Agua Azul Waterfalls — Attraction in Chilón

The Cascadas de Agua Azul is a breathtaking site, perfect for both leisurely strolls and refreshing swims. However, visitors should be aware of restricted access areas due to the presence of indigenous communities. Friendly reminders will be given if you inadvertently cross into these restricted zones.

Getting there and ensuring safety while traveling by private vehicle from Palenque: You'll need to navigate a stretch of the famous Palenque-Ocosingo highway, known for its numerous speed bumps that slow down traffic. Here, both vendors and opportunists may attempt to solicit money. During our visit on a Sunday, we didn't encounter much criminal activity, but we did encounter a couple of speed bumps manned by young children with ropes. While the theory is that they block the road to request money, in practice, we found it best to simply close the car windows, honk the horn, and drive slowly until they move aside. This approach worked well for us, but it's important to note that this area doesn't always feel entirely secure. It's advisable to avoid driving at night or in poor weather conditions.

Toll booths: We paid for two toll booths, with each costing 40 pesos per person, although it wasn't clear if the first toll booth was "official."

Parking: Parking is free, but as soon as you step out of your car, you'll be approached by children selling fruits or crafts. It's a bit overwhelming but can be tolerated respectfully.

Walking paths: The walking paths are not long or difficult, and the viewpoints and swimming areas are well-marked. In some areas, there are additional activities that require payment, but access to swimming in the pools and beaches, as well as walking within the designated areas, is included in the entrance fee.

Food and drinks: As with all tourist sites, prices are higher than normal. The further you venture from the parking area, the more expensive everything becomes. Each can of Modelo beer was priced between 40 and 50 pesos. You can bring your own food and drinks into the entire area, which is what we would recommend. However, it's essential to be respectful of the environment and indigenous communities. For example, littering or getting drunk is...

Status as of 24th December 2024

Despite reading the negative recent reviews, we decided to risk it. The total fee is 120 pesos / person. We went with a rental car. It's still worth it, but here's what you will experience.

1 - Right after leaving the main road, at the intersection, two kids will likely hold a rope. We did not stop, they're smart enough to let the rope go. They would probably want to sell you stuff.

2 - A minute later, you get charged the first time: 40 pesos / person. This happens in the middle of nowhere, in the road. We asked them what the total price will be, they said there'll be another 40 to pay. Spoiler: There'll be 3 in total. At this stage, you get a ticket.

3 - A minute later, you reach a bigger gate, where you get a bunch of kids trying to sell you stuff, while you are being charged for another 40. You get another ticket, exactly the same as before.

4 - A minute later you reach the entrance, where you get charged for the "official" ticket - another 40. The two previous ones are for "taking care of the road" - so they say.

5 - You'll park, and again get surrounded by kids trying to sell you stuff.

When it comes to the waterfall, it's for sure really nice. You should bring your swimming suit. There are various swimming spots, don't necessarily stop at the first one, but rather keep going for a more quiet spot.

The fact that we need to pay 3 times feels like we're being robbed, it'd look better if there was a single 120 pesos ticket...! Still worth it though,...

WARNING: you will likely encounter a series (two or three) of “stops” where a woman pulls a rope with flags on it across the road and children bombard your car and demand 20 pesos for a bundle of old bananas or stale plantain chips. This might look sort of like the slightly more official stops where you give money to certain collectives to enter some areas, but it isn’t.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STOP! Make sure the windows are up and drive slowly through the rope and flags. The first one you run into heading south from Misol-ha is fairly close to Agua Azul. It’s the worst one. The woman is particularly severe and she will demand 20 pesos for each of the ten or so kids she has working for her. The second stop in is a bit less harsh and the third one was pretty easy. Some kids tried to stop the car at the turn to Agua Azul, even going to far as to pretend to throw something under the car, but you can just keep slowly driving through. There are no more annoying stops after the turn. There was only one attempt just after turning out to head towards San Cristobal, but it was basically just five little kids trying their luck.

Agua Azul itself is an awe-inspiring series of pools and waterfalls. There are an extraordinary amount of booths & restaurants on one side of the hike and the waterfalls on the other side, so don’t expect solitude. This place is very popular - but for...