Road to Rio Usamacinta and Maya Yaxchilán

Structure 33 at Yaxchilán

Got up early (5:00am) at Quinta Chanabnal in Palenque for our driver Jaime and guide Edgar to pick us up for the 21/2 hour drive to Frontera Corozal. That's where we'd take our boat to the Yaxchilán archaeological site.  Until recently, Yaxchilán had been very difficult to get to. A very Long boat ride was the only way in the old days, no roads existed within a hundred miles. Now, you can drive to the Frontera and take an easy 45 minute boat.

Breakfast Time

The plan was to have breakfast on the way at the Vallescondido restaurante along the road. Then we'd go on to explore  Yaxchilán (Place of Green Stones in Maya) ruins after the 45 minute boat ride on the Usamacinta river.

 Finca Vallescondido Restaurante

Huevos, Spam and Cafe

Boat Ride on the Rio Usamacinta

The boat ride was fantastic. Frontera Corozal was on the Mexico side of the river and the other side was Guatemala. It is  the only Archaeological Park in Mexico that can't be reached by car or bus, you have to take a boat from Frontera Corozal.

Crocodile

Along the way, there we saw many exotic birds, monkeys in the trees and plenty of Crocodiles where the small ones were about 6 feet long but the big ones were over 12 feet. We didn't swim in that area.

The Labyrinth with an Alter in Front

Intact Lintel – Edificio 20

Yaxchilán was an important Maya city on an ox-bow of the Usamacinta river. In the late classic period the city was one of the most important cities on the river. The site is well known for well preserved stone lintels set above the doorways of the main structures. These lintels along with the stelae erect before major buildings contain hieroglyphic texts describing the dynastic history of the city. Most of the lintels are in the British Museum now.

Grand Plaza

After 40 minutes the boat arrived at the small dock at Yaxchilán where we walked up a ramp and into the jungle on the path to the ruins. You get to the the ruins by walking through Edificio 19 which is also called the Labyrinth. It's pitch dark in the Labyrinth and we had to use our iPhone flashlights to see anything. In the ancient times this was not the way to enter the city. There was a grand entrance with a bridge over the river.

Stucco Sculpture

First thing you see is part of the Grand Plaza, an open space surrounded by structures in various conditions of ruin. Standing is near-by is Edificio 17 which is thought to have been a sauna in ancient times.

Stairs to Edificio 33

There's an ancient stairway rising up to a small hill. That is where Edificio 33 is, the best preserved building in Yaxchilán. 

Edificio 11

After couple of hours exploring the ruins we ended up on the main path near Edificio 19 which led us to the boat dock and our journey back to Frontera Corozal. Once we got there, we left for the hour trip to the Lacandón Maya Reserve and the murals of Bonampak.

Yaxchilán is a wonderful adventure trip and highly recommended!

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