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| Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico, located towards the southeast of the country. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west. To the east Chiapas borders Guatemala, and to the south the Pacific Ocean. The 2005 census population was 4,293,459 people. In general Chiapas has a humid, tropical climate. In the north, in the area bordering Tabasco, near Teapa, rainfall can average more than 3,000 mm (120 in) per year. In the past, natural vegetation at this region was lowland, tall perennial rainforest, but this vegetation has been destroyed almost completely to give way to agriculture and ranching. Rainfall decreases moving towards the Pacific Ocean, but it is still abundant enough to allow the farming of bananas and many other tropical crops near Tapachula. On the several parallel "sierras" or mountain ranges running along the center of Chiapas, climate can be quite temperate and foggy, allowing the development of cloud forests like those of the Reserva de la Biosfera el Triunfo, home to a handful of quetzals and horned guans. The state capital city is Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Chiapas is home to the ancient Maya ruins of Palenque, Yaxchilan, Bonampak, Chinkultic, and Tonina. |
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As of the mid 1990s, most people in Chiapas were
poor, rural small farmers. About one quarter of the population
were of full or predominant Maya descent, and in rural areas
many did not speak Spanish. The state suffers from the highest
rate of malnutrition in Mexico, estimated to affect more than
40% of the population. "Without roads, cities or even small
towns, eastern Chiapas is a kind of dumping ground for the
marginalized, in which all of the hardships peasants confront in
the highlands are exacerbated."
The increasing presence of Central American gangs
known as Maras, and illegal immigration from Central America in
general (mostly immigrants on their way to the United States),
stresses an already poor state. These immigrants are subject to
human rights violations from Mexican authorities. In 1994,
violence erupted between the Mexican Government and the
Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN). There are
currently 32 Rebel Autonomous Zapatista Municipalities (MAREZ),
affiliated with the EZLN in Chiapas. The geography of Chiapas is
quite varried and includes
Rainforests, the
Highlands, the
Central Valley,
Sierra Madre de Chiapas
and Soconusco.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia. Click on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiapas for additional information.)
Rainforest
The
tropical rainforest of Chiapas, which includes the Selva
Lacandona, is quickly being deforested. This is due to
population pressures forcing highlanders into the rainforest.
These include ladino (Spanish-speaking) landowners, indigenous
and mestizo campesinos of the Ch'ol, Tzeltal, Tzotzil, Tojolabal
and other groups. Migrants from Chiapas are being joined by
Guatemalans fleeing the Civil War. These colonists constantly
compete with one another for land, with the campesinos seizing
or squatting on claimed land while landowners respond with the
military or police. The economic activities of both groups
contribute to the massive deforestation of the Lacandón. Rain
falling on the forest drains into the Usumicinta river, which
forms the border between Chiapas and the Petén department of
Guatemala. The river flows into the sea in Tabasco, and
deforestation may be a cause of the floods which inundated
Villahermosa in 2007.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia.)
Highlands
The
Central Highlands have been the population center of Chiapas
since the Conquest. European epidemics were hindered by the
tierra fría climate, allowing the indigenous peoples in the
highlands to retain their large numbers. Indigenous peoples
provided labor for Spanish conquistadors, who also heavily
settled the highlands. Indigenous highlanders were conscripted
into labor service on plantations, drafted into debt servitude,
which was so widely practiced that Chiapas earned the
illustrious title of "Mexico's slave state" in the late 19th
century. Since World War Two, the highlands have benefitted from
a boom in the energy and petroleum sectors. However, economic
growth in these industries did not reach the subsistence farmers
of the highlands. High population and land reform pressured the
poor and rich alike to move into the eastern rainforest. The
highlands are home to the cities of San Cristóbal de las Casas
and Comitán. Close to the rainforest, San Cristóbal was one of
the first sites seized by the Zapatista army in their attack on
January 1, 1994.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia.)
