Day-trip from Palenque by colectivo to Ocosingo and Toniná

 


The main reason to visit Ocosingo is to see the pyramid of Toniná, the tallest in the Americas, but the town itself is also quite interesting and pretty. Ocosingo is about half-way between Palenque and San Cristóbal de las Casas along the short route, but only colectivos travel this road through the mountains, buses take a much longer detour. This is due to the bad reputation this area of Chiapas has. It is a Zapatista stronghold and masked people with weapons used to hold up vehicles and demand a "tax" for their cause. These days, locals say, the road is safe during the day but better to be avoided from late afternoon till morning. Check locally about the situation. 

Ocosingo is a small town but the colonial architecture is really beautiful. Furthermore, a large percentage of the locals are indigenous people which gives the place a special atmosphere, reminding me of the Andean towns of Bolivia and Peru. You also see a few signs that the Zapatistas are present. There are some hotels and hostals in town, so you can stay overnight, but I didn`t see a single foreign face. I would have liked to stay longer, but I already made my plans and had to return to Palenque. It is really worth to make this day-trip, either from Palenque or San Cristóbal, or to do a stop-over between the two. 

Ocosingo and Toniná map


1. Colectivo station to Palenque or San Cristóbal; 2. Central square; 3. Colectivo station to Toniná; 4. Turn-off to Toniná entrance. (Some colectivos drop you here, some go all the way to the entrance.); 5. Toniná entrance.

Getting there

I visited Ocosingo from Palenque, so I describe this route, but you can also do it as a day-trip from San Cristóbal. The best, in my opinion, is to do it as a stopover and it could be done in one day: since the distance is about the same, you would arrive in the other town around the same time as returning to the place you started from. But staying overnight in Ocosingo is also a good idea.

In Palenque, the colectivo station is right on the main road that leads from the bus terminal to the centre, and there is actually an office with advertisements and price lists. You can take the Ocosingo colectivo to the Misol-Ha or Agua Azul waterfall, both are along the same route. Colectivos start around 5 AM and the trip takes about 3 hours over stunningly beautiful landscape. If you started really early, you could stop at one or both of the waterfalls too, but I skipped them as it was getting late. 

 The colectivo station in Ocosingo: 


The colectivo station in Ocosingo is a little out of town, but it is a small town and you can walk to the centre in about 10 minutes. The colectivos to Toniná depart from the market area, located another 10 minutes from the central plaza.

Glimpses of Ocosingo


























Toniná

For more information and photos click here. 


Popular posts from this blog

Countries

Image
     The world is yours. Where do you want to go next? Featured: Those countries are featured where posts with useful information are available—such as maps, practical details, guides, instructions, etc.—in addition to the many accompanying photos. 
More »

Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - Day 1: Yuanjiajie & Golden Whip Stream

Image
  Located about 30 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie, near the town of Wulingyuan, is China’s oldest national park: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This is the place that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar, earning it the popular nickname "Avatar Mountains". The park covers a large area, with shuttle buses, cable cars, and even lifts operating inside to connect the main scenic spots. (Shuttle buses are free with the ticket; the rest are at an additional cost.) There are popular cliff-edge paths as well as quieter hiking trails. The national park is divided into 4 main areas, and the entrance ticket is valid for four consecutive days, which is useful if you want to explore each earea to some extent. It's not likely that you can hike every trail in four days unless you’re an extreme walker. The four main areas consist of Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, and Huangshi Village (Huangshizhai), and between them are other locations such as the Gol...
More »

Leshan (very basic) tourist information with map

Image
  Many visitors come for just a few hours on a day trip from Chengdu—but that’s a mistake. You need a full day to properly visit the Leshan Giant Buddha , see it from the river, and explore the nearby Oriental Buddha Park and Wuyou Temple hill. At a leisurely pace, it could easily take two days. You can also do a day trip to Emeishan from Leshan by public bus, but in my opinion, it's better to stay overnight there—perhaps in a monastery below the Golden Summit. So, for Leshan alone, you’ll need at least one night, preferably two. The city itself is quite sprawling, modern, and tidy, but it doesn't offer many attractions. The train station is a bit far from the center, but public transport is a good option to reach both the city center and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Below are the tourist basics. 
More »

Leshan Giant Buddha - Walking tour and boat ride

Image
  Located near Chengdu, Leshan is home to the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. Carved out of a cliff face, the 71 meters tall statue overlooks the junction of the Min and Dadu Rivers. You can walk up to the statue’s head and look down, walk down to its feet and look up, and view it from a boat. The area also offers distant but nice city views. You could do the walk and the boat ride easily in a short day, along with a visit to the Mahao Cliff Tombs and Wuyou Temple, both located between the Giant Buddha and the cruise port. In a longer day's program you can also include a visit to the Oriental Buddha Park, a separate and fairly large attraction (separate ticket required) that is well worth seeing — see the post about the Oriental Buddha Park . 
More »