San Cristóbal de las Casas Travel Guide Chiapas, Mexico

September 19, 2024

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San Cristóbal de las Casas was our first stop in Chiapas and it quickly became one of our favourite cities in Mexico. It’s easy to fall in love with ‘San Cris’, as its affectionately known.

This colonial gem is a city of contrasts. It’s bursting with vibrant Indigenous culture, a surprising food scene and plenty of spectacular natural sights to see, but also faces deep-rooted inequalities and intense political challenges.

We spent five nights here soaking up the charm of the historic centre and trying to get under the skin of San Cris. We took day trips to natural and cultural sights outside the city and enjoyed the mild highlands climate while trying to gain a deeper understanding of this complex and fascinating place.

If you want to visit San Cristóbal de las Casas responsibly and experience more than just the charming facade, this guide is for you. I cover travel logistics like transport info, where to stay, best places to eat and the top things to do, as well as some context of the socio-political landscape of the city.

A pastel-colored street in San Cristobal, Chiapas, with a light blue vintage VW Beetle parked in front of colorful buildings.

A striking mural of a masked figure with a braid, wearing traditional indigenous clothing and holding a staff, possibly representing resistance or cultural identity.

About San Cristóbal de las Casas

Cultural capital

Despite its popularity, San Cristóbal de las Casas is not the current capital of Chiapas. It was until the late 1800s, but that title now goes to Tuxtla Gutierrez, a gritty and largely uninteresting city 2 hours west. Although San Cris is still widely considered the cultural capital of the state.

High altitude

It sits in the highlands of Chiapas, in the Los Altos region, at an altitude of over 2,200 metres (7,200 ft). The temperature is mild year-round, with warm days and cool to freezing nights, depending on the time of year.

If you’re doing any extended travel through Chiapas or Mexico, the mild temperatures will be a blissful relief from the sweltering lowlands!

We travelled to San Cristóbal from the Oaxaca Coast, where temperatures were pushing 38°C (100°F) and we were slowly melting, with all our energy and desire to see or do anything evaporated.

The cool temperatures put a pep back in our step, and seeing fog hanging on the pine-covered mountains around the city was a welcome change of scenery for us. We took full advantage of the hot mulled wines and cosy hot chocolates!

Maya culture and Zapatistas

Although we had been in Mexico for over 5 months by the time we arrived in Chiapas, this was the first time we experienced any kind of culture shock. Chiapas has the highest Indigenous population of any state, and the Maya culture and traditions are on full display.

On the one hand, it was wonderful to see the bright traditional dress, hear different languages and learn more about the customs and cultures of the Maya. On the other, we found it quite confronting to learn of the poverty and inequalities these communities face and to come to terms with some parts of their culture.

We hadn’t experienced this much begging anywhere else in Mexico, and we were constantly being shown trinkets to buy. The desperation was obvious and upsetting.

Despite its high proportion of Indigenous inhabitants, Chiapas still suffers from major inequality issues and social problems. Learning more about the Zapatista revolution and autonomous Indigenous communities fighting for their rights and control of their own territory was fascinating, and something I encourage you to read up on before your visit.

A vibrant street mural showing a woman breastfeeding her child while holding a Coca Cola bottle, commenting on modern consumption habits and the problems with Coca Cola in Indigenous communities, with a worn and faded appearance.

Coca-Cola in Chiapas

Something you will hear about in San Cristóbal is the curse of the Coca-Cola corporation.

In an ironic and vicious cycle of exploitation, Coke steals all the city’s water, leaving communities with toxic and polluted water (read more about health in San Cris). They then turn to Coca-Cola instead, as it is cheaper and more readily available than fresh drinking water.

This corporation has savagely penetrated the Indigenous communities with clever targeted marketing, and Coca-Cola is now part of religious ceremonies and offerings. We even saw tiny babies being fed Coca-Cola on more than one occasion. As a result, Chiapas has the highest rate of diabetes in the entire country.

Some more readings about the Coca-Cola situation in San Cristóbal:

A close-up of a weathered sign that reads "No tomes esto" ("Don't drink this"), depicting a skull and crossbones on a coca cola soda bottle, part of a public health campaign against sugary drinks and the Coke corporation.

San Cristóbal de las Casas is an intense, multi-faceted and overwhelming place. We loved every minute of our time here, but things are not as rosy as the pretty cobblestone streets and colonial buildings will have you believe. It’s our responsibility as travellers to dig a little deeper and make a conscious effort to understand all parts of a destination, good and bad.

