Is it safe to travel to Chiapas, Mexico?

Chiapas is unlike any state you will visit in Mexico. With its long history of anti-government revolutionary groups Zapatistas, border security issues with Guatemala, and high profile violence targeting journalists, there is good reason to wonder if it’s safe to travel to Chiapas, Mexico.

On rural roads that surround the region of San Cristobal, there are frequent reports of road blockades requesting a toll to pass and sometimes theft. So it’s a good idea to consult locals including forums or posts from travelers in the area to hear prior to traveling to see if there have been any reports before you visit.

However, the city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, like most other tourist destinations in Mexico, is very safe to visit.

As with traveling anywhere in Mexico, follow general travel safety advice like not wandering around alone late at night, watching your alcohol consumption and staying aware of yourself and surroundings. Aside from road challenges on the roads leading into the city, the only reasonable fear you should have when visiting Chiapas is that you might never want to leave.

Top 8 things to do in San Cristobal de Las Casas

You’ll quickly see after visiting San Cristobal, that there are so many unique activities to experience in the city and surrounding mountains of Chiapas. We spent just over a week and a half there and would have loved to have stayed longer.

Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or staying for a week or longer, here are a few of the top things to do in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas.

1. Stroll the cobblestone streets

The first thing you will want to do in San Cristobal is take a stroll through its beautiful narrow cobblestone streets. San Cristobal is a pedestrian friendly city with a few roads dedicated solely to foot traffic. Start at the historic center that connects to the bustling street of Real de Guadalupe where many restaurants, shops and bars are located.

Incredible street art will greet you all over the city as you walk around. Seriously, this city has so many cool murals, you can see why artists are drawn here. An evening stroll around San Cristobal is an excellent time to watch this city come to life! Find a streetside table at one of the many cafes and restaurants and enjoy people watching.

2. Taste artisanal coffee & chocolate

The lush and green state of Chiapas is well known for its production of coffee and chocolate. San Cristobal de Las Casas is in proximity to the jungles of Chiapas which has the perfect climate for growing coffee and cacao. When walking around San Cristobal you will see many cafes and coffee roasteries so definitely stop in and try some of their delicious coffee.

We recommend paying Cafeologia a visit for an educational sampling of drinks made from the different stages of coffee starting with the flower all the way to roasted bean. For buying some wholesale coffee to take home, Black Dragon Coffee is a roastery working with sustainable organic farms selling high quality coffee.

San Cristobal loves chocolate! You will see it absolutely everywhere. For incredible artisanal chocolate, head over to Chocolateria Jangala for a variety of pure cacao treats from ice cream to chocolate beverages. They will answer all of your cacao questions and explain the process of how chocolate is made from bean to bar with a focus on sustainable harvesting.

3. Sip pox, the ancient Mayan liquor

4. Shop at the artisan market

Shopping at the Mercado Artesanias is one of the best things to do in any Mexican city and the market in San Cristobal’s may be the best in the entire country. Wander around this maze of a market for a few minutes and you’re bound to get lost, but in the best possible way.

Tourist trinkets, hand sewn clothing, amber jewelry, and other goodies fill the plethora of booths in the massive market. Try your hand at bartering and walk away with bragging rights about the amazing deal you just got. Just make sure to be realistic with your offers so as not to offend the vendors.

5. Take a boat tour through Sumidero Canyon

One of the best things to do in Chiapas is to visit the jaw droppingly stunning Sumidero Canyon. Located an hour outside of San Cristobal de las Casas near the capital city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, visiting Sumidero Canyon and the town of Chiapa de Corzo makes an excellent day trip away from San Cristobal.

Sumidero Canyon is a large narrow canyon formed about 35 million years ago, making it as old as the Grand Canyon in the United States. The best way to view this natural wonder is on a thrilling boat ride up the river that flows through the canyon.

The boat tours launch from Chiapa de Corzo, a small pueblo magico nearby Tuxtla. Make your way to the docks on the river and be prepared to negotiate (if your Spanish is up to par) with the many tour companies and find the best price.