Central Valley
The
Sierra Madre de Chiapas is cut through the middle by the Río
Grande de Chiapas, known outside of Chiapas as Río Grijalva. The
river flows from southwest to northeast. This area contains six
of Chiapas' seven hydroelectric plants. The construction of
these dams flooded hundreds of thousands of hectares, making
lakes out of former ejido lands. The capital of Tuxtla Gutiérrez
is located in the Central Valley, which enjoys a roughly tierra
templada climate.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia.)
Sierra Madre de Chiapas
A
continuation of the Sierra Madre del Sur, the Sierra Madre de
Chiapas runs from northwest to southeast along the Pacific Ocean
coast. It is extremely volcanic, resulting in high peaks,
occasional eruptions and earthquakes, and rich soils. The
mountains partially block rain clouds from the Pacific, a
process known as Orographic lift, which creates a particularly
rich coastal region called the Soconusco.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia.)
Soconusco
The
Soconusco lies in the southernmost corner of Chiapas. It shares
many ties with Guatemala, which claimed the territory until
1882. Since it was a part of the Aztec empire, Soconusco has
been known for its agricultural products. Then it was cacao, now
the main product is coffee, which is grown on large plantations.
These plantations were owned by German-Guatemalans and employed
indigenous peoples of the Mam group. The tierra caliente climate
of Soconusco allowed plantation agriculture to succeed, and in
addition to coffee also grows sugar cane, rice, maize, and
plantains. The largest city in the Soconusco is Tapachula, site
of the seventh Chiapaneco hydroelectric plant, José Cecilio del
Valle.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia.)
TravelChiapas.com has all the information you need for planning your trip to the beautiful lands of Chiapas Mexico. If you are going to backpack, drive or bus around Chiapas this web site will assist you in developing your itinerary and give you loads of valuable information so you don't miss anything. This not-for-profit web site contains maps, campsites, archeological information, bus routes and lots of related information for first time cows visiting Chiapas Mexico.
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Cities, Towns and Areas of Chiapas
Chiapa de Corzo
Cintalapa
Comitán
Huixtla
Ocosingo
Ocozocoautla de Espinoza
Palenque
San Cristóbal de las Casas
Tapachula
Tonalá
Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Villaflores
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Chiapa de Corzo is a small city and
municipio (municipality) situated in the
west-central part of the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Located in the Grijalva River valley of the Chiapas
highlands, Chiapa de Corzo lies some 15 km (9.3 mi) to
the east of the state capital, Tuxtla Gutiérrez. The
city had a 2005 census population of 37,627 and serves
as municipal seat of the municipality of the same name,
which has an area of 906.7 km² (350.08 sq mi) and
reported a population of 73,552 inhabitants. It was originally inhabited by the Soctona ethnic group and its name at that time was Soctón Nandalumí. The Soctona were the only ones who didn't surrender during the Spanish conquest, resisting several armed expeditions until the campaigns of Pedro de Alvarado when they were defeated and almost exterminated. The first Spanish attampt to conquer the area was led by Luis Marin in 1524 and it ended in failure. Diego Mazariegos commanded a second invasion in 1528 and his force finally succeeded in overcoming fierce resistance. Facing defeat, many of the Indians chose death instead of surrender. As the Spanish closed in, many jumped to their deaths in the Canon del Sumidero. (Information and photo provided by Wikipedia. Click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiapa_de_Corzo,_Chiapas for additional information.) |
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Cintalapa
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|
Comitán (formally: Comitán de
Domínguez) is the fourth-largest
city in the
Mexican state of
Chiapas. It is the seat of
government of the municipality of the
same name. It is located in the
east-central part of Chiapas, near the
border with
Guatemala. In the
2005 census the population was 83,571
people. Its municipality total was
121,263. The municipality has an area of
1,043.30 km² (402.82 sq mi). Its largest
other community is the town of
Villahermosa Yalumá. The original name given by the local
Maya peoples is Balún Canán
("Nine stars"). It was later changed to
Comitán de las Flores. Comitán de
Domínguez is named after Dr.