How to get to San Cristóbal de las Casas

From outside of Chiapas

If you’re approaching San Cristóbal de las Casas from Oaxaca in the west or another part of Mexico (i.e. you aren’t already in Chiapas), you’ve got a couple of options for getting here:

✈️ By air: San Cristóbal de las Casas doesn’t have an airport, the nearest airport is the TGZ – Ángel Albino Corzo International Airport in Chiapas’ capital city, Tuxtla Gutierrez. It receives flights from several cities around Mexico.

ADO runs a bus route directly from the airport to San Cristóbal de las Casas if you arrive at a reasonable hour and want a cheap option. You can book it via BusBud, just make sure you search for the airport name ‘Angel Albino’ as the origin. Otherwise, you can jump in a taxi when you arrive.

If you want to rent a car for your time in San Cristóbal de las Casas, or Chiapas more broadly, this is the place to do it from. The airport has the biggest selection of rental cars. There are fewer options in San Cristóbal de las Casas.

🚌 By bus: ADO (and associated brands) service San Cristóbal de las Casas and there are buses from all over Mexico. Common routes are from Oaxaca City, Puerto Escondido, Huatulco, Puebla or even Mexico City. You can book your bus tickets to San Cristobal de las Casas via BusBud.

From within Chiapas

If you’re travelling through Mexico from the opposite direction, east to west, San Cristóbal de las Casas is likely to be your final stop in Chiapas.

At the very least, you’ll also visit Palenque, but getting between these two destinations is not as straightforward as it seems.

Highway 199 connects the two destinations in about 6 hours, but this route has frequent problems with roadblocks and Indigenous protests. The ADO buses will not travel this way and instead take a 10+ hour detour via Villahermosa in the neighbouring state of Tabasco.

Tourist shuttles do travel this direct route, often combining the trip with a stop at Agua Azul and Misol-Ha into one long day. This is generally safe as the shuttles travel in a convoy or with a police escort.

Our solution was to create a broader 2 week Chiapas itinerary, where we travelled from San Cristóbal to Palenque via the southern part of the state, with multiple stops at lesser-known, remote locations. We did it via public transport, but it would be much simpler with a rental car.

San Cristobal → Cascadas El Chiflon → Lagos de Montebello → Las Nubes → Las Guacamayas → Yaxchilan and Bonampak → Palenque

If you follow our itinerary in reverse, you’d be travelling to San Cristóbal de las Casas from Cascadas El Chiflon, which is a pretty straightforward trip via the city of Comitan. I’ve got more specific transport details in my El Chiflon travel guide.

A screenshot of a custom Google Map showing this Chiapas itinerary with location pins, text labels of places and lines indicating the route of travel.

A graphic with a phone, tablet and laptop advertising my Chiapas Mexico travel guide ebook

Getting around San Cristóbal de las Casas

👣 Walk: San Cris is a pretty compact city and you can easily walk anywhere within the city centre. For your days spent in the city, you’ll get around with your own two feet. Just be prepared for the hills and cobblestones!

🚙 Car: if you’ve decided to rent a car for your time in San Cristóbal de las Casas or Chiapas more broadly, you’ll need to make sure you arrive in town with a car as there aren’t too many rental agencies here. The airport in Tuxtla is the best place to rent a car. I don’t think you need a car for San Cris itself, as the city is compact and easily walkable, but if it’s the first stop of a broader road trip through Chiapas, this is the best (only) time to organise a car. It can come in handy for day trips too.

🚐 By colectivo: if you don’t have a car, the colectivos will be your main method of transport in and around San Cristóbal de las Casas. There is a pretty efficient network of vans to get you to many of the best attractions around the city, and I include specific instructions for each of them below.

🚕 By tuk-tuk or taxi: tuk-tuks and taxis ply around town. We caught a couple of taxis to and from the ADO bus station and paid between 50 MXN (day) – 70 MXN (night). At the time of writing, there was no Uber in San Cris.

🎟️ Tours: it’s easier and often just as affordable to take tours to visit certain attractions around San Cristóbal de las Casas. There are a few particular experiences that I (unusually!) think are much better done with a tour, which takes care of the transport too.

A light blue vintage VW Beetle parked on a cobblestone street in San Cristobal, Chiapas, with traditional buildings lining the street.

Where to stay in San Cristóbal de las Casas

Accommodation in San Cristóbal de las Casas is affordable and generally very high quality. They’ve got the vibe right here, and there are some fantastic boutique options in lovely colonial houses at all price points.

Make sure you look out for heaters and/or blankets, as it can get very cold at night and most of the old buildings aren’t well insulated.

San Cris is also NOTORIOUS for gastro and tummy bugs (read more below), so personally, I would reconsider sharing a bathroom for this part of your trip, even if you’re on a tight budget.

In terms of location, you can use the main square (Plaza de la Paz) as a reference point. Ideally you’d be within walking distance of this area.

