There are two Palenques: the town and the ruins. There really isn't much reason to visit to the former unless you are going to see the latter. Both are located in the northern part of Chiapas state, way down in the South of Mexico, not too far from Guatemala.

The town (picture at right) contains about 20,000 inhabitants, and it serves as the food and lodging center for those visiting the ruins. That said, it is not a particularly touristy town. It still retains its character as a secluded small town hidden in the jungles of Chiapas. There are a few really nice, clean, modern hotels here that are fairly inexpensive. I can't say much for the food in Palenque. I ate at one restaurant which featured traditional regional food, and I had a dish of chicken cooked in beer with peas and potatoes. It was OK, but most of the eateries here serve cheeseburgers, pizza, and tacos that really aren't much different from what you find in a "Mexican" restaurant in America.

A trip to Palenque is definitely worth it, however, for the fabulous ruins. I have visited several ancient cities in Mexico, and this one is the most spectacular. The main reason: location, location, location. You're in the middle of the jungle. The terrain is hilly, and everything is overrun with vines. The larger buildings of the site have been fully excavated and are somewhat out in the open, but there are plenty of buildings that are submerged in the surrounding tropical forests, and are only accessible by trekking down footpaths through the jungle. A person could really get lost here; not lost like you got on the wrong bus, but lost like you're a jaguar's lunch.

Palenque is a Mayan city, originally settled around 1300 BC, and flourishing around 600-800 AD. The Mayans are the masters of ancient Mexican architecture. While the Mixtecs, Zapotecs, and Aztecs built some truly monumental, awe-inspiring temples and periods, the Mayans added an extra element of grace, style, and uniqueness that puts their work a step above the others. Many of the buildings feature pictoral carvings, and Mayan pictographs. Near the site's entrance there is a fine museum devoted to the history of the Mayan culture.

Another great thing about Palenque is that all the ruins are open. You can go where you want, climb whatever temple you want, explore hallways, caverns, and tunnels. This is one site that is definitely not idiot-proofed for the clumsy tourist. When I was there, there was one temple that was roped off because it was in the process of restoration, but other than that, there were no fences, no borders.

The ruins of Palenque: Grupo Norte

The ruins of Palenque: (l to r) Templo de los Inscripciones, Templo 13, Templo de la Calavera

The ruins of Palenque: El Palacio

The ruins of Palenque: Grupo de la Cruz

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