Belisario Domínguez, who gave a
memorable speech in the Congress against
the dictator
Victoriano Huerta for which he was
murdered. Comitán is also a popular tourist destination, mostly for Mexican nationals, though some international visitors can also be seen. The town itself is one of the most pleasant and pretty in Mexico, with colonial architecture, narrow avenues, and clean streets. The climate is cool most of the year, and can get quite chilly from October to March. The town square is active almost every night, with live music, or some kind of presentation/play (though often they seem to be somewhat evangelical). The main road into and out of town is planted with flowers and monuments to many of the States of Mexico. (Information and photo provided by Wikipedia. Click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comit%C3%A1n_de_Dom%C3%ADnguez for additional information.) |
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Huixtla
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Ocosingo
Ocosingo is a city and its surrounding municipality (municipio) of the same name in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The municipality borders the Usumacinta River along a portion where the river forms the international border with Guatemala. The city had a 2005 census population of 35,065 inhabitants, and serves as municipal seat of the municipality, which had a population of 170,280. The municipality has a relatively large area of 8,616.71 km² (3,326.93 sq mi). Ocosingo was given city status on 31 July 1979. (Information provided by Wikipedia. Click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocosingo for additional information.)
Ocosingo is a city and its surrounding municipality (municipio) of the same name in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The municipality borders the Usumacinta River along a portion where the river forms the international border with Guatemala. The city had a 2005 census population of 35,065 inhabitants, and serves as municipal seat of the municipality, which had a population of 170,280. The municipality has a relatively large area of 8,616.71 km² (3,326.93 sq mi). Ocosingo was given city status on 31 July 1979. (Information provided by Wikipedia. Click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocosingo for additional information.)
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Ocozocoautla de Espinoza
Ocozocoautla de Espinoza is a town and
municipality in the Mexican state of Chiapas. It is located in
the western part of the state, 24 km east of San Cristobal de
las Casas covering parts of the Depresión Central (Central
Depression) and the Montañas del Norte (Northern Mountains). It
is bordered to the north by Tecpatán, to the east by Berriozábal,
Tuxtla Gutiérrez and Suchiapa, to the south by Villaflores and
to the west by Jiquipilas and Cintalapa. The name comes from the
Nahoa language and means ‘forest of ocozote trees’. ‘De
Espinosa’ was added in 1928 to honor Raymundo Enríquez Espinosa
who was the first governor of the state of Chiapas. Ocozocoautla
gained city status in 1926. The climate is warm and humid and
the vegetation is mostly high and medium rainforest. In 2005,
the entire municipality had 9,552 people.
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| San Cristóbal de las Casas is a
municipality (municipio)
and city in
the central highlands of the
Mexican
state of
Chiapas.
It is located in the Highlands of Chiapas at an elevation of
approximately 2100
m (6890 ft)
above mean sea level. The city was named after
Bartolomé de Las Casas, a
Spanish
priest who defended the rights of the
Native Americans and was the first
bishop
of Chiapas. In the 2005 census the city’s population was 142,364 people,
whereas the municipality’s total was 166,460. It is the third-largest
community in Chiapas, after
Tuxtla Gutiérrez and
Tapachula. The municipality’s area is 484.00 km² (186.87 sq mi). For thousands of years, Maya peoples, ancestral to the present-day Tzotzil and Tzeltal peoples, have continuously lived in settlements in the general area of the modern city of San Cristóbal. San Cristóbal was one of the four cities that the Zapatista Army of National Liberation took in its uprising in January 1994. While many people in San Cristóbal, who consider themselves traditionally rooted here (called Coletos) are very much against the Zapatistas, there are also parts of the population (poor, civil society) that sympathize or openly cooperate with the Zapatista movement. Many tourists are interested in the Zapatista movement. In 2006, the latest political initiative of the Zapatistas, the Other Campaign started from San Cristóbal at the beginning of the year. The Zapatistas are omnipresent in the tourist markets (selling e.g. dolls, posters, t-shirts) in the city. |
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Surrounding San Cristóbal and even within the city there are several typical mountain wetlands. They are home to an endemic fish (Profundulus hildebrandi), commonly known as "popoyote" which only lives in the valley of San Cristóbal. The rivers are heavily contaminated. The valley of San Cristóbal is surrounded by several mountains. To the west, the Huitepec (about 2700m) is home to the Santa Anita holy site, where a Jesus appeared on a rock, and to a natural reserve with cloud forests. To the east, the Cerro de la Santa Cruz is home to a church where on May 3rd of every year a procession takes place. To the north, the Moxviquil has a prehispanic archaeological site. The mountains around San Cristobal are heavily exploited for gravel. The Agua Azul waterfall is close to the area as well. (Information and photo provided by Wikipedia. Click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Crist%C3%B3bal_de_las_Casas for additional information.)