Some of our fave options around San Cris:

BUDGET 💰

MID-RANGE 💰💰

BOUTIQUE 💰💰💰

A warm and cozy corner of Sarajevo Cafe, featuring a vintage TV, a small wooden coffee table, a comfortable sofa with decorative pillows, and lush greenery visible through large windows.

Things to do in San Cristóbal de las Casas

Free walking tour

Before you do anything else in San Cristóbal, you need to join the Free Walking Tour.

Offered each day in English at 10 am and 4 pm, the tour provides a fantastic overview of the city, and valuable insights into the culture, cuisine and history of San Cris.

It was honestly one of the best walking tours we’ve ever done, and we got so much value out of it. San Cris is such a layered destination, and having a local explain what is going on in this intense city was very insightful.

You’ll also stop for a tasting of pox (pronounced posh), the local liquor made from corn, taste a few goodies from the market and see a lot of the city’s social, political and environmental street art.

Just turn up in front of the cathedral in Plaza de La Paz a few minutes before, and don’t forget to tip your guide.

A street scene in San Cristobal, Chiapas, featuring colorful papel picado banners hanging above a white building with pink accents and traditional colonial architecture.

A detailed and colorful mural of an indigenous figure with geometric patterns and vibrant colors, symbolizing cultural heritage and identity, covering an entire wall in San Cristobal.

Zocalo

The Zocalo is the heart of San Cris. This leafy central plaza, sometimes referred to as Plaza 31 de Marzo is full of life and activity at all times of the day and night.

Vendors stroll around with arms full of balloons and toys, friends gossip under the rotunda, there are food carts with steaming pots of elotes, signs written on cardboard protesting the government, the sound of children running around screaming, and Mayan women in traditional dress selling their wares.

It’s the perfect place to start your city explorations, and everything branches out from this square.

You get a side view of the Catedral de San Cristóbal de las Casas and the smaller adjacent Templo Expiatorio de San Nicolas de Tolentino.

The Templo de San Nicolas in San Cristobal, Chiapas, a colonial-style church with yellow and red hues, featuring a bell tower and arched entrance.

Catedral & Plaza de la Paz

Right next to the Zocalo is the Plaza de la Paz. A contrasting stark, open concrete square that was once the site of the Zapatista uprising, hence the name Peace Square.

It’s every bit as lively as the Zocalo, with informal market stalls spread along the concrete, tourists hanging around waiting for walking tours, and the best view of the ornate baroque-style yellow and maroon Catedral de San Cristóbal de las Casas.

The cathedral has suffered many natural disasters and was most recently damaged in the 2017 Chiapas earthquake. It was closed for more than 5 years while it was restored, but I believe you can now go inside again.

The Catedral de San Cristóbal de las Casas in the Plaza de la Paz, with a large wooden cross in the foreground. People gather around the cross, with some buying toys and balloons from vendors, adding a lively atmosphere to the historic setting.

The Plaza de la Paz, with people walking and socializing against the backdrop of the white colonial buildings and a green hillside. Two women in traditional attire are prominently featured, walking together through the open square.

Stroll the city’s andadores

My favourite part of San Cristóbal was the andadores or pedestrian walkways. Most branch out from the Zocalo or Plaza de la Paz and connect popular sights within the city.

These streets are closed to cars, with restaurants and shops spilling out onto the cobblestone street, and decorative papel picado flags hung overhead.

There are three in the city to explore:

🌈 Andador Carmen: occupying Calle Miguel Hidalgo, this was my favourite andador. It starts across from the Zocalo and leads towards the Arco del Carmen, the old entrance to the city. This street is full of restaurants, including the funky Esquina San Agustin, a modern food hall.

🍷 Andador Guadalupe: running from the eastern side of the Zocalo along Real de Guadalupe, this is restaurant and bar street. Chairs and tables spill out onto the cobblestones, and hawkers wave menus and attempt to lure tourists into their restaurants.

🛍️ Andador Eclesiastico: running north from the Plaza de la Paz along Avenida 20 de Noviembre, this bustling street is the shopping quarter. It leads directly to the Mercado de la Caridad y Santo Domingo and the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

The Arco del Carmen, a red-domed archway, is prominently visible at the end of a festive street in San Cristobal. The street is filled with people walking, and colorful streamers create a celebratory canopy overhead, adding to the vibrant energy of the scene.

A quiet street in San Cristobal, Chiapas, featuring brightly painted colonial buildings in blue, yellow, and red. A few tables and chairs are set out on the sidewalk, inviting passersby to stop and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere.

Iglesia de San Cristobalito

San Cristóbal’s city centre is bookended by two small hills, both with churches on top.

