Palenque -

On the drive from Laredo, Texas to my destination in Xcalak, I took a slight detour so that I could re-visit Palenque.  It's basically on the way, & added maybe two hours to the total driving time.

I had been here many years before & was taken by it, like no other Mayan site  I had or later visited.
It as not so grand as Chichen Itza  or Tikal in Guatemala, nor situated on the ocean like Tulum, but the  site is on rolling hills, in some pretty dense jungle.   There is a small river that runs through the site, that seems to add moisture to the air so that at times, the fog practically hides some of the temples & buildings.  It just adds to the over all atmosphere of the site.   And, if you get there early in the morning before the tour buses arrive, you can hear troops of howler monkeys crying off in the near distance.   You will also enjoy the site more -  once the buses arrive, it can get crowded.  It is not a large site so w/ the number of people, it feels crowded.  Forget about photos of the buildings without a group of people posing in front for their own memories.

From Villahermosa, follow Route 180 to signs for Palenque - you can't miss the turn off to Route 199 -  there are signs directing you.  The drive down this road takes about 1/2 hour or so, depending on traffic & condition of the road bed (was being worked on when I drove it & had some nasty sections where no asphalt only gravel/sand).   Once in town, there are several hotel options - I chose to pass through town & stay at a hotel on the road to the ruin site.  There is good & bad to this -  easier & quicker to get to the ruins early in the morning,  but it takes longer to rejoin Route 180 when  leaving
to continue your trip. Hotels range in price from $300.00 / night  down ( I paid $47.00 / night - but, you get what you pay for in life). I tried to get a room at Hotel Boutique Quinta Chanabnal but either they were full or because it was low season & no one else was staying that night or what - I was told that only room available was $295.00 / night, even thought they have lesser rooms.  I have to concede, I did not have reservations, I just walked in.  The rooms must have been full of tourists who took the bus tour to the ruins, there was not another car in sight.  Oh well ........  Oh, by the way -
I checked on booking.com & tripadviser.com - the picture & description of the Hotel Los Leones they have is NOT the Hotel Los Leones that I stayed at -  just a heads up.


There is a 27 Peso toll only a few miles before the entrance to the site & the fee to enter (I had my Nikon with me) was 45 Pesos.


On my return trip, I stayed at the Hotel Nututun Palenque.  Price was about $75.00 / night & worth every penny.  This hotel is about 2 to 3 miles, on the LEFT hand side of the road, out of town, on the road to Agua Azul.  Go thru town, and when you see signs for  ruins  or  Agua Azul,  take  left toward Agua Azul.   There is another Hotel Nututun,  (autohotel, I believe) on the right side of the road.  Go by that about 200 meters, & on the left, there is the sign for Hotel Nututun Palenque.
Beautiful rooms, great restaurant & situated right on a river.  Only complaint, was WiFi signal in the room I was staying was  only occasionally able to connect to the internet;  signal was fine in the pool area & in the reception area (separate logon & password required here - ask at the desk).  I have added a few pictures of the hotel & area .  By the way,  early  in the morning,  you can hear howler monkeys  -  not that far away !