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Tapachula
Tapachula is a
municipio (municipality)
and city with a hot, humid climate in the
Mexican state of
Chiapas. It is located in southern part of the state on the
Soconusco coastal plain, near the border with
Guatemala. In the 2005 census the
population of the municipality was 282,420 people, whereas the
city of Tapachula had a population of 189,991 (more than
two-thirds of the municipality's total). The city and the
municipality both rank second in the state in population, behind
Tuxtla Gutiérrez. The city has one of the highest
GDP per capita in
Mexico, and it is known sometimes as "Perla del
Soconusco" ("Pearl of Soconusco").
The population mix is culturally diverse. From
Native Americans and
Mestizos,
Spanish,
German,
Chinese,
Japanese,
French and several others. The
International Fair of Tapachula is
celebrated during March with cattle agricultural
and commercial exhibition.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia. Click on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapachula
for additional information.)
Accommodations
Suggestions
Hotel amenities and
features include:
Free continental breakfast
-
Free parking -
Free coffee -
Outdoor pool
-
Room service
- Business center - High-speed Internet access in all rooms - Access to
copy
services - Conference facilities. All spacious guest
rooms have
air conditioning, coffee
makers, desks, hair dryers and cable television. In addition, some rooms
come equipped with
refrigerators, irons and
ironing boards. Handicap accessible and non-smoking rooms are available.
For additional information, or to make reservations, click
on
Comfort Inn for quality and service at affordable prices,
or on
Choice Hotels worldwide.
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to this section of Getting Away, please send it to Jim at Getting Away.
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Comfort Inn Tapachula Kamico - Near the downtown area, the
Mexico-Guatemala border and the
Tapachula International Airport; this
hotel is also near other points of interesting including:
the
Tapachula Planetarium -
the
Archaeological Museum - the
pyramids of Izapa - the
beach of San Benito -
the colonial-era
Temple of San Agustín. A
variety of restaurants, bars and entertainment options are located in
the nearby Diamond Zone; and the on-site
Del
Lago restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Spacious suite shown above.
Tonalá
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| Tuxtla Gutiérrez is a
municipality and the capital city of the state of
Chiapas,
Mexico.
It is the seat of the local public administration, the local
authorities, and of the
federal government delegations in the state. It covers more than 40%
of the municipal territory, and continues to grow. The city lies inside the Depression of
Chiapas, between the Tuxtla valley on the Northeast,
Meseta de Copoya on the South, Mount Mactumatza on the
Southwest and the mountain range on the North which
includes Animas, Don Ventura and the Sumidero, which
includes the National Park with the same name. The valley begins on the border at the city of Berriozabal and continues until the Rio Grande. The valley is at an altitude of 540 m. A large part of the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez lies in this valley, while the rest lies over the northern mountain range. (Information provided by Wikipedia. Click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuxtla_Guti%C3%A9rrez for additional information.) |
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Accommodations
Suggestions
Hotel
services and amenities include: a free
continental breakfast - free
weekday newspaper - free
coffee - well-equipped
exercise room - outdoor
pool - high-speed Internet access in all rooms - a
public
computer with Internet access - a
business center - access to
copy
and fax
services - convention center. All inviting guest rooms
have been designed so you'll have all the necessary services and
amenities for a relaxing stay. In-room amenities include coffee makers,
air
conditioning, voice mail, desks, hair dryers and cable
television. Handicap accessible and non-smoking rooms are available.