In the east, Iglesia de San Cristobalito sits atop 280 steps. The church itself isn’t necessarily that impressive, but the views over the city are worth the climb.

A view from the steps of Iglesia San Cristobalito overlooking the city of San Cristobal. The street below is lined with trees and colorful houses, stretching towards the mountains in the background.

A close-up of the Iglesia San Cristobalito at the top of the steps in San Cristobal, Chiapas. The simple white and red church, decorated with yellow streamers, stands out against the backdrop of tall trees and a cloudy sky.

Iglesia de Guadalupe

At the western end of the city, the Iglesia de Guadalupe is up a more reasonable 79 steps.

This soft yellow church is a sight in itself, and you get some nice views looking back towards San Cristobalito.

This is a lovely place to watch the sunset, but don’t hang around as the area can be a bit sketchy at night.

Sally, wearing a knit hat and plaid shirt, sits on the steps of the Iglesia de Guadalupe. The steps stretch upwards towards the ornate, white and yellow church, surrounded by greenery and trees, creating a peaceful and contemplative scene.

Shop at the markets

Every day stallholders travel from neighbouring Maya villages to sell their goods at the markets in the city. There are gorgeous textiles in particular, but all kinds of trinkets including things made from leather, jade and amber.

The Mercado de la Caridad y Santo Domingo is the biggest. Every day, the plaza around the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán plays host to a colourful maze of handicrafts.

Haphazardly covered with tarps, it’s a dark, sprawling maze with an overwhelming amount of stuff to buy! Watch your head if you’re tall.

The Mercado de Dulces y Artesanías Ámbar in the south of the city is another great shopping option. It’s a more formal set up in a proper market building, and while there are plenty of souvenirs, it’s more focused on sweet treats (dulces!). There is a handful of food stalls here too for a cheap meal.

You’ll see informal market stalls set up all over the city too, on street corners and in the plazas. I bought a funky embroidered bumbag from the Plaza de la Paz which I still use to this day.

A wall filled with vibrant, whimsical paintings, including images of cats, a woman, and various other artistic creations, all set against an orange backdrop at La Antigua cafe in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Watch a movie at Kinoki

Kinoki is a local cinema and cultural centre that screens lots of independent films, including many about the Zapatistas and local Indigenous communities.

Pop by to check out their schedule. You can also rent a private cinema room and watch a movie of your choosing.

Their rooftop is also an excellent place to enjoy the sunset. They have an entire menu of teas, perfect for a chilly evening, but skip the food, it’s not that great!

A cobblestone street in San Cristobal, Chiapas, at sunset with a dramatic orange sky in the background and cars parked along the narrow street.

Visit the museums

There are all kinds of museums in San Cris, depending on what you’re interested in and how much time you have. None of them are particularly large, and you can easily visit a few in an afternoon.

Casa Na Bolom: a memorial and museum in the former house of husband and wife duo, a Danish archaeologist Frans, and Swiss anthropologist, Gertrude. They spent many years researching Maya sites all over Chiapas, advocating for their culture and preserving their history. Their work is displayed in their former house.

Museo Mesoamericano del Jade: a museum dedicated to the use of jade in Maya and other Mesoamerican cultures, with artefacts and replicas of jewellery and other jade products.

Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya: if you want to learn more about the traditions and production of the vibrant Maya clothing you’ll see people wearing around the city, this is your place.

Museo del Ámbar: Chiapas is known for its amber, a fossilized pine resin, and this museum showcases all things amber.

A close up view of brightly colored textiles and carpets displayed outside a shop in San Marcos la Laguna.

Day trips from San Cristóbal de las Casas

Sumidero Canyon

Cañon del Sumidero is one of Chiapas’ greatest natural wonders. A 13 km (8 mi) section of the Río Grijalva carves through the deep canyon, with vine-covered walls towering over a kilometre (0.6 mi) tall in some places.

We knew the canyon was going to be special, we had heard enough praise from other travellers, but it really blew all our expectations out of the water. We felt completely dwarfed by nature as we cruised below the cliff faces, at each corner we rounded, the view was more spectacular than the last.

Our captain pointed out caves and waterfalls in the walls of the canyon. We spotted countless species of birds, cheeky spider monkeys swinging in the trees and crocodiles lurking just below the water’s surface. It was the perfect intro to all the wildlife we would see in Chiapas (mostly at Las Guacamayas). Truly epic.

boat cruising through the towering cliffs of Sumidero Canyon, Chiapas, Mexico, with lush green vegetation on either side of the river.

While the canyon is closer to Tuxtla Gutierrez, it’s easily visited from San Cristóbal de las Casas on a day trip.

