11 Epic Things to do in Chiapas, Mexico

Chiapas, Mexico is an incredible Mexican state to explore and adventure around. The abundance of waterfalls, Mayan ruins, jungle landscapes and turquoise lakes make it the perfect destination for outdoorsy adventure travelers. We spent a few weeks traveling around Chiapas, Mexico in our 1990 camper van. This post highlights the best adventurous things to do in Chiapas, Mexico.

El Chiflon Waterfall

Quick List of Adventurous Things to do in Chiapas, Mexico

Canyon del Sumidero
Free Walking Tour in San Cristobal de las Casas
El Chiflón Waterfall
Agua Azul Waterfalls
Palenque Ruins
Misol-Ha Waterfalls
Roberto Barrios Waterfalls
Yaxchilán Ruins
Las Nubes Cascades
Lagos de Montebello
Cenote Chucumaltik

Where is Chiapas, Mexico?

Chiapas is one of the most southern states in Mexico. It borders the Pacific ocean to the west, Oaxaca to the north, Guatemala to the south and Tabasco on the east. The landscape varies so much in Chiapas and includes coastal regions, jungles, and mountains.

The best way to explore the region is with your own car or campervan. Check out my post The Ultimate 7 Day Chiapas Mexico Road Trip for a detailed travel guide.

If you are flying to Chiapas, you will land at the Airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Most people will choose the charming, colonial town of San Cristobal de las Casas to base themselves while they explore Chiapas, Mexico. This is about 1 hour drive from the airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

If you are backpacking Mexico then there are plenty of long distance buses that can take you to San Cristobal de las Casas. It was really popular to have people coming from Puerto Escondido or the Yucatan Peninsula area. From San Cristobal it is possible to take public transport to some of the spots I’m going to highlight or sign up for day tours.

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11 Adventurous Things to do in Chiapas, Mexico

1. Canyon del Sumidero

The Canyon del Sumidero tour is a must-see when you visit Chiapas. This is a super easy day trip from San Cristobal or the perfect first stop if you are traveling by car from Oaxaca. The tours from San Cristobal cost about 500 pesos or if you arrive on your own the boat ticket from the public launch is about 300 pesos. The boat tours of the Canyon depart from the small town of Chiapa de Corzo. The panga boat will take you up river to the canyon. Make sure to wear sun protection because there is no shade! The tour takes about 2.5 hours and the views in the canyon are incredible! There are opportunities to see a bunch of crocodiles, birds and monkeys. The views are incredible the whole time, it felt like we were in Jurassic Park.

San Cristobal de las Casas

2. Walking Tour in San Cristobal de las Casas

You can’t visit Chiapas without experiencing the charming city of San Cristobal de las Casas. The colonial town has so much history and I really enjoyed walking the streets because it did not feel touristy. One the first things you should do in San Cristobal is take the Free walking tour. These tours go everyday in the morning and afternoon and start in the Plaza de la Paz. You can find more information about the Free Walking Tours here. During the tour you will get a ton of information about the history of San Cristobal, you will visit the main monuments in the city and also get insider tips for food, shopping and more!

El Chiflon Waterfall

3. El Chiflón Waterfall

If you are going to see one waterfall in Chiapas, Mexico then El Chiflón should definitely be the one! It is definitely one of the top adventurous things to do in Chiapas, Mexico. It can be done as a day trip from San Cristobal or as one of the stops on the The Ultimate 7 Day Chiapas Mexico Road Trip. There are 5 waterfalls that make up the El Chiflón cascades. It requires going up A LOT of steps but the views are 100% worth it! Bridal Veil Falls is the most impressive of the 5 waterfalls, but the others are great because you can swim in them. We visited during rainy season so the waterfalls were pumping! The water color was not as turquoise as it can be, but I’d say it is worthwhile to visit any time of year.

Agua Azul Waterfall

4. Agua Azul Waterfall

The Agua Azual Waterfalls are another really impressive natural beauty of Chiapas, Mexico. Normally the water is an incredible blue color, but when we visited it was more of a greenish brown due to the rains. I still thought it was incredible how massive the falls were and how powerful the water was. You can spend a whole days exploring here and there are plenty of spots to cool off and swim. Be prepared for the “touristy” feel. There are restaurants and souvenir shacks lining the paths next to the waterfalls. If you camp overnight like we did on the The Ultimate 7 Day Chiapas Mexico Road Trip then you can access the falls to yourself in the morning.

Palenque Ruins

5. Palenque Ruins

These are incredible Mayan ruins that attract a fraction of the crowd compared to Chichén Itzá. What I liked the most is that you can actually climb up to the top of some of the temples. There is even one where you can walk inside and see the old burial chambers. The archaeological site is big and its fun to spend a couple hours exploring the ruins. Palenque city is a good place to base yourself in order to visit the ruins and other sites like Agua Azul, Misol-Ha, and Roberto Barrios waterfalls. You can easily take a night bus from San Cristobal to Palenque.

Misol-Ha Waterfall

6. Misol-Ha Waterfall

Misol-Ha is another special waterfall in Chiapas, Mexico. It is also a popular tourist spot, but the main draw is being able to walk behind the waterfall. In addition, you can jump in the water for a refreshing dip. This is a quicker stop and you probably won’t spend more than an hour here.

7. Roberto Barrios Waterfall

These lesser known waterfalls are a top adventurous things to do in Chiapas, Mexico. I loved these waterfalls because there is so much to explore! The waterfalls span out over a large area so you can take the trails to discover your favorite spot to swim and cool off. There are also cliff jumping spots here making it extra adventurous! I highly recommend stopping here on your Chiapas road trip or taking a tour from Palenque.

Roberto Barrios Waterfall

8. Archaeological Site of Yaxchilán

This is the ultimate adventurer stop! Sadly, we didn’t make it here ourselves, but it was on my list. This might be tough to get to without your own vehicle, but I imagine there are tours from Palenque. Visiting these ruins is only accessible via boat. They are situated on a river at the border of Guatemala and Mexico. These are super off the grid ruins and I think the adventure to arrive is half of the excitement!

Las Nubes

9. Las Nubes Cascades

I really enjoyed this stop on our The Ultimate 7 Day Chiapas Mexico Road Trip. It is also a little remote to get to without a car, but I loved it because we were the only ones there. These are impressive rapids that you can view from a suspension bridge. The water rushes down a canyon and deposits out onto the valley. There is a quick little hike that can be done to a viewpoint overlooking the valley floor.

Lago Tziscao

10. Lagos de Montebello

Wow! I did not expect to experience alpine lakes in Chiapas, Mexico! There are 50+ lakes that make up the Lagos de Montebello and the main ones are all so beautiful! We spent a few days at Lago Tziscao which is perfect for kayaking, swimming and paddle boarding. Eco-Lodge and villas had an epic campsite right on the water! If you enjoy hiking the Cinco Lagos Hike is a must do! Otherwise, check out the view point and hop around to some of the other lakes in the area. This is a top adventurous thing to do in Chiapas.

11. Cenote Chucumaltik

If you have enough time definitely check out Cenote Chucumaltik. You can get here via the town of Comitán and it is a good spot to snorkel or paddle board. This is an off the beaten path adventure!

Cinco Lagos Lookout

Chiapas, Mexico Wrap Up

Overall, I loved getting to explore Chiapas, Mexico and see more than the main tourist spots. The region is so diverse and way different that other parts of Mexico. I loved all the outdoorsy, adventurous activities that we were able to do. I know we only scratched the surface on all the Chiapas, Mexico has to offer. Comment below if I should add anything else to the list of adventurous things to do in Chiapas, Mexico!