The Agua Azul Waterfalls brought about mixed feelings for us, on one hand, it was extremely beautiful, there are falls everywhere and it is pretty much exactly how it looks in all of the photos. On the other hand, it was by far one of the biggest tourist traps we had seen for months in Mexico. Having said this though we kind of predicted this and decided to get there at sunrise and got the entire place to ourselves for the first couple of hours of the day. Once these hours were over though it was on and nothing was stopping the tourist rampage.
I still advocate for going to see the falls but I do think you should be hyper-aware of your behavior and I will talk more about it at the end of this.
The Agua Azul Waterfalls
Located only 70kms from the amazing Palenque Ruins, Agua Azul Waterfalls are a series of cascading waterfalls famous for their blue water and iconic looking formations, the falls flow from the Xantil River in the Chiapas region.
We had an incredible morning walking along the path that runs next to the falls and swimming in a few spots where it was easy to access the water. It was also incredible having this entire place almost completely to ourselves.
How to get to the Agua Azul Waterfalls from Palenque
There are several options on how to get from Palenque to Agua Azul.
The first and most favorable would be to have your own car so if you are lucky enough to have your own vehicle I will add a map that will give you perfect directions. If driving yourself you can expect about an hour to 90 minutes driving through some pretty windy roads but it is a pretty drive so there is not much to complain about. This is also perfect if you want to get there early and experience the falls before anyone else arrives.
Collectivo From Palenque to Agua Azul Waterfalls
Your second option is a collectivo from Palenque. These do not have set departure times more on a schedule on just leave when its full sort of things. These will again take about 90 minutes.
You will want to find the colectivos that are heading to Ocosigno, the best way to find these is to go to the AOD bus terminal and then head to the crossroad of Benito Juarez and 5a. Pte Sur. I have pinned it on the map below to make it a little easier to find.
Like I said these just leave when full but it is normally about 20-30 minutes and will cost you 50 Mx per person
The drive from Palenque took approximately an hour and a half on a quite bumpy and zigzag road, and we were happy when it was over. The collectivo dropped us off on a turn off to Agua Azul Waterfalls, and here we had to take a taxi to the entrance of the falls for another Mx 50.
We did not have to wait at all, it seems that there is always a car or two waiting for tourists.
Although the entrance is approximately 3 kilometers away, it is not recommended to walk because of the safety reasons.
To get back from Agua Azul Waterfalls to Palenque, we had to follow our steps in reverse order. We took a taxi from the parking lot in Agua Azul for Mx 50 and then waited for a collectivo going from Ocosigno to Palenque.
If you want to go to Misol-Ha Waterfall as well, you need to ask the driver to drop you off on a crossroad closer to Palenque.
We also have a post with everything you need to know about Misol Ha Waterfall so click the link to check that out as well.
You are also going to want to check out Cascada Roberto Barrios while you’re in the Chiapas region so make sure you check that out by clicking the link also!
Where to stay in Palenque.
There are a few options for places to stay around Palenque. To be honest this is your best option for accommodation when visiting Agua Azul Waterfalls
Casa Janaab Palenque, Casa Janaab is recently renovated, it’s clean and in the middle of Palenque so you have access to shops and restaurants it is also well priced. All rooms are air-conditioned as well in case that is a concern.
Dorms start at $17 USD
While Private rooms are starting at $45 USD.
Kin Balam Cabanas is located closer to the actual Palenque Ruins and is a little more of an overall experience. Tucked into the national park it comes complete with pool and a river that runs through it.
Dorms start at $9.50 USD
Private rooms are from $25.
If you’re after something a little more upmarket here are a few other options.
Hotel Boutique Quinta Chanabnal is a kind of expensive option, rooms start at $200 USD per night but they look incredible, rooms have aircon, there is a massive garden with an amazing looking pool complete with waterfalls.
Hotel Maya Tulipanes Palenque is much more reasonably priced with rooms starting at $70 USD. The rooms look nice and it comes with a large outdoor area and pool.
Being sustainable while traveling.
Mexico is an extremely beautiful place and between the beaches, the coral reefs, and all of the waterfalls there are a few small things we can do to help keep them pristine.
One thing that will help so much is having a Reusable Water Bottle this Sawyer one comes with its own filter and a million-gallon guarantee meaning that you should never need to replace it. It filters 99.9999% of bacteria meaning you can fill it from and drink out of any tap. As well as drink from lakes and streams. This completely cuts out the need to buy bottled water which is a huge thing in Latin America.
My first tip for this especially for the cenotes, and coral reefs or any delicate ecosystem really is to use a sunscreen specifically designed not to damage the reefs or impact waterways or marine life in any way.
Not only that most of them are better for your skin as well as the environment.
There are more and more options becoming available when it comes to this but here are a few of our favorites.
SunScreen
Thinksport Sunnscreen This is my choice personally but there is a range of other options.
All Good Sunscreen is one we have not actually tried but have been hearing a lot of good things about online. All good use zinc oxide mineral ingredients to protect your skin, as well as coconut oil, beeswax, and vitamin E oil.
Insect Repellent
Bug spray is something else you should be conscious of using before going in the Roberto Barrios Waterfalls. If you’re just on your way to the beach or a waterfall you don’t need to drown yourself in bug spray before jumping in. A lot of the chemicals can be toxic and help do damage to the ecosystems.
I personally try and avoid any kind of repellent unless I am getting absolutely destroyed. I just have a thin pair of cotton pants and a long sleeve button up that is made of thin material to try and stay cool at the same time. However, we do carry bug spray and there are some pretty clever options out there so you might want to check these out. Not only will the first two options be better for you all-round they will also reduce your single-use plastics ever so slightly.
Long Sleeved Shirt I love long sleeve button-ups for travel, its too hot, no worries, undo the buttons, roll up the sleeves and you’re good. Cools down, roll the sleeves back down and do the buttons up.
Plant Based Insect Repellent If you are really hell-bent on some kind of spray because, well let’s face it sometimes it is just too hot to wear long-sleeved anything then this is probably your best option. DEET free and non-aerosol it has a couple of thousand 5 star reviews on Amazon which is pretty incredible really.
What Camera Gear We Use.
- Digital Camera: Sony A7riii
- Drone: DJI Mavic Pro
- Landscape Lens: Sony 16-35mm F2.8
- GoPro: GoPro Hero 12 Black
- Favorite Lens: Sony 24-70mm F4
- Circular Polarizer: Hoya Digital PRO1
- Power Bank: Anker Portable Charger (A little heavy but amazing especially for multiday adventures)
- Tripod: Vanguard VEO 2 265AB
Gear we use
- Rain Jacket: Arcteryx Beta
- Hiking Boots: SALOMON Quest 4 GTX
- Reusable bottle: Sawyer filtered water bottle
- Dry Bag: Earth Pack 20L
- Headlamp: BLACK DIAMOND Headlamp
- Headphones: Jaybird Vista – Little update on these headphones. Its been a few years now since I got these and they are the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. I have been through a few other pairs as the years went on (beats, sony, JBL) for better sound quality but I always end up putting them in a draw as a backup pair and go back to these.