We always prefer to visit sites independently where possible, but if you don’t have a vehicle, visiting Sumidero Canyon is best done with a tour.

The reason for this is that you actually want to visit multiple places throughout the day. This means you not only have to figure out public transport to get to the canyon, you have to work out how to get between destinations too.

A complete visit to Sumidero should include three things:

👀 Miradors: a stop at at least one of the several miradors above the canyon, giving an aerial view of the river snaking through the tall canyon. This really allows you to appreciate the size and scale.

🚤 Boat ride: a boat cruise down the river the entire length of the canyon. Tours generally include a one-way ride, but if you visit with a car or independently, you will do a return boat trip from Chiapa de Corzo.

🏘️ Chiapa de Corzo: some time to explore and grab some food in the pueblo magico of Chiapa de Corzo, near the mouth of the canyon.

There are dozens of tours departing from San Cristóbal every day, and as long as they include all of these things, they’re all pretty similar. This tour is well-rated and fairly priced.

Don’t forget that the canyon and Chiapa de Corzo do not sit at the same high altitude as San Cris, so it is HOT! It felt even warmer having come from the cool highlands, and we were melting as we wandered around Chiapa de Corzo.

🚤 Book a 3-stop tour to Cañon del Sumidero

A breathtaking view of Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas, Mexico, with the river flowing through the steep, rugged cliffs covered in greenery.

San Juan Chamula

Chiapas is the heart of the Maya world in Mexico, and there are dozens of Indigenous villages surrounding San Cristóbal de las Casas.

One of the most common villages to visit from San Cris is San Juan Chamula. Chamula is a Tzotzil Maya community known for its syncretist religion, blending Mayan beliefs with Catholicism.

The Templo de San Juan Bautista church is unlike any other Catholic church you’ve ever seen. From the outside, it looks ordinary, with a typical style of architecture, but the similarities end there.

The local community have some unique ceremonial practices involving local liquor, pox, chickens, Coca-Cola and pine needles.

Tourists are allowed to enter the church and quietly and respectfully watch the ceremonies, but there are absolutely NO photos or videos allowed.

Chamula is one of Chiapas’ autonomous communities, which are entirely self-governed, with no intervention from outside law enforcement. This is why you need to respect and obey the rule to not take any photos and videos. What can happen if you are caught breaking the rules is completely up to the community.

It was a very eerie experience and we were both quite overwhelmed. I’ve shared my unedited musings below, which I noted down as soon as we stepped out of the church.

The iconic white and green church of San Juan Chamula, with its distinctive arched entrance and locals gathered around, showcasing the blend of indigenous and colonial architectural styles.

Visiting Chamula independently

It’s very easy to get to Chamula on a colectivo from San Cris. The colectivos depart from this location in the north of the city and drop you off right in the heart of town near the church. It takes about 30 minutes.

You must pay 30 pesos to enter the church.

Joining a tour

We thought it would be an easy activity to do independently, but I deeply regret not joining a tour. You absolutely need a local guide to explain what is going on, and to learn more about their religions and customs.

This tour is highly rated and led by an experienced local who will give you valuable insight into the Maya culture and communities around San Cristóbal, not just in San Juan Chamula.

You’ll also visit the village of Zinacantan, known for its textiles and traditional weaving techniques.

⛪️ Book the customs of Indigenous villages of Chiapas tour

An assault on all senses.

The floors are covered with a blanket of green pine needles, sparsely furnished with a notable lack of pews.

The church is lit by thousands of candles, packed on tables and stuck to the floor with melted wax. One beam of light shines through the window, illuminating the smoke swirling through the air.

Indigenous men clothed in white woollen garb file through the masses waving chalices of steaming coals wafting fragrant smoke through the dark interior.

The first thing we hear upon entering is a baby screaming. The baby is being held on the floor by its mother, surrounded by candles and offerings of soda. I can only assume the baby is unwell, and they are praying to heal it.

Between the screams, our ears are filled with the sounds of music, with the furry coat men gently playing marimbas, beating drums and strumming guitars.

The walls of the church are lined with statues of saints, encased in glass housings. Each saint is prayed to for a different purpose, highlighting the Mayan traditions where there were numerous gods for important elements of life in this strange, mixed faith.

Worshippers clear a space in the pine needles and kneel on the floor. The bottoms of thin candlesticks are held to a flame to melt, before sticking them to the floor in a pool of wax. Bottles and cans of soda, primarily Coca-Cola, are lined up in front of the candles.

The local liquor pox is also used in offerings, and you can see the clear liquid inside old water bottles, or glass Coke bottles with corks securing the contents.

