Travel Answers

We will be visiting Puerto Chiapas in April on a cruise ship and are interested in a guide/tour from the ship to Izapa and then Tapachula. any ideas anyone

A small group (6)of us will be visiting Palenque in April 2012 and would like to arrange for a tour guide prior to our arrival. I have searched a number of webpages for names of personal guides, but have learned only that we can wait and get an official guide when we enter the ruins. Any help in finding a tour guide for one day will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Arch

Hello!!! My friend and i traveling in Mexico (backpackers). I'm going to be in Palenque in two weeks, and i have heard about El Panchan. 1)Is this a good place to spend there 2 days, or something like that? we like live shows, nature, meet people all over. 2)Someone know maybe the price range there? we are staying in hostels most of the time with paying10usd per night so can i find something like that there? Thank you all!

whats is the best to get to tikal from palenque? In palenque where can i find the information? Im planning a trip with friends to visit mayas ruins but my spanish isnt so good, so i dont want to get there and be stuck in palenque because i dont find the appropriate information. So, what is the easiest way to get to tikal, guatemala from palenque, chiapas? Thanks a lot kimedb

Is there a back way to get from Comitan to Frontera Corozal without having to take HWY 199 ? It looks like there may be some villages near the border like Monte flor and Flor de Cacao, any recommendations?

i'm taking a 7.15am bus from san cristobal, so i should be getting to palenque by 12.30pm, from what it sounds like here. i figure by the time i get a hotel and everything else taken care of it would be around 1.30pm. what should i do for the rest of the day--besides seeing the ruins? i figure i'll go there early the next morning so that i'm not rushed.

I will be working in San Cristobal for a month this summer and am interested in connecting with the gay, lesbian, bisexual community; I have not been able to find any such information in tour books or on travel websites. Please note---I am NOT interested in dating or a hook-up. I have spent a significant time in other parts of Mexico and am aware that it is a very conservative country. I want to be respectful of the cultural differences but am also looking to meet similar folks who I may not otherwise have an opportunity to meet and want to understand what their lives are like in Mexico. Thank you for your assistance.

so i'm thinking of renting a car to drive from either san cristobal or tuxtla-gutierrez to cancun/puerto morelos in june. i checked on hertz/thrifty/etc sites and the prices seem the same as here in the u.s., around18/day....plus400 in taxes!!! please tell me that i can rent a car while i'm there without paying the taxes. or should i just bus it?

My partner and I have been traveling for close to a year now and would like to find a doctor for some routine check ups. We are currently in Mexico and we will be in San Cristobal de las Casas soon. I have heard there is a small expat community here so we thought it might be a good place to find a doctor. Can anybody recommend a good doctor, preferably english speaking in the area, or a good place to find information. If somebody has information on doctors outside of San Cristobal in the south of Mexico that would also be appreciated. Thanks.

I just booked a tour starting from 6 am from San cristobal to Palenque. It will take me to Agua Azul Cascades,Misol-Ha Cascade, and Palenque Ruins. However, i am still thinking, if it is worth to just spend one day in Palenque and not doing the other two stuff. My situation is, I only have two days in Chiapas. I decided to go to canion sumidero on the first day. So basicaly i only have the second day for Palenque. I will take the five oclock bus to cancun from Palenque. I do want to see more stuff in Mexico because i am from Asia and everything will be so different from where I live...But if the other two places are not that great, I think i will be willing to drop them. But i do need some advice. Thanks a lot!!

Is there a way to get from Guatemala City to Chiapas, particularly San Cristobal without flying through Mexico City or without taking a chicken bus? A good bus would be fine or a van driver. Appreciate the info.

hola! my friend and i will be in san cristobal jan.- feb. any advice about a good language school and oppurtunities to see the area by horseback would be very much appreciated! we are solo females in our 50's, will probably do a homestay , and love to ride. we want to see palenque, and any other "must see " sites we are able to in 2 weeks. i will stay on and hopefully take a medical spanish course for my last week to help with my nursing career in california-again any suggestions or contacts will be appreciated. thanks!

Is that possible? I googled and everywhere it derives zero results when i key in the dates. It seems that flights only connects mexico city and san cristobal....

I am planning a 2 weeks vacation and considering Chiapas, but I want to make sure there is enough to do there for 2 weeks. Is it too much time? I've already been to Oaxaca twice so not considering including that. What would be a reasonable itinerary in Chiapas if you had 2 weeks?

Hi I am looking to take a trip to Palenque from Merida. Can anyone suggest the best route to get there and prox driving time? Also are these toll or free roads? Thank you

How would I travel by bus from Mexico City to San Cristobal? How long would the trip take? What would be the cost? How frequently does this bus run? How would I travel by bus to Motozintla from San Cristobal? How long would the trip take? What would be the cost? How frequently does this bus run? Is there any other bus route from Mexico City to Motozintla?

Hi, I will be going to San Cristobal de las Casas medium August, leaving from Europe. what would be the best travel route to take as a woman alone? I was thinking of flying to Cancun (since Mexico city is not that great) and then taking a bus to San Cristobal. I can probably best try to book this busticket when I already arrive there. Does anyone have better suggestions, and does anyone know about the travel time by bus? And any good bus agencies ? Thank you!

