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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
San Cristóbal de las Casas
Give it 3 nights: walk the centre in a day, use day 2 for San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán, day 3 for Sumidero or Palenque onward.
San Cristóbal is Chiapas's colonial highland town at 2,200 m: cobbled streets, Tzotzil and Tzeltal Maya markets, and cool nights that surprise people who packed for the tropics. It is a walking town, a craft town and the base for the villages and the Sumidero canyon. Three nights covers the centre and one or two day trips; add a night if you want Palenque or the Guatemala border.
- Country
- Mexico
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season, clear mornings)
- Avoid
- Sep–Oct (wettest), late Dec–early Jan and Easter week (busy, higher prices)
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$500–900 excl. bed · Mid M$900–1,800 excl. bed · High M$1,800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a centre café | M$35–60 |
| Tamales or antojitos at the market | M$20–50 |
| Set lunch (comida corrida) | M$80–150 |
| Beer: cantina / shop | M$40–70 / M$20–35 |
| Taxi in town | M$30–40 |
| Colectivo ride | M$8–12 (check) |
| Museum entry (amber, jade, Na Bolom) | M$20–45 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | M$200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TGZ · Ángel Albino Corzo International (Tuxtla Gutiérrez)
- About 1 h 15 min by road; shared shuttle or taxi from the airport
Typical fares
- TGZ airport → San Cristóbal, shared shuttle
- about M$240–250, 1 h 15 min (check)
- TGZ airport → San Cristóbal, taxi
- about M$600 per taxi (check)
- Taxi in town
- M$30–40, more after 22:00M$30–40, more after 10:00 PM
- Colectivo to San Juan Chamula
- about M$20–30, 20 min (check)
Get around
Walk: the centre is flat enough and 20 min end to end. Colectivos (vans) run fixed routes for a few pesos; taxis are cheap but agree the price first. For villages and the canyon, take a colectivo from the stands near the bus terminal or a tour shuttle.
See and do
Known for
- Templo de Santo Domingo and its crafts market
- San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán villages
- Maya textiles, amber and jade
- Zapatista history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan Chamula | Colectivo from the stands near the bus terminal, about 20 min | About 45 min |
| Zinacantán | Colectivo or a combined tour with Chamula | About 1 h |
| Cañón del Sumidero | Tour shuttle or bus to Tuxtla then boat at Chiapa de Corzo | 3–4 h |
| Palenque | ADO or OCC bus, about 5–6 h on winding roads | 5–6 h |
| Comitán | Bus or colectivo on the Pan-American Highway, about 2 h | About 2 h |
| Chiapa de Corzo | Bus or colectivo toward Tuxtla, about 1 h | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Centro / Zócalo
- Everything walkable; noisier at night and pricier. Best for a first visit of 2–3 nights.
- Barrio El Cerrillo
- Quieter, 5–10 min uphill walk to the Zócalo; near Santo Domingo, Na Bolom and the amber museum.
- Real de Guadalupe and Guadalupe
- Cafés, bars and the pedestrian street east of the centre; good for food and nightlife.
- Barrio San Diego / bus terminal
- Cheapest beds and closest to ADO and colectivo stands; 15–20 min walk to the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta por fa-VOR |
| Where is the bus station? | ¿Dónde está la terminal de autobuses?DON-de es-TA la ter-mi-NAL de ow-to-BU-ses |
| No photos | No fotosno FO-tos |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWE-do pa-GAR kon tar-HE-ta |
| I need help | Necesito ayudane-se-SI-to a-YU-da |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude 2,200 m: take the first day easy if you flew in from sea level.
- Nights are cold year-round and houses have no heating: bring a jacket and layers.
- Solo women: avoid hailing taxis on the street after dark; have one called for you.
- The Guadalupe and San Cristóbalito hill churches are not safe after dark.
- Roads in and out are winding; if you get motion sick, sit forward and take medication before the bus.
Safe for a walking town by day; the real risks are cold nights, altitude, winding roads and taxis after dark. Keep valuables out of sight in markets and on colectivos.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Cristóbal de las Casas yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Templo de Santo Domingo and its crafts market
- San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán villages
- Maya textiles, amber and jade
- Zapatista history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- San Cristóbal de las Casas municipal government: www.sancristobal.gob.mx/
- Chiapas state tourism: www.chiapas.gob.mx/
- Wikivoyage: San Cristóbal de las Casas, revision 5290072 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5290072
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Cristóbal de las Casas
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in San Cristóbal; the US, UK and Canadian embassies are in Mexico City, with consulates in Tuxtla Gutiérrez (check).
Cash still rules in markets, colectivos and village churches; carry small notes.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-cristobal-de-las-casas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.