle belongs to the mosquitoes – make sure you wear lots of repellent when you enter their territory!
Palenque: the last fortress of Pakal
The impressively well-preserved city of Palenque was discovered only in the 18th century and even today, only 5% of the original city is excavated from under the jungle. Its huge pyramids hide some of the most sublime examples of Maya art: stone carvings, hieroglyphic tablets and sculptures. The highlight of the site is the tomb with the sarcophagus of the ruler of the Palenque from the 7th century, K’inich Janaab Pakal. This is one of the most elaborate tombs ever found in Mesoamerica. However, visiting the Temple of Inscriptions, where the sarcophagus remains, is only allowed with official permission (and a hefty price), but a replica can be seen in the museum just outside the main site. It is possible to visit the tomb of the Red Queen in one of the smaller pyramids, which shows how complicated the construction of these pyramids actually was. There are many sellers of souvenirs in the area – look out for a replica painting of Pakal tomb’s lid, which according to some shows Pakal flying a space ship. You can decide whether this is true or not! The walk through the city’s courtyards, palaces and pyramids will give you an idea of how huge Palenque was in its days – especially impressive is the bird’s eye-view from the top of the Temple of the Cross.
As most of the ancient city still remains hidden under the jungle, it is an amazing experience to go on a short guided hike through the surrounding forest. Guides can be found prior to the entering of the main site. On the walk, you will learn about the jungle plants and wildlife and explore some of the unexcavated ruins that will give you a sense of how pre-excavated Palenque looked like. The highlight for us was definitely going into one of the underground Mayan water tunnels, but the experience might not be for those afraid of spiders, snakes or small spaces.
Tip: Many people visit Palenque as a daytrip from San Cristobal de las Casas, but the ride is long and the visit to the amazing ruins can feel too short. It might be better to stay at one of the several hotels in the modern town of Palenque that is only a short drive away from the ruins. However, if flying in, the international airport of Palenque is served by irregular flights (only two weekly flights from Mexico City), so a better alternative is the airport in Villahermosa which receives flights from all over Mexico and is a 2 hours drive away from Palenque.
Yaxchilan: the city hidden in the jungle
Deep in the jungle and accessed only by a boat ride on the Usumacinta River is the city of Yaxchilan – once one of the most powerful Mayan states along the river. The ruins have some of the most elaborately carved lintels and amazingly preserved hieroglyphic texts found in any Maya city. The main site is the Central Acropolis which sits atop the main hill and from which you can admire the grandeur of the city. You can go inside to see some of the amazing carvings – don’t forget to look up while standing on the doorways. With luck you will also see howling monkeys, toucans, and several birds which have claimed the ruins as their home.
Tip: Start your trip here early (at around 6am) to avoid the tour groups and you will have the ruins all to yourself.
Bonampak: the last preserved painted murals
Though much smaller in size than the above cities and with less impressive architecture than Palenque or Yaxchilan, the ruins of Bonampak host one of the best preserved Mayan murals. The colours of the murals remained almost intact for more than 1200 years. They depict a brutal battle together with human sacrifices after the victorious end – proof that the Maya were not a peaceful civilization. On the site you can also find nicely carved reliefs of the rulers.
Tip: If you can afford it, arrive in style. There is a plane trip leaving from Comitan which stops in Yaxchilan and Bonampak and offers amazing views from above over the ruins.
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