Chiapas is Mexico's southernmost state, a highland-and-jungle frontier on the Guatemalan border where colonial San Cristóbal de las Casas sits at 2,200 metres above sea level, the Maya city of Palenque rises out of rainforest, and the Grijalva River cuts the thousand-metre walls of the Sumidero Canyon. It is the most indigenous state in the country: Tzotzil, Tzeltal, Ch'ol, Tojolabal and Zoque communities keep their languages, markets and ceremonies as living practice rather than performance. Waterfalls at Agua Azul, Misol-Ha and El Chiflón, the turquoise lakes of Montebello, the coffee fincas of the Soconusco and the empty Pacific beaches at Puerto Arista round out a state that rewards slow, careful travel.
Family activities
Engaging experiences for travellers of every age.
ZooMAT (Zoologico Miguel Alvarez del Toro)
A zoo built inside native forest on the edge of Tuxtla Gutierrez, showing only species that occur naturally in Chiapas, including jaguars, tapirs, howler and spider monkeys, quetzals, and harpy eagles, in enclosures set among the trees rather than on open concrete. Paths are shaded, flat in most sections, and short enough for young children to walk without a stroller, and the zoo is free or charges only a small donation at the gate.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Sumidero Canyon Boat Trip
A shared or private lancha leaves the Chiapa de Corzo embarcadero and runs through the Sumidero Canyon, where walls rise more than 1,000 metres on either side of the Grijalva river, passing crocodiles sunning on the banks, spider monkeys in the trees, and the moss-draped Arbol de Navidad rock formation. Life jackets are provided and boats seat 20-25 people with a covered canopy, making the two-hour ride comfortable even for toddlers.
Duration: 2 hours
Agua Azul Roped Swimming Pools
The turquoise travertine pools of Cascadas de Agua Azul include a roped, shallower section near the entrance where the current is manageable for children who can swim, with lifeguards present on busy days. The wider falls above are far too strong for swimming and are for viewing only, so keeping to the marked pools near the walkway is essential.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Misol-Ha Waterfall Pool
A single 35-metre curtain of water drops into one large, calm pool a short, flat walk from the parking area, with a path behind the falls that children find exciting without any real difficulty. The pool is gentler and easier to supervise than Agua Azul because there is only one body of water rather than a chain of terraces.
Duration: 1 hour
El Chiflon Lower Pools (Ala de Angel access)
The trail at Cascadas El Chiflon climbs past a series of waterfalls, but the lower pools near the entrance are calm, shallow, and safe for children to wade and swim, well before the trail reaches the dramatic 120-metre Velo de Novia falls at the top. Zip lines and a suspension bridge higher up the trail suit older children and teenagers rather than toddlers.
Duration: 1-3 hours depending on how far up the trail the family walks
Museo del Ambar de Chiapas
A small, well-organised amber museum inside the Ex Convento de La Merced in San Cristobal, explaining how the fossil resin formed 22-26 million years ago and displaying pieces with insects and plant matter trapped inside. It holds older children's attention better than most museums because of the insect specimens, and there is a shop attached where a small amber pendant makes an easy souvenir.
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Chan-Kah Resort Village Pool Grounds
Even for families not staying overnight, the Chan-Kah Resort Village on the Palenque ruins road has a long, stone-lined swimming pool fed by a natural spring and shaded by jungle, open to day guests for a fee, and is a reliable way to cool off and let children burn energy after a hot morning at the ruins.
Duration: 2-4 hours
Palenque Archaeological Zone with the Museum
The Palenque ruins combine climbable temples that most children enjoy scrambling over with genuine jungle sound and sight: howler monkeys calling from the canopy and toucans overhead. The on-site museum at the far end of the site, reached by a shaded path downhill, has scale models and jade funerary masks that work well as a shorter, air-conditioned break partway through the visit.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Family-friendly hotels
Accommodation designed with families in mind.
Dining with kids
Eating out as a family.
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Family travel tips
Practical advice for stress-free family trips.
Pack layers for San Cristobal de las Casas: days are mild but nights fall close to freezing from November to February, and few budget or mid-range hotels have central heating
Swim only in the roped or clearly marked pool areas at Agua Azul, Misol-Ha, and El Chiflon; the open river sections above the pools have currents strong enough to be dangerous for adults, let alone children
Book the Sumidero Canyon boat trip for a morning departure, when the water is calmer and wildlife sightings of crocodiles and spider monkeys are more frequent
Break the San Cristobal-to-Palenque drive with a night in Ocosingo or Palenque town rather than attempting the 5-6 hour mountain road in a single push with young children
Carry insect repellent and long sleeves for evenings in Palenque and the jungle lowlands, where humidity and mosquitoes are constant year round
Bring a printed copy of any child's passport photo page and keep it separate from the original in case of loss, since consular replacement in Chiapas requires travel to Tuxtla Gutierrez or Mexico City
The ZooMAT in Tuxtla and the amber museum in San Cristobal both work well as a shaded, lower-energy activity to slot between more physically demanding waterfall or ruins days
Chiapas has few dedicated children's menus outside hotel restaurants, so quesadillas, grilled chicken, and comida corrida mains are the most reliable picky-eater fallback