The Parque Nacional Lagos de Montebello lies 50km southeast of Comitán, along the border with Guatemala. The park encompasses beautiful wooded country in which there are more than fifty lakes, sixteen of them very large, and many of them with small restaurants providing local food and basic cabañas. The combination of forest and water is reminiscent of Scotland or Maine, with miles of hiking potential; for the less energetic, roadside viewpoints provide glimpses of many lakes, lent different tints by natural mineral deposits and the angle of the sun. The lakes themselves are actually a series of cenotes (sinkholes) formed by the erosion of limestone over millions of years. You could see quite a bit of the park in a long day trip buses cover the route all day from 3am, with the last bus leaving the park entrance around 7.30pm but to really enjoy it, and to visit the small but spectacular ruins of Chinkultic, you’re better off staying in or near the park.

The main route through the park is the Carretera Fronteriza, the Frontier Highway (Hwy-307). It splits from the Panamerican Highway 16km outside Comitán, at the village of La Trinitaria. From there, the park entrance is a further 36km. Past the park, the road roughly follows the line of the Guatemalan border and is paved all the way to Palenque. At km 31 on the Frontier Highway, a two-kilometre track leads off to the left to the Classic-period Maya ruins of Chinkultic (daily 9am–5pm). Only a relatively small portion of the site has been cleared and restored, but it’s well worth a visit if only for the dramatic setting. Climb the first large mound as you enter the site, and you’re rewarded with a view of a small lake, with fields of maize beyond and forested mountain ridges in the background. Birds, butterflies and dragonflies abound, and small lizards dart at every step. A ball-court and several stelae have been uncovered, but the highlight is undoubtedly the view from the top of the tallest structure, El Mirador. Set on top of a steep hill, with rugged cliffs dropping straight down to a cenote, the temple occupies a commanding position; peaceful now, this was clearly an important hub in ancient times.

The park entrance is at km 36, and most combis continue to one of the prettiest lakes, Laguna Bosque Azul, 3km straight ahead, via a spur from the main highway. This route passes a park ticket booth, then dead-ends at the lake parking lot. From here, you can take the dirt track a few hundred metres further to a fork. The left-hand path, signposted “Gruta San Rafael del Arco”, heads into the jungle through an exquisitely forested gorge and eventually to a massive limestone arch over a river and, at the end, a cave in the cliff-face.

On the northwest side of Bosque Azul you can rent basic cabañas or hire horses at the car park from local children. Buses headed for destinations further along the Frontier Highway bear right at the park entrance and pass turnings for several other lakes. One is Laguna Tziscao, 9km on, where there is another ticket booth and you can swim and take a tour on a wood balsa (raft), for half an hour or for one hour. The last buses back to Comitán from here leave at around 5pm. Just further east, a road leads south 2km to a tiny settlement on the lake’s edge; you can rent simple wood cabañas here.

The main road continues beyond the lakes and through mountains with spectacular views, rushing rivers and precipitous ridgelines on its way around the border to Palenque. The largest settlement which is not saying much along the road is Las Maravillas de Tenejapa, a pretty village about two hours from Lake Tziscao. About 20km east of Flor de Café, you pass the turn to A Las Guacamayas a remote yet polished ecotourism operation run by the tiny village of Reforma Agraria. There are cabins, a restaurant and space to camp; guides can lead you down the Río Lacantún and through the forest, which teems with wildlife, including endangered red macaws.

If you drive straight through on the Frontier Highway, plan to carry on at least to Benemérito, the closest place on the highway with lodging, and at least three hours from the Lagos de Montebello. It’s possible to reach Palenque in the same day, but you would have no time to stop at Bonampak and Yaxchilán. In late 2009, a Pemex station was being installed in Benemérito, making it less likely that you’ll need one of the scores of roadside petrol vendors. Due to its proximity to the border, as well as the strong Zapatista loyalties here, this route has several army checkpoints keep your passport at hand.

A visit to the Lagos de Montebello is a good introduction to the landscapes of Guatemala, but if you want to see the real thing up close, it’s only another 60km or so from the junction at La Trinitaria juncion (served by plenty of passing buses) to the Mexican border post at Ciudad Cuauhtémoc. It’s not a city at all just a few houses, the immigration post, a restaurant and the OCC bus station. The Guatemalan border post is at La Mesilla, a three-kilometre taxi ride away. As always, it’s best to cross in daylight since you may not be able to get your passport stamped after 8pm. Buses onwards to Huehuetenango (2hr) and Quetzaltenango (3hr 30min) wait just over the border, leaving at least every hour between 6am and 5pm. The moneychangers will give you reasonable rates for travellers’ cheques or dollars, but not as good for pesos. Getting into Mexico is easy: the Mexican tourist card will be issued free, and vans or buses will be waiting to take you to Comitán (1hr 30min).