Note that the boats won’t leave the dock until they have filled with people, so find a boat with people already signed up to reduce your own wait time. Snacks and micheladas can be bought beforehand or at the end of the tour near the dam.

On the canyon tour you will see towering walls, lush rainforests, a unique waterfall and wildlife including crocodiles and spider monkeys. The tours are led in Spanish so it is helpful to know some of the language but even if your Spanish skills aren’t up to snuff, the sights are captivating enough to make this tour worthwhile.

6. Visit one of Chiapas many churches

Exploring San Cristobal you will quickly encounter its many colonial style churches or Iglesias. Walking into these beautiful holy sites is a wonderful way to experience the culture and history of the city. To start, it’s hard to miss the bright yellow and red Cathedral in the town center. The famous Iglesia de Guadalupe is a place of pilgrimage for the people of Chiapas and beyond. For a little bit of a workout, climb the steep stairway up to the Iglesia de San Cristobal for a panoramic view of the entire city.

7. Get out in nature in El Arcotete

Escape the bustle of the city at El Arcotete, an ecological park outside of town that has some of the best outdoor activities in San Cristobal de las Casas. The park features pine trees and lush greenery, a suspension bridge, extensive caves and a tall limestone archway with a freshwater river running through. It’s an easy 20 minute ride by taxi or public bus to get there.

8. Explore the ancient art of textile making at the textile museum

Housed inside the Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo, the Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya is an incredible museum filled with examples of textiles made by the indigenous groups of Chiapas, Yucatan, and Guatemala. You can spend hours perusing the collection of over 500 colorful handwoven textiles. Learn about the processes used from creation of the materials to the creation of the intricate patterns.

Where (and what) to eat in San Cristobal de Las Casas

soup

San Cristobal de las Casa’s colder weather had us craving hearty warming soups. So our first stop was the highly reviewed El Caldero. Their soups are absolutely delicious and reasonably priced (considering how massive the bowls are). I promise you’ll want to come back for more.

Vino and Tapas

What better way to spend a lazy afternoon than sipping wine and people watching in the city of San Cris! Visit a Tapas Bar like La Vina de Bacco or El Cau Vinos y Tapas on a sunny day to enjoy refreshing wines by the glass.

Each glass of wine is served with a free small plate of food. Wines range from $2 – $7 USD per glass depending on your selection. Which makes this a super cheap and delicious way to fill up. If that doesn’t sound like enough to eat, no worries you can order an assortment of tapa plates off the menu.

Street food

The weather tends to be a bit chillier in the high mountains of Chiapas than in other areas of Mexico, and on a cold day nothing will warm you up faster and cost less than a steaming hot cup of esquites.

Esquites is basically corn in a cup, but infinitely more delicious than that sounds. Scoops of soft boiled corn are layered with mayonnaise, crema, chili powder, lime juice and cotija cheese. Mix it all up and it becomes like a creamy mexican corn chowder. Que rico!

Tamales

La Casa del Tamal San Cristóbal is a hole in the wall restaurant off the main walking street that always has a dozen types of tamales warm and ready for you. Make sure to try the tamales de chipilín, a Chiapas specialty. Chipilín is a leafy green sometimes described as a cousin of spinach. It has a distinct earthy flavor that’s delicious in tamales and soups. Eat at the restaurant or take a few para llevar or to-go for an easy breakfast in the morning.

Where to stay

RV Park: Camping San Nicolas

Camping in San Cristobal de las Casas is made easy by Camping San Nicolas. This convenient and secure campground is located inside the city and has at least a dozen spots for small RVs and campers as well as a few guesthouses on the property.

The campground offers electric, water and sewer connections as well as wifi, a cozy common area with a kitchen, a bathhouse with multiple showers and restrooms and hot water for days! Seriously, this was probably one of the best showers we took while in Mexico.

Camping San Nicolas is just on the outside of the hustle and bustle of town which is wonderful for a peaceful night’s sleep. From the campground you can easily walk or bike into the town center or for longer distances the owners can call a cab to pick you up and take you where you need to go.

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