During our stay in Chiapas, we visited the Lacandón jungle twice. We would go back again in a heartbeat.
The area has some of the most stunning ruins we’ve seen in Mexico, incredible nature with rivers and waterfalls, and of course its preserved jungle.
Estimates vary, but at around 1.5 million hectares, it’s one of the largest tropical rainforests on the American continent. It extends across Mexico, Belize, and into northern Guatemala.
The Lacandón jungle is the refuge of unique and endangered species. Jaguars, scarlet macaws, ocelots, and spider monkeys are some of the many species you can find there.
What makes the area even more special is its people, who still preserve their roots. The Lacandón people have one of the most preserved Maya cultures in the entire country. They have their own language, rituals, and traditions.
Something that really amazed us was their connection with nature. They understand that their nature is their values, their home, and playground. Instead of destroying it, they are trying their best to protect it.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy and a lots of its preserved areas are being deforested. Only about 10% of the virgin rainforest remains due to deforestation from cattle farming and logging, leading to biodiversity loss and species facing extinction.
Important things to know before visiting
There are no ATMs, so bring enough cash. All the activities cost money and are not particularly cheap.
At times you may feel like you are just a tourist with money. But it’s important to remember that you support local communities and sustainable tourism with every dollar spent there.
In our opinion, the area needs our money more that the overdeveloped and overpopulated Caribbean side of Mexico. The locals are fighting very hard to preserve their culture and beautiful forest.
They are coming under pressure from the government and cartels. The local communities are facing many threats like losing their heritage and culture. The deforestation is affecting what has been their home for thousands of years.
How to get to the Lacandón jungle
We went there by our favourite local transport, collectivo, which can take you from Palenque right outside of ADO bus station. You can also ask your host to organise either a taxi or a tuk tuk ride. The tuk tuk ride is obviously cheaper and easier to get as it's a very popular type of transportation among locals.
Where to stay in the Lacandón jungle
The Lacandón are divisible into two major groups, the northern Lacandón (who live in the villages of Najá and Mensabäk) and the southern Lacandón (who live in the village of Lacanjá Chan Sayab).
Both times we stayed in Lacanjá Chan Sayab Eco village, It’s the closest village to Bonampark and a convenient place to stay if you are planning to visit Yaxchitlan. There are a few places more places where you can spend the night.
All the accommodation options mentioned below are partially or fully made of sustainable and locally sourced materials. They are also run by local families, so wherever you stay, you will contribute to local communities. Most of them have a restaurant where the family members will prepare you local food.
One of the best places to stay is Topche Centro Ecoturistico. Their family-run cabanas are located at the edge of the jungle. The place features simple rooms made of wood and roofs made of palm trees. They have mosquito nets and fans as well as private bathrooms.
The most popular option is Campamento Lacandones. You can view information on this website, or ask locals for Victor’s camp.
They have some simple wooden rooms that we really enjoyed and bigger bungalows made of concrete. This place is located right at the river and not far from the road, which makes it very convenient.
We stayed there the first time we visited the Lacandón jungle and it was really nice to have a dip in the lake nearby. You can also go there for water rafting or if you want to book a local guide to take you around.
Campamento Rio Lacanja is located deep in the jungle and right on a river, so you will have the best of both worlds. You will be surrounded by wildlife and have a view over the river form your cabana.
Carlos is a very friendly host that operates rustic and simple but clean cabanas. There are rooms with shared and private bathroom available. They have a restaurant that serves simple but tasty food. You have water available form a water fountain supplied on site.
Another place where we stayed was Centro Ecotoristico Ya’ajche. They have very simple bungalows right next to the river.
The accommodation was simple, but had everything we needed. The rooms and furniture were made with natural materials such as wood and bamboo.
We stayed in the room closet to the small waterfall and hearing it at night was so relaxing. They had a shared bathroom with showers, although we bathed in the river.
However, we must mention that we saw a chained monkey in the kitchen. We tried to investigate why was the monkey there in the first place. The locals told us that it was injured when it was a baby, so they took care of it. They tried to release it, but it kept coming back. They had it set free at first, but then the monkey started to harass their guests with its aggressive behaviour.
We are not sure what the solution to this problem would be, but we didn’t feel comfortable about it. We guess that usually sanctuaries take care of animals in similar situations, but there is no sanctuary in the area.
Campamento Tucán Selva Verde Ecológico Yaaxbaché is another place run by a local family. Unfortunately, their cabins are a bit run down after Covid as they didn’t have enough funds to maintain them.
But we totally recommend this place if you have your own tent and want to camp. There is a small river running by and the lovely host Ismael and his wife can prepare you delicious homemade meals.
They charge a really small fee for their campground, but the cabins were a bit pricey for how basic and run down they are. We hope that they will be able to improve them in the future.
The toilet is bucket flush and instead of a shower, you bath in a stream just outside your accommodation.
Ismael is a friend of a friend who brought me to there to meet him and his family. We had the chance to have a nice chat with the elder parents of Ismail. It’s a great place to learn more about their culture and their way of living.
What to to do in the Lacandón jungle
There are so many activities to choose from. You can hike in the jungle, go water rafting, explore waterfalls, or even visit some Maya archeological sites.
Hiking and waterfalls
There are three main waterfalls that you can explore in the area. One of the smaller ones is Cascada de Corcho Negro, which requires hiring a guide.
It costs 200 pesos and includes a cenote at the end of the hike. The money goes directly to the guide’s family and the maintenance and preservation of this reserve, so we highly recommend doing it.
Our guide Victor was very knowledgeable and could tell us anything about any of the plants trees, seeds, and animals. Victor is a true Lacandón local and the preservation of its nature is his biggest passion.
Halfway through the hike, you will be rewarded with Cascada de Corcho Negro where you can freshen up before continuing the journey.