We watched as an indigenous woman sipped pox from a small glass, before wiping the liquid on her face, her hair and the tops of her feet. It was washed down with a sip of Coca-Cola.

As we emerge from the dimly lit church into the fresh air and light of day, we take a collective sigh, as if we were holding our breath the entire time.

Loud blasts like gunshots fire sporadically, sending our hearts racing. But it’s not gunshots, rather firecracker bombs being let off in the square in front of the church. The firecracker is released into the sky, but no colours are visible being the middle of the day. Another furry-coated Indigenous man holds the casing, and braces as the bomb explodes in his hand.

This is like nothing we have ever seen before.

El Arcotete Ecopark

El Arcotete is a lovely eco park just 20 minutes outside the city. It’s named for its large naturally formed archway, with moody pine forests, a cave system and a river to explore.

There is a small entrance fee to access the park (10 MXN) and then you can choose if you want to add additional activities like visiting the caves (15 MXN), ziplining (150 MXN) or taking a short boat cruise (30 MXN).

We were surprised at how extensive the cave system was, and we had a really lovely few hours strolling around the park, ducking and weaving through the caves and enjoying a picnic lunch. Just don’t swim in the river, it’s polluted.

There is a colectivo that runs from the city to the park. It departs from the corner of Calle Nicolas Ruiz and Avenida Remesal. There is no set schedule, but you shouldn’t wait more than 15 minutes. The vans say Arcotete on the front of them. You can also get a taxi.

ally walks across a narrow suspension bridge surrounded by lush greenery at El Arcotete in San Cristobal. The bridge, with its wooden planks and green netting, stretches out into the dense forest, creating a sense of adventure and connection with nature.

A natural window in a cave at El Arcotete, San Cristobal, offers a framed view of the lush, green forest outside. The rugged rock edges contrast with the vibrant, living landscape beyond.

Sally stands in a cave at El Arcotete, San Cristobal, surrounded by natural stalagmites and stalactites. The soft light filtering into the cave illuminates her thoughtful expression as she takes in the intricate rock formations around her.

Brayden stands among tall pine trees in a dense forest at El Arcotete, San Cristobal. The ground is covered in a carpet of fallen pine needles, and the vertical lines of the trees create a serene and majestic atmosphere.

Cascadas El Chiflon

Cascadas El Chiflon are some of the most striking waterfalls we have seen in all of Mexico. A collection of five waterfalls along a bright, turquoise river, they are like something out of Photoshop!

A trail winds along the river and you progressively ascend to all five falls. The biggest and most famous is the Cascada Velo de Novia, a thundering display of nature falling over 120 metres (395 ft).

A drone shot of the bright turquoise river at El Chiflon winding through the green forest.

Cascada El Suspiro, focusing on the waterfall’s flow and the turquoise pool. Roots and rocks are visible in the foreground, blending with the natural landscape around the falls.

We actually don’t recommend visiting the falls as a day trip. Instead, we travelled to the waterfalls after our time in San Cristóbal de las Casas and stayed the night there before continuing our route through southern Chiapas. It avoided a lot of backtracking.

If you’re planning to follow a similar itinerary, I’d suggest visiting the falls as your next destination, rather than a day trip from the city.

If you’re not travelling this route, the falls can easily be visited in a day from San Cris. This is one activity I’d highly recommend doing independently, without a tour.

Although there are dozens of tours available, most combine the waterfalls with the Lagos de Montebello. The lakes are amazing and worth visiting, but not as a day trip. They’re more than 3 hours drive from San Cris, and combining both sites in one day leaves you with only 2 hours to experience the waterfalls, which in my opinion is not enough!

If you’re very tight on time and don’t mind a long, rushed day tour, this tour is the best one I’ve found.

To visit without a tour, you can easily get to the waterfalls via public transport. Take an ADO bus from the bus station in San Cris to the city of Comitan, where you’ll switch to a colectivo that will take you directly to El Chiflon. I’ve got more detailed transport instructions in my guide.

💦 Read our complete guide to Cascadas El Chiflon

Brayden wading in the shallow waters of the river, with small falls tumbling over rocks around him at Cascadas El Chiflon.

Day trips NOT to do from San Cris

Lagos de Montebello

Following on from my previous point, I don’t think you should attempt to visit the Lagos de Montebello on a day trip.

A lot of people end up going to the lakes because the tours to El Chiflon combine the sites. If you want to see the waterfalls, just take public transport and visit them independently without a tour, they deserve a whole day.

If you want to see the lakes, go and stay a few nights. We visited as part of our broader route through southern Chiapas, and they were a logical and linear stop between San Cristóbal and Palenque, along with a few other natural sites.

