Top Reasons to Go to Chiapas and Tabasco

Mist-covered ruins: Much of the enormous complex of Palenque has yet to be excavated, so you can see how thoroughly the jungle claimed them.

A pleasant, little-visited colonial town: Lovely colonial architecture, the excellent Museo Na Bolom, and nearby San Juan Chamula make San Cristóbal de las Casas an important stop.

An exotic boat trip: Go by water up the Río Usumacinta to see the Mayan city of Yaxchilán surrounded by magnificent 100-year-old ceiba trees.

Breathtaking canyon: Cliffs rise to 3,500 feet at their highest point in the Cañón del Sumidero.

Convening with history: Wander through the trees around massive stone heads left behind by the Olmecs at the Parque-Museo La Venta.