Zona Arqueológica Palenque

What a great spot to take in the archaeology. If you’re driving then you’ll purchase an entrance ticket at the first building, be sure to get a National Park bracelet at the same time so you can take the nature trail on the way up. There are big trees and waterfalls to appreciate.

We got the colectivo to the ticket office (25 pesos) then found a guide to take us on the private jungle & ruins tour which I highly recommend. We paid 2800 pesos for this which seems pricey however it was worth it We paid another 15 pesos to then get us to the site with the guide. Ruins are amazing & we was given a lot of information & the guides offered to take our pictures & answered any questions we had.

One of the most impressive archaeological sites in all of Mesoamerica... And the world. The site is extremely large and the amount of structure open to the public is only the point of the iceberg of everything that is really there. That said the size and beauty of Palenques pyramids and temples is second to none. It is a good idea to get in to the site as early as possible (at 8 when it opens) to avoid the clouds and get your best shot at seeing spider and howler monkeys as well as several species of birds. Make sure to wear good shoes as many of the jungle paths can get very slippery. Unfortunately the site museum is closed for remodelations at the moment.

One of the key Maya temple complex sites to visit. Easily accessed from Palenque town - get a collectivo (shared minivan, MXN 25 per person) from directly outside the ADO Bus Station for a 10 minute ride to the entrance of the Zona. Pay MXN 90 entrance + MXN 105 tax to enter. Toilets, gift shop and currently closed museum are by the ticket office. Continue on down the tarmac road for 300 m until you see a path on the left climbing up into the foliage - there is a ticket check here. Make your own way up steps and a winding climb for 10 minutes until you reach the temple complex. A stunning site in a stunning forest setting, with its elevation affording good views across the Chiapas Plateau. You could easily spend an hour to take it all in, allowing for rests in the shade of the spreading trees.

The best ruins we've visited in Mexico so far. Very pleased they are not over crowded with tourists. You can fully appreciate the place and listen to the jungle noises. I had always wanted to visit this place. It was a dream that came true for me.

My favorite site for ruins so far. One of the few places where you can actually climb the steps of the temples to see things up close. Most of the other big sites like Chichen Itza and Coba no longer allow you to climb the steps of the temples. The atmosphere is relaxed and the vendors selling arts and crafts within the ruins area are very low key and not aggressive with their sales. There is, however, a gauntlet of very aggressive tour guides trying to get you to pay a lot of money for guided tours right when you enter the park headquarters. We just paid the park fee(105 pesos) and the ticket to enter the ruins(95 pesos), found a free parking spot near the entrance to the ruins and enjoyed several hours of stunning architecture.

If you're anywhere close you must visit this place. I definitely recommend checking Wikipedia or some other website with proper explanations if that's your thing, because their panels are not very thorough, and the history of this city is amazing and very deep.

Most stunning Mayan site I’ve visited. You don’t have to book a tour. You can easily get there by colectivo from ADO station. You might have to leave a few of them since there is limited capacity.

Buy your tickets at the gate and you are good to go. If you want you can book a guide at the site. The prices do vary and are negotiable.

Park entrance 109 MX$ and visit the Mayan site 95 MX$.

Really good site, the ruins are well kept, very accessible and very interesting. Wasn’t very busy when we went at 9am which was nice. You will be mobbed by tour guides when you arrive and on your way there but you can just go without them, there’s nothing complicated about it. After buying your tickets from the entrance building the best way to do is to walk up the road about 50 meters until you reach the ‘group of bats’ entrance and go up there. It’s also best to come back this way as the other exit is a longish road that you have to walk down. Else you can drive all the way up and enter from the car park. The tickets cost about 150 pesos per person.

Take a colectivo from in front of the bus station in Palenque (17.508344, -91.989870) for 30 pesos. It's a 15 min ride to the building where you have to buy two tickets - one for the national park (105 pesos) and another to get into the ruins for 90 pesos.
From there, it's a 1.5 km walk to the park entrance. You will have your ticket checked along the way; make sure the stamp on the back isn't smudged or they may accuse you of trying to reuse a ticket from another day.
Expect to be offered guide services; I was quoted 300 pesos per hour as the local rate.
Expect to spend at least 2 hours exploring the ruins. Several of the ruins are climbable, and offer a great view. Be sure to notice the carvings preserved in the temples when you get to the top.
When it's time to leave, walk past the modern building (currently blocked off with a line of portable toilets outside it) and down the path. This will take you past a picturesque waterfall. Be careful on the wooden bridge, as it is very slippery (ask me how I know!). The path ends at the booth where the guy checked your ticket. It is here that you can flag a colectivo down for a 30 peso ride back into town.
From getting on the bus at the start of the day to getting off the bus at the end, my day was almost 5 hours, but I did stop to talk to people.
Note - go early in the day to beat the crowds. I wanted to also beat some of the heat, but I think that that was impossible!

This a beautiful place to be, come with a lot of water, comfortable shoes, sunblock. And don’t get trick by the locals , they say you can’t go to the forest without a guide and that’s not true. Enjoy !

The views from the top of the Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Cross were amazing. The site got buried for a long time, but they've done a very good job to bring part of this ancient city back to life.

This is the most beautiful Maya archaeological site engulfed by incredible rainforest with the sound of the howler monkeys. This is a place that will remount you back to the age of the Mayas.

Magical place! Entangled in the jungle with a lot of stories to tell while you’re listening to the howler monkeys from the nearby jungle🐒
Tip: don’t book the guides that jump you off of the road, there are way more affordable & knowledgeable ones in front of the ticket office.

You've already seen Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan. I'd still recommend you to see Palenque as well, it's just so beautiful. I'd also recommend you a guided tour, that takes you into the jungle, it's worth it. Don't forget to bargain a good price, maybe wait a bit outside and team up with other tourists.

Stunning archeological site and a must visit when coming to Palenque. To make it an unforgettable experience (and not just an expensive walk through a natural park) I recommend hiring a guide.

During off season it’s a bit more difficult to find groups but you can negotiate lower prices.
I booked a private tour with Enrique in SPANISH and I really enjoyed it (2.5 hours plus 1 hrs jungle). He was young and brought a lot of passion and genuine interest in his job. He had a lot of knowledge about the ruins, Mayan history, temples, medical plants and - belonging to an indigenous tribe - he knows the jungle very well. He answered all my questions, kept taking pictures and took me to the less touristy areas.

I recommend you arrive between 8-9 am to avoid heat and crowds.

Fantastic site. My recommendation, take a guide to appreciate the extensive Maya occupation of the area and the significance of the temples. Our guide was Francisco, an archaeologist who provided a tour of the area in excellent English.

We loved Palenque ruins much more than Chichen Itza, Tulum etc. It’s far less hectic and feels more genuinely Mayan than the massive tourist traps of the Riviera Maya and Yucatán.

Some of the pyramids you can still climb, if you hike the first entrance you will get tired but it’s definitely worth it, because of the clear pathway in the middle of the jungle. Springs, waterfalls and rivers that are crystal clear welcome you and once you reach the summit you have made it to the ancient city.

The most interesting, atmospheric, magical site we visited. So much of the old complex remains undisturbed, but, so much has been revealed in all its ancient brilliant glory.
Climb up to the Red Tomb, look up inside and see how these incredible buildings were created, and how stable they are after all these years. A Wonder of the World, then & now.
Lots of steps around the site, even if you don't climb up the 3 temples you are allowed to (at the moment) so take care, but it's such a beautiful rain forest site and should not be missed. Look out for the Howler monkey families, and locals selling good quality souvenirs. There is good parking, a museum, and very good loos.
A green and marvellous place.