🌲 Read our complete guide to the Lagos de Montebello

Several wooden rafts lined up on the sandy shore of Lago Pojoj, seen from above through the branches of lush greenery, with the lake’s clear blue water in the background.

Sally standing at the edge of a wooden dock, looking out at the turquoise waters of Lago de Colores in Chiapas, Mexico, with trees reflecting on the lake's surface. She is wearing a white shirt with rolled sleeves, beige shorts, her hair in a low bun and sunglasses.

Palenque

It is absolutely shocking to me that you can take a DAY TRIP from San Cristóbal de las Casas to Palenque.

Tours like this one combine the Palenque ruins, Cascadas Agua Azul and Cascada Misol-Ha into a 19 (19!) hour day trip, with more than 10 hours of driving.

Honestly, this is just insane. If you want to visit Palenque, go and stay for a few days and experience it properly. It’s so worth visiting, but if you only have one day to spare, it’s much better spent in or around San Cris.

🛕 Read our complete guide to Palenque

A close-up portrait view of the Misol-Ha waterfall in Palenque, Chiapas, highlighting the dramatic drop of water against the lush, green cliffside, with the water crashing into the pool below.

Another angle of the Agua Azul waterfalls in Palenque, Chiapas, showcasing the cascading water over the golden-brown rocks with turquoise water below and green trees in the background.

Where to eat in San Cristóbal de las Casas

We were absolutely BLOWN away by the food scene in San Cris. We did not expect such an incredible array of international and local restaurants in a mountain town in Chiapas. Oh and that’s not even mentioning the coffee, the cafes are gorgeous with excellent baristas and locally-grown Chiapas coffee!

CAFES AND BREAKFAST

🌿 Sarajevo Café Jardin: an absolutely beautiful space, with a great range of breakfast options and good coffee. Not the cheapest but the venue is stunning and worth it!

☕️ Cafe Libre: hands down the best coffee I had in 6 months in Mexico, with local Chiapas beans and expert baristas.

🍳 La Frontera: good coffee, good food in a lovely open-air courtyard, try the chilaquiles.

🥐 Kukulpan: beautiful vegetarian cafe with a lovely outdoor patio area, with good coffee and juices.

☕️ Cafeología: a fantastic cafe on Real de Guadalupe stocking only local Chiapas coffee. They sell bags of beans with the farmer’s photo on it, which we loved to see.

The image shows two cups of cappuccino with latte art, served on a rustic wooden board alongside small squares of fudge, with a Frontera Cafe card placed in the middle.

A croissant with a side of sliced fruits and a glass of orange juice on a rustic wooden table, next to an e-reader displaying a book at Kulkupan cafe in San Cristobal.

INTERNATIONAL OPTIONS

🍴 Esquina San Agustin: this modern food hall houses different restaurants and cafes in a beautiful building. We loved Amor Negro Cafe, and also Bangcook, a great Thai restaurant.

🍣 Kei Korean (formerly AsiaRico): this restaurant has recently had a rebrand, but still has the same owners serving tasty Korean and Japanese food. The sushi was great.

🍲 Just PHO You: we tried to visit this pho place so many times but they were never open. I think we just got unlucky because the reviews look amazing. Give it a go, a pho would be so warm and tasty on a chilly night.

🍕 Pizzería y Chocolatería Corazon de Cacao: we didn’t love the Italian restaurant we tried (Il Borgo), but this place gets rave reviews for pizza and pasta and has a really funky pink-themed restaurant.

🥖 Roots Panaderia: if you want bread, pastries or sweet treats for a day trip, this is the place to stock up.

table set with dishes from the Bangcook restaurant in San Cristobal, including a plate of pad Thai with shrimp and a bowl of rice with fresh herbs. Accompanying the meal are small dishes of crushed peanuts and chili flakes, adding a touch of spice to the presentation.

A meal at the AsiaRico restaurant, featuring a sushi roll and a bowl of stir-fried vegetables topped with avocado. The dishes are presented on a colorful table setting, with chopsticks and dipping sauces arranged neatly beside them.

LOCAL OPTIONS

🌮 Achiote: a local taco spot serving up the Yucatan speciality, cochinita pibil. Go for the panuchos.

🌯 Donki Burrito: big, juicy delicious burritos near La Guadalupe. ❌ NOW CLOSED

🇲🇽 Restaurante La Lupe: a big Mexican restaurant that may seem a bit tourist trap-esque, but the food is amazing, with all kinds of regional dishes from around the country.

🌮 Taqueria El Fogoncito: classic taco spot, cheap, cheerful and delish! The pastor is good.

🍲 El Caldero: on a cold San Cris night, a hot soup or stew is the perfect way to warm up! El Caldero has lots of typical local options.

