This post is part of a weekly feature called Discovery of the Week. By discovery, I mean a place, a custom or dish that is not widely known. See, I love to read travel magazines, websites and books. Very often, I find beautiful and interesting gems that not a lot of people seem to know about. That is why I thought about introducing this feature because I am sure it will expose a lot of astonishing places. Additionally, I enjoy learning about the many amazing places in the world. I believe my readers also enjoy this activity.
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Discovery of the Week: Lagunas de Montebello (Montebello Lagoons)
Where it is located: South part of the Mexican state of Chiapas
What it is: 59 multi-colored lakes in a pine forest. The area is protected as a National park (Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montebello). Some consider them the most magnificent lakes in all of Chiapas.
The magic of the place lies in the color of the waters. Each lake presents a different color, some of them are deep blue or turquoise, and others green, black and even reddish.
Each one of them has its own name, among which the most outstanding ones are San Lorenzo, Esmeralda, Bosque Azul, Pojoj, San José, Ensueño and Tziscao.
The lagoons are surrounded by highland vegetation and contain an enormous biodiversity to the delight of any person who loves nature.
The main attractions in the area are, of course, the lakes. Fifteen of them are accessible by foot or car. You will find and enormous amount of caves for you to explore in the area, or to taking up sports like camping, trekking, bird watching, taking boat rides on the lakes, or observing the fauna and flora.
There are also some Mayan villages of different Mayan origin, languages and customs in the area, which offer an interesting cultural experience, and where you will find services, ecological lodging and experienced guides to take exploring the surroundings.
Also within the park boundary are the medium-sized Mayan ruins of Chinkultic, a pre-Columbian city that dates back to the third century and was abandoned in the 13th century. The site is not thoroughly excavated and many of the buildings are still hidden under vegetation. A beautiful view can be seen of many of the national park’s multi-colored lakes from the top of the Acropolis, the main pyramid.
Did you know about this place? Let me know in the comments section below.
Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
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