Bonampak, Mexico
Bonampak, Dbannasch, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sites of interest
- Bonampak
- Palenque
- La Libertad, Usumacinta marshes
- Yaxchilan?
Top target birds
- Mayan Antthrush
- Jabiru
- Double-striped Thick-Knee
- Pinnated Bittern
- Black-throated Shrike-Tanager
- Yucatan Jay
- Lovely Cotinga
- Golden-hooded Tanager
- Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
- Boat-billed Heron
Practical reasons for interest
- Long hikes through lowland Mesoamerican tropical forest
- Mayan ruins
- Short trip with manageable drives
Concerns
- Quite pricey by Mexican standards, due to tourist interest and remoteness
- Food options extremely limited at Bonampak, so need to cook simple meals (kitchen access? Immersion water boiler?)
- Basic accommodations at Bonampak
- Palenque extremely touristy
- Avoid rainy season, May-Oct
Itinerary thoughts
- Fly to Villahermosa
- Or fly direct to Cancun, then Tren Maya to Palenque?
- About the same cost as flying to Villahermosa, but much slower, not only in travel but also because of train timetable (leaves Cancun in the early morning). Only makes sense to go this way if taking Tren Maya is highly desired.
- Or fly direct to Cancun, then Tren Maya to Palenque?
- Drive to Palenque, 1-2 nights
- Palenque and Usumacinta River areas
- Drive to Bonampak, 3-4 nights
- Day trip to Yaxchilan?
- Return to Villahermosa, fly home
Total: 4-6+ nights
References
Trip reports
- Birding
- Brauning - April 2015
- Non-birding, logistics
Evaluation (preemptive)
- Birding quality - 5/5
- Logistical ease - 4/5
- Landscapes - 4/5
- Culture - 4/5
- Bang-for-the-buck - 3/5
- Overall - 4.0 - B-