Cascadas de Agua Azul
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Why go
- A cascade system stretching for about six kilometres.
Opening hours
Today00:00 – 23:59Show all
Don't miss
- Water splitting around small islandsFor much of the cascades, the water divides into two streams around small islands.Along the cascades
- Larger cascade dropsSuccessive cascades include larger drops reaching about six metres.Along the cascades
- Limestone formationsNotice stalactite-like formations created by limestone-rich water.Along the cascades
History
After the 2017 earthquake shifted the river and stopped the falls, residents worked to restore its course. Restoration continued into 2018, followed by a permanent stabilising wall.
- 2000The area became a flora and fauna protection zone covering 25.8 km².
- 2017The 8 September earthquake shifted the river’s course and stopped water flowing over the falls. Residents worked to divert it back, with partial success two months later.
- 2018Restoration continued, and the water briefly turned brown. Experts helped build a temporary sandbag dam to return the water to the old riverbed.
- LaterA permanent wall was built to stabilise the river course.
Tips for your visit
- The road journey from Tuxtla Gutiérrez takes about five and a half hours.
- Food and craft stalls line an extensive corridor at the site.
- Zip lines are among the adventure activities available.
Best time to visit
- Dry season: pools range from azure blue to dark emerald green.
- Winter and spring: river levels can permit swimming in suitable pools.
- Rainy season: the river rises, the water can turn brown and pools overflow.
Know before you go
- The upper cascade is a military exclusion zone. Visitors can see the lower two to three kilometres.
- Only some pools between the cascades are suitable for swimming.
- Crosses mark pools where people have drowned; not every pool is safe for swimming.
How to get there
- CarFrom Palenque, take Federal Highway 199 toward Ocosingo, then the turnoff for the waterfalls.
- 330 minCarFrom Tuxtla Gutiérrez, take the eastbound road toward Palenque and turn off for the waterfalls before reaching the city.
Interesting facts5
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Dissolved carbonate salts give the water its blue colour.
Cascadas de Agua Azul - Wikipedia -
Mineral-rich water coats rocks and fallen trees with thick limestone deposits, leaving petrified-looking trunks among the vegetation.
Agua Azul - Wikipedia -
22 endemic
The protected area is home to 22 endemic species.
Cascadas de Agua Azul - Wikipedia -
68 species
Its mammals include 68 species.
Cascadas de Agua Azul - Wikipedia -
Its name means “blue water” in Spanish.
Cascades de Agua Azul - Wikipedia
Sources: Agua Azul - Wikipedia · Cascadas de Agua Azul - Wikipedia · Cascadas de Agua Azul - Wikipedia · Cascades de Agua Azul - Wikipedia · checked 28 Sep 2026
Plan from here: Evening walk →
Questions and answers
What are the opening hours at Cascadas de Agua Azul?
The cascades are open 24 hours every day.
What wildlife lives in the Cascadas de Agua Azul protected area?
It has 583 terrestrial vertebrate species, including 455 bird species, and provides refuge for resident and migratory birds.
Which municipalities does the Cascadas de Agua Azul protected area cover?
It covers parts of Chilón, Tumbalá and Salto de Agua.
Does the Cascadas de Agua Azul area shelter species at risk?
Its plant and animal life includes 38 species at risk.
What landscape do the waterfalls at Cascadas de Agua Azul flow through?
The rivers forming the waterfalls pass through shallow, narrow canyons.
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