LAM 8-10 28/4/09 16:43 Page 50
knowledge latin america
ttglive.com
With its attractive cobbled streets, white-
washed red-roofed houses and arty cafes and
shops, this bustling hillside town, which has
applied to become a Unesco World Heritage
Site, is a popular stopping off point for those
en route to Palenque.
Palenque
I made my own journey to Palenque by a
very comfortable coach. It is home to the
region’s greatest ancient Mayan cities.
Here I stayed at the charming Chun Kah
resort, where the almighty roar of howler
monkeys provided my morning wake-up
call. Guests, some still in pyjamas, gathered Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas State
to watch the monkeys’ ear-splitting perform-
ance from swaying tree tops. Accessible only by boat, we strolled around 12-hour drive away, but we went in search
Performance over, I hailed a Collectivo– Yaxchilan’s impressive buildings, sculptures of Comitan’s beautiful lakes.
shared minibus – at the gate for a five- and acropolises, lost in the Lacandona jungle The distances in Chiapas may be huge,
minute drive to the Unesco Archaeological for many years. At nearby Bonampak, I and the mountain roads slow-going, but I
zone. Built by the Mayans some 1,500 years marvelled at beautifully-preserved murals. found that the rewards at the end of each
ago in the jungle, I retraced their footsteps Chiapas remains relatively undiscovered journey were worth the ride.
up beautifully restored temples, palaces, by tourists but it offers a salsa of delights:
pyramids, carvings and inscriptions. majestic mountains, dense jungle, cascading ■ Due to the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico,
A day’s recuperation around the resort’s waterfalls, the awesome Sumidero Canyon, the Foreign Office was advising against all
fabulous lagoon pools was followed by an traditional villages, friendly people and but essential travel to Mexico as TTG went to
excursion to the ancient cities of Yaxchilan fabulous culture. Most people travel on to press. Keep checking the FCO website for the
and Bonampak, also built AD600-900. the Yucatan Peninsula’s fabulous beaches, a latest information at
fco.gov.uk
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