A traditional Mexican meal with tacos al pastor, served with various salsas, onions, cilantro, lime wedges, and pico de gallo, on a checkered tablecloth, highlighting the vibrant flavors of the cuisine.

A close-up of a hand holding a burrito from Donki Burrito in San Cristobal. The burrito is sliced open to reveal a colorful filling of rice, beans, and meat, neatly wrapped in a soft tortilla.

BARS

🍷 La Viña de Bacco: a San Cris icon, this cosy little wine bar has an amazing selection of very cheap wines, and with every glass you order, you get a free tapas plate! They have mulled wine which I loved in the cold weather and we spent many nights here.

🍸 La Espirituosa: if you take the free walking tour, you’ll stop by this bar. In the same location with the same owners as La Frontera, it’s the best place to sample pox the local corn liquor in Chiapas.

A glass of red wine and a small plate with bread topped with cheese and garnish, served on a wooden table at La Viña de Bacco.

San Cristóbal de las Casas travel tips

🌤️ Best time to visit: due to its altitude, San Cristóbal de las Casas has a milder climate year-round. Even in the hottest months (April/May), the days are warm and sunny, not too hot, and the nights are cool. If you’re visiting during winter (Dec – Feb) it can get very cold at night, so pack accordingly. It’s best to visit during the dry season (Nov – April) to avoid heavy rains.

😴 How long to stay: there are so many things to do in and around San Cristóbal de las Casas, you don’t want to underestimate how much time you need here. We spent 5 nights and felt that was a good balance that allowed us to see and do the highlights. You could easily stay a week or longer and still not get through all the sights (and amazing food options!).

🫶🏼 Safety: is San Cristóbal de las Casas safe? Yes. San Cristóbal de las Casas is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Chiapas, and it’s generally a safe place to visit. The state of Chiapas has a volatile security situation overall, but San Cristóbal is a touristy place and is usually safe. Just make yourself aware of the social and political climate in Chiapas, understand the autonomous Indigenous communities and be wary of Highway 199.

🤢 Health: if you can go to San Cristóbal and not get sick, you deserve a medal. This town is notorious for sending even the most iron-gut people running to the bathroom. This is mainly due to the terrible pollution in the water, largely thanks to Coca-Cola stealing it all.

I wouldn’t drink tap water anywhere in Mexico, but San Cris’ water is a step further, it’s actually toxic. Most accommodations have water delivered and don’t use municipal water, but it’s best to be on the safe side and be VERY conscious of not drinking any tap water.

No teeth brushing, don’t get any water in your mouth when you shower, wipe all water off dishes and dry your hands properly or use sanitiser instead. This also means being extra vigilant about food stalls too. If there’s any chance someone might have used bad water, it’s not worth the risk. We ordinarily love street food but we stayed away in San Cris, and we thankfully did not get sick!

If you do get a funny tummy, get to a doctor or lab ASAP. There’s a good chance you’ll have selmonella or a parasite, treating it early is key.

🏧 ATMs: there are several banks and ATMs around the city, most concentrated around the main plaza. We were able to pay by card at many of the restaurants in the city, but always have cash if you’re heading out to the smaller villages.

📱 Phone & SIM Cards: phone coverage and internet around town are standard. Our Telcel SIM cards worked fine.

🥑 Groceries: the biggest supermarkets (Chedruai, Walmart etc.) are a short drive out of the centro, but there are many small produce stores and minimarkets around the city. The closest markets are mostly souvenirs, but you can find fresh produce around.

A larger mural featuring detailed hands stitching a bird, a woman, and a serpent together, symbolizing a narrative of creation or connection, signed by the artist Alfredo Suárez on a street in San Cristobal.

San Cristóbal de las Casas: Final thoughts

Whether San Cristóbal de las Casas is your first, last or only stop in Chiapas, I have no doubt this charming city will captivate you as it did us!

It’s a very easy place to get stuck, and many people stay much longer than they originally planned.

Although we loved the city, it was a challenging and confronting place, and provoked a lot of thought and gratitude. Make sure you take some time to research and understand the city on a deeper level.

If you’re continuing your travels through Chiapas, I strongly encourage you to follow our itinerary and take the southern route between San Cris and Palenque. It’s easy to jump on an ADO bus and beeline straight for Palenque, the other popular destination in the state, but there is so much more to Chiapas than just these two places!

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Sally Rodrick

Sally Rodrick is the voice behind Sally Sees. She has spent 12 months travelling in Mexico and Central America, and has her sights firmly set on South America. Sally helps thousands of readers discover the magic of Latin America. Sharing detailed guides to inspire and equip them with the knowledge they need to plan their own epic adventures in this incredible part of the world.