EAST CHIAPAS

Travel Information for Chiapas Mexico

Cities & Villages

Introduction
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Destinations
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Things To Know

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The ethnic communities of Chiapas have various systems of social and administrative power. There are stewards [Mayordomos] who are the decision making leaders of groups.
The Chole have a traditional form of government under the care of elders, while the Lacandons recognize the oldest member of the caribal [traditional cluster of huts] as their sole authority.
Among the Zolques for example there are albaceas, who take care of images, and fiscales, who are in charge of rites, chants and prayers.

EAST CHIAPAS [on Guatemala border]

LACANJA CHANSAYAB

Lacanja is the largest settlement of Lacandon Indians. The village was founded some time in the late seventies when families of Lacandons decided to migrate there. Soon others followed. Then the government built a paved road and ran electricity in.

It is recommended to bring your own provisions into Lacanja when you visit. You can buy water there.

Things To Do

Simply being in the village is an experience. Ask around and you will be able to find somebody willing to take you into the jungle to explore things.

Bonampak ruins is a short distance away.

Hotels/Camping
There are rustic cabanas and palapas for camping located around the village.

FRONTERA COROZAL

Corozal was established in the late seventies as a resettlement project for Choles from northern Chiapas. They had first settled inside the Lacandon Jungle but had to move after the area was declared the Montes Azules Biosphere in 1978.

Corozal is the launch point on the Usumacinta River for visiting Yaxchilan ruins. It is also a launch point to visit a point in the river where the "Grey" river and the "Blue" river meet.

Things To Do

You can swim in the Usumacinta River or take a boat ride.

Yaxchilan ruins are up river about an hour's boat ride. The boat ride is great adventure and Yaxchilan ruins are impressive.

You can take a boat up the river to Guatemala however you either have to pay a hefty price or hope somebody else is going as well to share the cost of the boat. You go to the village of Bethel on the Guatemalan side of the river 40 minutes upstream.

Hotels

Escudo Jaguar 5-201-64-40-01 or 5-201-64-41-01
This hotel is located next to the river at the boat launch. It has a nice restaurant.

Pasada Yhany
This hotel is on the road at the boat launch. It has a restaurant.

Camping
Escudo Jaguar has camping but the mosquitoes are BAD!

Bus
You take a collectivo from in front of Escudo Jaguar.

BENEMERITO DE LAS AMERICAS

Benemerito is a new village located in an area known as the Marques de Comillas. The area became popular for its abundance of natural resources and the village sprung up. There is not much to do here.

Hotels

Hotel de Las Americas 800-029-40-60
On the highway at the south end of town.

Bus
You catch the collectivo at north end of town on the highway.

Destinations

Among the earliest cities founded in Chiapas was Chiapa de Corzo which offers the tourist a glimpse of the beautifully ornate Moorish colonial style.
The Mudejar fountain, known to the locals as La Pila is a refined Arabic structure with cut-diamond masonry work. It was the meeting point and water rationing center for the people of Chiapa de Corzo.
Tradition has also made historical treasures of the churches and buildings. Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of the town, keeps watch from his ruined temple and during local celebrations, the temple is traditionally adorned in edilian fashion, as in colonial times.
Architectural expression through monuments was achieved with the expertise of the Dominican monks. The monument in Chiapas de Corzo, built entirely from bricks, was designed with respect for the basic characteristics of Moslem art which have been recreated in this city.
It is a cultural treasure which reflects the popular artistic traditions as seen in the La Laca museum, the Contemporary Art Gallery, the Collection of Chiapanecan Fossils and the Sala de Grabados Franco Lazaro Gomez, which houses the excellent monastic structure of Santo Domingo de Guzman.

Traveling to the Yuctan Peninsula visit

Travel Info for Chiapas Mexico