Agua Azul Waterfalls: How to Visit the Natural Wonder of Mexico in 2024

Are you looking for some of the most incredible waterfalls in Mexico? Well, Agua Azul Waterfalls are the slice of paradise you’ve been waiting for.

Coming from the overpriced and overcrowded cenotes of Riviera Maya, this place is a whole other world.

Escape the chaos of the Yucatan Peninsula and experience the gorgeous turquoise cascades that await at Agua Azul Waterfalls.

We’ve written this guide to not only inspire you to visit, but to give you all of the necessary info for traveling to this incredible gem.

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📍 Where in Mexico is Agua Azul?

Agua Azul Waterfalls are located in the jungle of Southern Mexico, in the municipality of Tumbala, a small town in the state of Chiapas.

They are a little under 70 kilometers south of Palenque, which is an hour and 20 minutes away, and a little under 160 km away from San Cristobal de las Casas, which is about a 4 hour drive away.

Hours & Timetable of Agua Azul Waterfalls in Mexico

Here are some of the details for planning your visit to Agua Azul Waterfalls.

🎫 Tickets for Agua Azul

There are two different tickets to pay for Agua Azul waterfalls.

The first ticket is to use the road getting into the area, so similar to a toll, but has a per person charge of 40 pesos.

The second ticket is to actually enter the Agua Azul waterfall complex. That ticket is also 40 pesos per person.

If you happen to be coming in the late afternoon or very early in the morning, there won’t be anyone there to sell you a ticket, as there are only people working there during normal business hours.

🕘 When are Agua Azul Waterfalls Open?

Agua Azul Waterfalls are actually accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Some shops and restaurants open as early as 7 am, with the majority of them being open by 9. Many shops and close around 4 or 5, while some may be open as late as 7, while the restaurants typically stay open for dinner since there are people living there, and hotels to stay in.

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Experiencing Agua Azul Waterfalls

As soon as you park you will find plenty of restaurants and shops lining the walkway.

The walkway goes up the left side of the river, with steps and signs along the way. 

You’ll find various viewpoints along the way, the official sign for Agua Azul Waterfalls, and more and more restaurants and shops.

After several sets of stairs, you'll find a mirador on the right overlooking the falls, and it's just across this small bridge.

The park goes a bit further, and you’ll notice when the park of Agua Azul Waterfalls finishes, once you end up at a forest area. 

There are small pools there, and this is a very relaxing area to hang out. You’ll also see a bridge that crosses the river, but this is not accessible or allowed to be crossed.

🏊🏼‍♀️ Can You Swim in Agua Azul Waterfalls?

Swimming is permitted in certain areas of the park.

We originally saw people taking pictures along the rocks right in front of the waterfalls, but that area is now blocked off.

Walk a little further to the “main area” of Agua Azul waterfalls, and you’ll find the area that is blocked on the sides as the designated swimming area. The waterfalls are calm and cool, and there is even a tiny “beach” you can relax at.

🚡 Agua Azul Zipline

There is a brand new zip line being built that goes right across the falls! Unfortunately, it was not open yet, and we just saw it being set up.

It looks really cool, and we would imagine just as fun and epic as the one that we did at El Chiflon Waterfall.

It is set to open sometime in June, so if we find out any info about the price or hours of operation we will update this part of the article.

Other Things to Keep in Mind While Visiting Agua Azul Waterfalls in Mexico

Now that you know what your visit to Agua Azul Waterfalls will look like, let’s go over a few final details so you can have an amazing time.

☀️ Weather at Agua Azul Waterfalls

Palenque was one of hottest and most humid places we have ever visited, and even worse than the Yucatan Peninsula.

Luckily the temperatures do drop when you start to get closer to Agua Azul Waterfalls, and even more the farther east into Chiapas you go.

We visited Agua Azul Waterfalls in the end of May and the weather was sunny, hot, and pretty humid.

📆 The Best Time to Visit Agua Azul Waterfalls

The best months to visit Agua Azul Waterfalls are in May and June, when the temperatures are warm enough to swim, and the days are dry and sunny.

The rainy season is in August and September, so this is the worst time to visit Agua Azul Waterfalls. We also don’t recommend visiting the months following the rainy season, as the waters actually turn brown from their normal  beautiful blue color, as the sediment rises from all of the storms. 

Our first time visiting Agua Azul Waterfalls was in October, and the water looked drastically different from this last time we visited in June.

🌄 What is the Best Time to Visit Aguas Azul Waterfalls?

The best time to visit Aguas Azul for less crowds is either early in the morning. Even during the day though we didn’t find it overly crowded though, and you can still enjoy it in the peak hours.

🎒 Packing for a Day at Agua Azul Waterfalls

Here are some of the things we suggest bringing for your visit to Agua Azul Waterfalls:

• Sunscreen 
• Sunglasses
• Insulated Water Bottle (to hold the temperature)
• Flip Flops (we personally always get Havaiana flip flops, as they are comfy and long lasting) 
• Small Bag or Backpack - take a look at these backpacks for travelers!
• Power Bank (we use Anker power banks, as they are the best in the market and last super long)
• Beach Towel
• Bathing Suit
• Camera - (we use the Sony A7Riii)
• Action Camera (we use the GoPro for underwater shots, and the Insta 360 with the extra long selfie stick for drone-like shots)
• Waterproof Phone Pouch (we use the Case Mate Phone Pouch)
• Drone (We use the Mavic Mini 4 Pro because it's super light and has amazing quality)

🤔 Is Agua Azul Worth it?

Despite being very pretty away from other major tourist attractions, Agua Azul Waterfalls are absolutely worth the trip.

This gorgeous set of waterfalls will simply blow your mind with its bright blue waters and endless cascades.

⏳ How Much Time Do You Need at Agua Azul Waterfalls?

We recommend spending half a day at Agua Azul Waterfalls.

You can see the park in under an hour if you’d like, but there are a lot of cute shops, 3 areas to swim in, and plenty of places to eat and drink.

If you’re with a big group, or like a bit of a slower style of traveling, then you could also opt to stay a night at Agua Azul Waterfalls.

Tips for Visiting Agua Azul Waterfalls

So are you ready to check out the stunning Agua Azul Waterfalls? We hope this guide has helped you plan your visit, and has inspired you to explore more off the beaten path.

We have a lot of other Mexico travel guides to check out (more than 40!),as well as some others coming up, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the know, as well as to get exclusive tips and discounts from our shop.

Ready to book your trip to Agua Azul Waterfalls in Mexico? We're here to help! Scratch Your Mapa now offers travel planning services so that you can sit back and relax, while we build you the perfect trip. Not only that, but we're creating some fun group trips to Mexico soon!

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