Southern Mexico
Mezcal, Monte Albán, Pacific surf, jungle ruins — our home turf.
Oaxaca · Chiapas
Agua Azul
Tiered turquoise cascades on the road between Palenque and the highlands
Worth itPuebloComitán de Domínguez
Unhurried highland town and the base for Montebello and El Chiflón
If nearbyNatureLagos de Montebello
Dozens of multicolored lakes in pine forest on the Guatemala border
If nearbyRuinsPalenque
Maya city swallowed by jungle, with Pakal's tomb underneath
Must-seeCitySan Cristóbal de las Casas
Highland colonial hub, Chiapas' cultural anchor and best base
Must-seePuebloSan Juan Chamula
Tzotzil town whose church fuses Catholic and Maya ritual
Worth itNatureSumidero Canyon
Kilometer-high canyon walls on a fast boat down the Grijalva
Worth itCityTuxtla Gutiérrez
Chiapas' hot lowland capital — mostly an arrival gateway
Skip unless…Hierve el Agua
Petrified waterfalls and cliff-edge mineral pools in the eastern valleys
Worth itRuinsMonte Albán
Zapotec capital on a leveled mountaintop, 30 minutes from the city
Must-seeCityOaxaca City
Colonial capital where the food alone justifies the flight
Must-seeBeachPuerto Escondido
Real surf town with a working port — not a resort in disguise
Must-see