Top Chiapas Tours: See Mexico’s Best Kept Secrets

Chiapas, that beautiful state down in southern Mexico, it’s almost like a treasure box waiting to be opened. When you think of Mexico, it’s easy to just picture beaches and resorts, but Chiapas, well, Chiapas has such a different vibe, that really shows off some seriously amazing natural beauty, ancient ruins, and culture that’s super special. Picking the right tour can really make all the difference, helping you see these spots with guides who can actually share some cool stories and know all the hidden corners. So, lets jump into the very top tour choices you have when visiting.

1. Palenque and its Mysterious Mayan Echoes Tour

Palenque, it’s almost like stepping straight into a history book, but instead of just reading about it, you’re right there where things happened. This old Mayan city, hidden really good deep in the rainforest, is something you just can’t miss. You might feel the pull of ancient secrets around every corner, with the calls of jungle birds only adding more atmosphere to it. A visit to Palenque with people that are clued up on the place can change what you think about history, it really connects you with a time when the Mayan civilization was booming.

Very experienced guides on Palenque tours do really light up this site, pointing out so many tiny, interesting facts about the Mayan people, like how good they were at watching the stars and building really impressive buildings. I went there a while back, and what stood out, it’s almost that these stone carvings and pyramids weren’t just cold stone but really told a story of royal families, gods, and ancient stories. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Palenque Tour)

These tours often, too it’s almost start off in Villahermosa or Palenque town and you could add visits to close-by waterfalls that can seriously give you a break from walking around, very letting you take in the jungle views around there too. This trip gives you a deeper understanding of history and is totally surrounded by the gorgeous views in Chiapas. It definitely should be a highlight of anyone’s vacation, that.

Read our full review: Palenque Ruins Tour Full Review and Details

2. Sumidero Canyon: Boat Rides That Showcase Some Truly Amazing Views

The Sumidero Canyon is honestly one of nature’s biggest and best masterpieces, really, carving deeply through Chiapas. When you cruise the Grijalva River, snaking its way through the canyon, it’s almost like you’re going into another, ancient world. Soaring high canyon walls get up to one thousand meters in spots, that really dwarf the boats below them. The tours there usually take you through, getting some super scenic views of cascading waterfalls, those cool caves, and a bunch of wildlife along the banks.

A boat tour really is how you want to see the Sumidero Canyon. Keep a look out for different critters like those cute spider monkeys chilling in the trees, very long crocodiles sunbathing, and bunches of different birds flying around. A lot of tours usually start from Tuxtla Gutiérrez and often, too it’s almost throw in a trip to the neat, little town of Chiapa de Corzo, allowing you to see even more of what the local culture and history is.

One of the moments that really stuck with me, it’s almost like the boat slipped through such slim passageways and that quiet sound as water dripped off the plant life, and that huge feeling of seeing just how awesome nature can get. Seeing the Sumidero Canyon is an experience that just shouts how amazing Chiapas’ natural landscapes can be, you. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Sumidero Canyon Tour)

Read our full review: Sumidero Canyon Boat Tour Full Review and Details

3. San Cristóbal de las Casas: Walking Trips that Highlight Culture and the Local Style

San Cristóbal de las Casas has such a beauty to it; so, very capturing the vibe and soul of Chiapas. The town sits in a valley, ringed with hills, keeping that really historic vibe with old buildings, local marketplaces, and residents who are really holding on to their customs. Just walking through San Cristóbal feels super authentic, so showing you how colonialism and the old Mayan ways are still alive together in Chiapas.

Tour guides could tell you some really engaging stories behind the old churches, the very detailed textiles at the markets, and what everyday life really looks like there for the indigenous communities. Make sure to stop into places like the Santo Domingo Church with its very flashy facade or hang around the local markets that are super colorful and filled with goods, really making it an eye-popping dive into the culture. that

These types of tours let you walk all over town and get a feel for the very strong mix of cultures. A walk through the streets, that it’s almost when you really begin appreciating what makes Chiapas so unique and special. And, seeing it with people who know tons about the local area? Totally makes your travel even better. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (San Cristobal Tour)

Read our full review: San Cristobal Walking Tour Full Review and Details

4. Agua Azul and Misol-Ha: Seeing Really Gorgeous Waterfalls

If you really want some scenery, then get over to the waterfalls at Agua Azul and Misol-Ha. Very known all over for their good looks, it’s almost they present the crazy natural variety you see in Chiapas. Agua Azul lives up to its name with streams in light blues, really running over a bunch of levels of limestone cliffs, very setting up pools and falls all over that just scream for you to grab your camera. Misol-Ha gives you a totally different scene with one, powerful waterfall, plummeting into such a crisp pool of water surrounded by rich rainforest.

When I visited, that refreshing mist from Misol-Ha as I stood behind the waterfall, it’s almost unforgettable. These trips are usually combined for one great day that dips you right into Chiapas’ prettiest scenery, very allowing for fantastic photos and memories to keep forever.

Tours typically handle your travel to both places comfortably, sometimes too it’s almost with guides who let you know a bunch about the nearby wildlife. Getting over to these waterfalls can seriously spice up any trip, that really gets to what makes Chiapas a spot everyone should think about seeing. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Agua Azul and Misol-Ha Tour)

Read our full review: Agua Azul and Misol-Ha Tour Full Review and Details

5. Indigenous Community Visits: Learn Something from How They Live

Chiapas has many indigenous communities, and trips to these locations provide a really up-close glance at the way of life, old habits, and crafts that make up their culture. Meeting up with people in places like San Juan Chamula or Zinacantán can seriously change the way you see the cultures, letting you share their lives.

In San Juan Chamula, that local church incorporates Mayan beliefs with Christian traditions which is really different than the usual thing, you. At Zinacantán, seeing those talented women working at their looms, turning out fabrics that look like the flowers there, it really connects you more with nature and what it provides. You can buy direct from the artisans there and help boost their economic independence too.

Tour companies, they’ll plan for responsible visits so the community feels respected, very making your interaction useful both for you and them. These tours don’t just allow you to check off destinations; they really bring a deeper experience that honors how humans live, tradition, and culture. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Chiapas Indigenous Communities Tour)

Read our full review: Chiapas Indigenous Communities Tour Full Review and Details