A respite from both the steamy lowland jungle and the chilly highlands, the bustling regional market town of Ocosingo sits in a gorgeous and broad temperate valley mid- way between San Cristóbal and Palenque. The impressive Maya ruins of Toniná are just a few kilometers away.
I could not face the 8-hour journey back to Palenque with the ADO bus so decided to take the ‘colectivo’ (shared mini bus) option of 5-hours, but breaking the journey in two – with a stop over in Ocosingo. The only challenge with this route, which is why ADO no longer use it, is the chance of road blocks and robberies!
I really enjoyed Ocosingo. I bumped into just a handful of other tourists who were really interesting people to share a beer and a yarn with. I stayed in a small hotel overlooking the main plaza. In the evening, their veranda was a great place to ‘people watch’.
Next stage: Palenque.
