Planning Your Time in the Rio Usumacinta Valley
Most of the travelers that frequent this area are concerned with visiting the villages of Bonampak and Yaxchilan. Travelers usually take a bus shuttle from Palenque. This type of trip is best for those that can only afford to make a day trip here because it takes much of the expense and headache of trying to organize your own charters or transfers especially for the boat ride that takes visitors to Yaxchilan.
If you are blessed with endless time you would really enjoy staying the night and visiting the various villages at your own pace instead of being so rushed to see everything. Some of the sites you should not miss while traveling in this area are Nueva Palestina, and Lacanja Chansayab. You should plan on staying at least a couple nights if you want to also visit Metzabok and Naha because it is a lengthy drive in and out of these villages, and you should save an entire day for all the activities you will enjoy there.
You could go the least expensive route and organize your own explorations of this area via public transportation but this requires a high degree of patience because services along the highway can be very spotty to say the least. If you can afford it in your budget you would be much happier by renting a truck or car which makes getting places easier and a lot more comfortable.
The border highway called Carretera Fronteriza circles all the way by Comitan and even further to Cristobal de las Casas where there are many popular activities and excursions in ecotourism. Some of the more popular ecotourism spots are Las Nubes, Las Guacamayas, and also Lagunas de Montebello. Traveling on this circular highway provides a straight shot with very little backtracking. You can also take a secret route to Tikal via Fronterra Corozal. Tikal is a famous and highly desirable ruin to visit in Guatemala.