Laundry facilities are located on the property.
Room
service is offered for your added enjoyment.
Quality Inn Tuxtla Gutierrez - Our location allows easy access to
the city's business, commercial, cultural, tourism and service
districts. In addition, nearby are many attractions and points of
interst including: shopping centers, movie theaters, a health center,
banks and government offices -
Marimba Park and
Morelos
Park - Cañon del Sumidero National Park - Chiapa de Corzo,
one of the oldest colonial cities in Chiapas -
Miguel
Alvarez del Toro Zoo (ZOOMAT)
- the
Regional Museum of Anthropology and History. A variety
of international and local restaurants are located in the surrounding
area, and there is the
on-site Swin's restaurant
that offers the best in regional and international cuisine. There is
also the
poolside Daiquiri piano bar.
For additional information, or to make reservations, click
on
Quality Hotels for affordable rates, real value and great comfort,
or on
Choice Hotels worldwide.
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Villaflores
Villaflores is a town and municipio (municipality) in
the state of Chiapas, southern Mexico, and the name of its largest settlement
and seat of the municipal government. Situated in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas
range, the municipality has an area of approximately 1232 km² at an average
elevation of 540 m above mean sea level. The total population of the
municipality as recorded in the II Conteo de Población y Vivienda 2005
census conducted in October of 2005 by INEGI was a little over 93,000.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia. Click on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villaflores,_Chiapas
for additional information.)
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Click on
Hotels in Chiapas for hotels and other
accommodations in this area.
| My preferred hotel chain is
Marriott |
|
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| Palenque (Bàak' in Modern Maya) is a Maya archeological site near the Usumacinta River in the Mexican state of Chiapas, located about 130 km south of Ciudad del Carmen. It is a medium-sized site, much smaller than such huge sites as Tikal or Copán, but it contains some of the finest architecture, sculpture, roof comb and bas-relief carvings the Maya produced. The site of Palenque was abandoned by the Maya people for several centuries, when the Spanish explorers arrived in Chiapas in the 16th century. The first European to visit the ruins and publish an account was Father Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada in 1567; at the time the local Chol Maya called it Otolum meaning "Land with strong houses", de la Nada roughly translated this into Spanish to give the site the name "Palenque", meaning "fortification". Palenque also became the name for the town (Santo Domingo del Palenque) which was built over some peripheral ruins down in the valley from the main ceremonial center of the ancient city. An ancient name for the central core of the city currently consolidated was Lakam Ha, which translates as "Big Water", for the numerous springs and wide cascades that are found within the site.[1] Palenque was the capital of the important Classic period Maya city-state of B'aakal or B'aak (Bone), after one of the city's most frequently occurring Emblem Glyphs. (Information provided by Wikipedia.) |
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| Yaxchilan (also sometimes historically referred to by the names Menché and City Lorillard) is an ancient Maya city located on the Usumacinta River in what is now the state of Chiapas, Mexico. The ancient name for the city was probably Pa' Chan. Yaxchilan means "green stones" in Maya. This was a large center, important throughout the Classic era, and the dominant power of the Usumacinta River area. It dominated such smaller sites as Bonampak, and was long allied with Piedras Negras and at least for a time with Tikal; it was a rival of Palenque, with which Yaxchilan warred in 654. Yat-Balam, founder of a long dynasty, took the throne on 2 August, 320 when Yaxchilan was a minor site. The city-state grew to a regional capital and the dynasty lasted into the early 9th century. Yaxchilan had its greatest power during the long reign of King Shield Jaguar II, who died in his 90s in 742. Yaxchilan is known for the large quantity of excellent sculpture at the site, such as the monolithic carved stelas and the narrative stone reliefs carved on lintels spanning the temple doorways. (Information provided by Wikipedia.) |
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Bonampak
(Bòonam Pak' Painted Wall in Modern Maya)
is an ancient Maya archaeological site in the Mexican
state of Chiapas. The site is approximately 30km (20
miles) south of the larger site of Yaxchilan, under
which Bonampak was a dependency, and the border with
Guatemala. While the site is not overly impressive in
terms of spatial or architectural size, it is well-known
for a number of murals, most especially those located
within Structure 1 (The Temple of the Murals). The
construction of the site’s structures dates to the Early
Classic period (ca. A.D. 580 to 800). Bonampak was
rediscovered in 1946 by photographer Giles Healy, who
was led to it by the local Lacandon Maya who still
visited the site to pray in the ancient temples.