In February "08," I caught an early bus from a PV/Zona Romantica street corner to Palenque. How can I get current info on schedule? TY

Hello, Estoy tratando de ir desde Palenque a Chichen Itza por autobus nocturno. Estuve buscando en http://www.ticketbus.com.mx pero no veo ninguna manera directa de llegar. Hay un autobus desde Palenque a Merida, y despues tendria que tomarme otro de Merida a Chichen Itza, pero no es muy conveniente que digamos. ?Que me recomiendan? Mil gracias? I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to get from Palenque to Chichen Itza by overnight bus. It doesn't look like http://www.ticketbus.com.mx has any way of getting there directly. It looks like I could take an overnight bus Palenque/Merida and then take a super-early bus Merida-Chichen Itza, but that's really inconvenient. There's an ADO leaving Palenque at 10pm getting to Merida at 6am, for example. Any better ideas? Gracias / Thanks! Carlos

Hola, I am planning to spend a week or two in Palenque some time during the next 6 weeks. Would anyone know of a house for rent for two adults and two well-trained dogs? Kind regards, Natasha.

Hello! Traveling to Chiapas in May for (only!) 5 days. Here's our plan (so far): Day 1: arrive Tuxtla Gutierrez, travel to San Cristobal de Las Casas Day 2: Travel by bus to Palenque Day 3: Palenque OR Bonampak Day 4: Palenque OR Bonampak Day 5: depart Villahermosa Any suggestions for changes? We are arriving in Tuxtla G. and departing from Villahermosa. How long should we plan to see Palenque ruins? Should we visit Yaxchilan instead of Bonampak? Suggestions for places to stay in San Cristobal and Palenque (looking for nice hostels)? We will be traveling by bus, should we book tickets ahead of time or can we book them once we are there? Have never been in that area of Mexico, lonely planet says the highways down there can be trouble, any truth? Lots of questions! Thanks for any help!! Lauren

Are there good tours to Palenque leaving from SCC visiting the waterfalls (Agua Azul, Misol-Ha) and the ruins (very) early in the morning (so I can use the tour also as transportation)? Or a good tour leaving Palenque visiting the ruins (very) early and then via the waterfalls (Agua Azul, Misol-Ha) or other attractions back to SCC? Anyway I want to be at the ruins as the entrance opens (read 8 AM), so if not by a tour I will do this by myself. Good options to stay, El Panchan or Palenque? Thanks answering, Harry.

In the week before Semana Santa (till about Palm Sunday) I will be in and around San Christobal de las Casas, including a sidetrip to Palenque and after that I will continue to Guatemala (Xela, Antigua). About this a few questions: • Are there any special religious activities (processions) in this week in SCC or the villages around which are worthwhile visiting (the last I can stay is Palm Sunday)? • Good tour companies visiting the villages around SCC and Cañón del Sumidero, already read good things about Na Bolom and Raul and Alegandro. Any recent experiences? • Read somewhere the market in San Juan Chamula in this period is not on Sunday but on Friday. Is this corrrect? • Any social projects/schools/orphanage for visiting/supporting? • Other recommendations in this area? Thanks answering, Harry.

Does anyone know if there are people available to hire for a day touring in Tapachula for someone coming in on a cruise ship who is totally fluent in Spanish?

Hello all! I will have a short time in Chiapas and want to see Yaxchilan. I will be in Palenque on a Saturday and wonder if I could head to Yaxchilan on Saturday night, see the ruins on Sunday, and head to San Cristobal de las Casas from there on Sunday night. Basically, need to figure out these: How long does it take to Yaxchilan from Palenque? How long does it take to see the ruins (including the river trips) Is it possible to buy a tour to go there from Palenque, but then not return to Palenque but head to San Cristobal instead? Many thanks for your insights! Alla

March 6th I came to Oaxaca and now am living in San Pablo Huitzo. I took the bus to San Cristobal where I found a house I’m going to move into. In June I intend to return to the US for a few weeks and then come back to San Cristobal. My question is: when I return to San Cristobal from Oakland, CA, do I have to do so via Oaxaca and the long bus ride over the mountains, it is possible to fly into San Cristobal, or (as someone has suggested) should I fly to Guatemala and bus from there?

I am planning to visit Flores next month early this year. During go there from Paleque by public transportation, also wish to visit BONAMPAK, or YAXCHILÁN hopefully. But the time is not enough by geneal tour so I dream another itineraries as follows. First day : Early moring (about 06:00) walking the ruins of palenque After lunch go to FRONTERA COROZAL by combi or colotivo sleep at any hotel in FRONTERA COROZAL Second day : Go to BONAMPAK (by public transportation) or YAXCHILÁN (by boat) After some tour return to FRONTERA COROZAL Cross the river by boat to Bethel, Guatemala, ride bus to Flores My question are 1) Is this possible ? 2) Are there Any accomodations at FRONTERA COROZAL . 3) Always some travellers take their accomodations at FRONTERA COROZAL . 4) How much dangerous around FRONTERA COROZAL at nightlife. I am glad to receive any recommendation from a person experienced. Thanks.

Here's my situation: I already have flight & hotel reservations plus a prepared itinerary to go around the Yucatan ruins within 5 days this May. We will be based at Merida. But going over some back issues of National Geographic, I noticed that the Palenque ruins were featured more often and this made me rethink my travel plans. Is Palenque really that different and interesting enough to be worth the extra cost, time and distance after one has seen the ruins of Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Ek Balam? Thanks for your comments.

Is it possible to rent a car and drive from Tikal to Palenque? Thanks.

i arrive in mexico city airport and would like to catch a bus to palenque. any help would be appreciated - where i catch the bus in relation to the airport, how long a trip it is, changing busses/connections, etc. many thanks!