At the end of the track, a cenote awaits you with more cascades and smaller pools leading to the main swimming hole.
Honestly the water was very refreshing, so we only had a quick dip there. But we can imagine that on a hot day you can easily spend hours swimming and exploring the place!
The biggest waterfall is Cascadas Las Golondrinas. You can hike there on your own if you want to only see the waterfall. If you want to continue your journey to see the ruins of the lost Maya city of Lacanjá, you have to hire a guide for 180 pesos.
The hike was really nice. You get to see a smaller waterfall on the way, lots of beautiful trees, plants, and birds.
You will see a booth at the entrance saying ‘San Nok’, which is the name of their accommodation. The entrance to the waterfall is 50 pesos.
Again the money that you pay there goes directly to the local landowners. The accommodation is an eco hotel with three amazing houses made of bamboo that you can rent.
At the waterfall, you will see a viewing platform with some benches for a picnic. We were running out of daylight, so we went straight to the base of the waterfall.
There is a small bridge that you can use to cross to the other side. Except for a mossy part at the beginning, the cascades aren’t slippery and are safe to walk on. There are a few pools where you can relax and soak in the surrounding jungle views.
Halfway through our hike back it got dark, but we safely reached the exit. The hike back on the same path that we took to get to the waterfall was nice and easy. The hike itself is quite flat, but it takes about two hours to get there if you make stops for photos, or much quicker if you don’t. If you stay at the village, follow the signs or ask locals for Cascadas Las Golondrinas.
Water rafting
This activity is the most expensive on this list. Unfortunately, it was just the two of us, so we couldn’t go ahead with it.
If we had the chance to do it, we definitely would! We could only imagine how beautiful it must be to go down the river through a dense jungle and feel the power that comes from the river.
Buy some sustainable gifts
You will not find a better place to buy authentic and sustainable gifts to take home. The Lacandón people work with lots of different types of seeds and make beautiful jewellery.
Make sure to ask them if the items you are purchasing are made from water-resistant seeds or not, so you can prolong their lifespan. They also make shoulder bags from a special type of cork tree that is both durable and sustainably sourced.
Explore nearby Maya archaeological sites
The first site to visit is Bonampak, which is just next door to the Lacandón community. It’s well-known for having some of the best preserved Maya murals in Mexico.
You can ask a taxi driver to drop you off at the entrance. The taxis come at a high price, but it’s the only way to get to the Banampak ruins.
We tried but they wouldn’t negotiate on price. It’s probably best to find other people to go with so you can split the cost.
We think that part of their earnings goes to the cartels as they had been ruling the area for six months. They have established authority by threatening people and their families. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it.
Once at the entrance, you have to pay again. We visited this area right after the cartels left the region, so we were the only two people at the whole site.
There were many stands set up to sell artisan goods, but only a few were open. The site is not very shaded, so we highly recommend to bring a hat and put on sun protection.
There are a few signs where you can read about the history of the site and what’s on the murals, but there were no guides available there. If you want a guided tour, you will have to book a tour or bring your own guide from Palenque.
From a distance the ruins don’t look particularly impressive, especially if you had the chance to explore some of the bigger sites like the Palenque ruins, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Ek Balam, or Coba ruins. But once you get inside, you will be impressed by colourful murals that have been preserved since Maya times.
Bonampak is renowned for its vibrant floor-to-ceiling murals adorning the walls of a quaint three-room building, which is situation on the first floor of an acropolis. Room by room, the murals chronicle key events under Chan Muán's rule from 790-792.
The first murals show Chan Muán appointing his son as heir to the throne, surrounded by nobility in white robes and intricate headdresses. Moving to the next room, the murals depict a raid on a neighbouring community, featuring warriors and their weapons adorned with jaguar pelts.
The murals in the third room illustrate, in graphic detail, the ritual bloodletting, torture, and sacrifice of war captives. For instance, disrobed prisoners are displayed with blood running from their nailless fingers.
The second site to explore is Yachitlan, the most remote and most magical Maya site we’ve ever seen! Trust us, we’ve explored more than a dozen of them in the Yucatan Peninsula and Chiapas, and we can say that Yachitlan is just something else.
It’s in our top three favourite ruins in the whole country, after Uxmal and the Palenque ruins. Just the journey there makes it already worth it.
There aren’t any particularly big or famous buildings or unique architecture there, but the whole experience makes them so unique. Your journey starts with hiring a boat that takes you for 40 minutes through the river into a deep jungle.
Then you walk through the jungle to the sounds of hollow monkey and discover ruins one after another. You can also climb all the ruins there, which makes the experience more imaginative. I felt like I was in some kind of forgotten city as part of a movie set.
We love how they kept most of the virgin jungle and cleared out just enough space to see the ruins. Most of the site is shaded, so you feel more protected from the sun. The highlight was the discovery of a tunnel that you enter at one side of the temple and exit on the other side, which was kind of freaky!
The third site is the ruins of the lost Maya city of Lacanjá. It isn’t as big or as well preserved as the others, but it’s an adventure to get there. You have to book a local guide to reach these ruins as they are hidden in the jungle.
Honestly in our case we didn’t get the chance to see them as we were short on time, so we can’t talk from our personal experience. From what we’ve heard from the guides and read from other people’s reviews, a small part of the site is hidden in the jungle. As mentioned earlier, if you go to Cascadas Las Golondrinas with a local guide, we definitely recommend you include the ruins as part of your hike.
Try the local tacos
Of course you can always eat at your accommodation, just make sure to prearrange the meals with your host.
However, there is one really nice taqueria place in the centre of the village that we highly recommend. While we can’t remember the name it’s easy to find just ask locals, it’s right opposite the hospital.
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