Suggestions, Tips, and Crucial Information!
1. There is no airport in San Cristobal. The closest airport is Tuxtla Gutierrez which is the capital of Chiapas. Interestingly, even though the airport is named Tuxtla Gutierrez, it is located in Chiapa de Corzo about 40 minutes from Tuxtla. We flew nonstop from Tijuana, about a 4 1/2 hour flight. San Cristobal is about an hour and a half drive from the airport.
2. Do not rent a car! It is virtually impossible to drive in San Cristobal because of the number of narrow one way streets. Add in there is no parking! Outside of the city, there are topes (speed bumps) galore and they have a native way of passing cars whereby they drive down the center of the road and the cars politely veer to the sides. Taxis are inexpensive too.
3. Where are the best restaurants? Just walk out your door and explore. I don’t think the Internet can keep up with them. The variety and the quality were top notch. Italian, Mayan (with indigenous spices and flavors), and traditional Mexican and International. Maize (corn) is one of their staples and is featured in most menus. Their corn tortillas dazzling: the best I’ve ever tasted.
4. There are free walking tours leaving from the Plaza de la Paz in front of the cathedral. Our young tour guide let us know this tour wasn’t government sponsored because she would be talking sh** about the government. She was free with her opinions especially about the Coca Cola plant opened in 1994 leading to children with teeth decay and a rise in Type 2 diabetes. Her tour included several walls of graffiti art, a lesson on how to detect fake amber, and a walk through several blocks of mercado (market). She cautioned us never to bargain with sellers of handmade items as their art involves hours and hours of labor. We ended up at a pox (posh) tasting store, a liquor made up of corn, sugar cane and wheat. Maybe an acquired taste?
5. Stunning Sumidero Canyon, a deep natural canyon with walls as high as 3300 feet, is an excellent field trip outside of San Cristobal. We opted for a group excursion, only $20 per person. This excursion includes driving up to the viewpoints on top and then back down to a boat dock where we loaded onto boats to take us speeding through the canyon stopping off to check out the crocodiles and monkeys along the way. My hugest recommendation is to have a private taxi take you straight to the boats and skip the viewpoints which are lovely, but add on an additional two to three hours. Your hotel can make the arrangements for you. Do not make arrangements in the States. The prices are three times as much.
6. The gasp worthy El Chiflón Waterfalls are not to be missed. Instead of a group tour like we did with Sumidero Canyon, we booked a private taxi through our hotel for a reasonable price. (Just like AI, I can learn from my past mistakes.) It’s about a two and a half hour drive to the falls from San Cristobal through many indigenous villages and numerous topes (speed bumps).
The park is incredibly well organized with walking paths along the aqua river and falls. While the walk is primarily uphill, the swoon worthy waters motivate even less enthusiastic walkers. If you can’t make it to the top waterfall, opportunities along the way exist. You will first pass Cascada El Suspiro or The Sigh–so accurately named for the sigh of amazement.
Onward and upward! Next is Cascada Ala de Angel or Wing of an Angel
Then for the Grand Finale! The aptly named Cascada Velo de Novia or Bridal Veil. And what a stunning veil it is. Heavy mist and slippery steps await you. There is a premier viewing platform to soak in the roaring, all encompassing sight. This is the most popular of the waterfalls. There are two more waterfalls further up that we reserved for another day.
7. This waterfall tour includes a tour of the Montebello Lakes. I HIGHLY recommend that you do not do both on one day. The Lakes are scenic and lovely, but going there adds on at least two to three hours driving. If you have to choose between the two, definitely, the waterfalls is the way to go.
8. The Amber Museum while small is well worth a visit and the store has well priced items that you know are authentic. We were warned about the vendors selling fake plastic amber on the street. The amber from Chiapas is known for its clarity and diverse colors. It is located in an ex-convent close to El Centro.