The site, lying close to a tributary of the Usumacinta River, was first seen by non-Mayans in 1946 by two American travelers who were shown the ruins by the Lakandon Indians. Shortly thereafter a photographer, Giles Healey, was shown the huge painting covering the walls of one of the structure's three rooms. The paintings show the story of a single battle and its victorious outcome. (Information provided by Wikipedia.) |
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Chinkultic
is a moderate-size archeological ruin in what is now the
state of Chiapas, Mexico, some 56km from the small
modern city of Comitán. The Pre-Columbian city was built
by the Maya civilization. The city flourished in the
Maya Classic Era, from about the 3rd through the 9th
century. Most of the sculpture was produced in the last
300 years of this era, with heiroglphic inscriptions
dating from 591 to 897. Post-Classic-Era occupation of
the site continued until the 13th century, after which
it was abandoned. The site has some step-pyramids and
some 200 smaller buildings, most in undisturbed ruin.
Chinkultic has carved stone stelae depicting the site's
rulers. The site contains a court for playing the
Mesoamerican ballgame, which a marker tells us was
dedicated on 21 May 591. The first published account of
the site was made by Edward Seler in the late 19th
century. A detailed description of the site was made by
Enrique Juan Palacios in 1926. The first archeological
investigations of the site were conducted in 1966 under
the direction of Stephan F. de Borhegyi of the Public
Museum of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting in 1970, some
further excavations and restorations of a few buildings
was conducted by Mexican government archeologists, who
also dredged some artifacts from the site's cenote
or natural well known as Agua Azul ("Blue
Water"). The cenote gives the site its Maya language
name; Chinkultic meaning "stepped-cenote". The
site is open for tourism visits, although it is not one
of the more commonly visited Maya sites. It is within
Mexico's Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montbello.
(Information provided by
Wikipedia.)
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| Tonina is a pre-Columbian archaeological site and ruined city of the Maya civilization located in what is now the Mexican state of Chiapas, some 13 km (8.1 mi) east of the town of Ocosingo. The site is medium to large, with groups of temple-pyramids, the largest being some 76 m (249.3 ft) high, a large court for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame, and over 100 carved monuments, most dating from the Maya Classic Era from the 6th century through the 9th century. The first published account of the ruins was made by Fray Jacinto Garrido at the end of the 17th century. A number of visitors investigated the ruins of Tonina in the 19th century, the first being an expedition led by Guillaume Dupaix in 1808. John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood visited in 1840, but these usually meticulous antiquitarians published only a short mention of their visit which added little to the knowledge of the site. More thorough accounts did not come until the 1890s, when Eduard Seler, Karl Sapper, and others mapped and photographed the site. Frans Blom and Oliver La Farge investigated the site in 1925 for Tulane University. Blom returned in 1928, discovering additional monuments in the area. The French Tonina Project began excavations in 1972 which continued through 1975, then resumed in 1979 to 1980, under the direction of Pierre Becquelin. The National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH) began their own excavations at Tonina the following year. The site is accessible for tourism and has a small museum. (Information provided by Wikipedia.) |
|
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Restaurant and Dining Suggestions
Coming Soon, In the mean time, if you have anything you believe should be added to this section of Getting Away, please send it to Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Books, Maps, Travel Guides and More
Coming Soon, In the mean time, if you have anything you believe should be added to this section of Getting Away, please send it to Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Coming Soon, In the mean time, if you have anything you believe should be added to this section of Getting Away, please send it to Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
