Waterfall 24 km southeast of Palenque
A jungle waterfall about 25 meters high with turquoise swimming pools, east of Palenque on the border highway.
Welib-Já (also written Wejlib-Já) is a waterfall about 30 kilometers from Palenque, just off the Carretera Fronteriza, the highway that runs southeast toward Bonampak and Yaxchilán. The river drops roughly 25 meters in wide curtains of water into turquoise pools, surrounded by thick forest.
It is run by the local ejido and gets far fewer visitors than Misol-Há, so it is a good place for a quiet swim. Howler monkeys often call from the trees, and the path from the highway to the falls is short and easy. There is no mobile signal, which adds to the feeling of being well away from town.
Because it lies on the road to Bonampak and Yaxchilán, many people stop here on the way back from those sites, but it is close enough to Palenque to visit on its own in half a day.
What to see and do
Swim in the turquoise pools at the foot of the falls.
Listen for howler monkeys in the surrounding forest.
Walk the short path from the highway through the jungle.
Stop here on the way back from Bonampak and Yaxchilán.
Getting there
From Palenque, take Highway 199 south for about 9 km and turn onto the Carretera Fronteriza; the signed turnoff for the falls is roughly 27 km further, about 40 minutes in total. Colectivos heading down the Fronteriza can drop you at the turnoff, from where it is a walk of several hundred meters. The ejido charges a small entry fee.
24 km southeast of Palenque
Directions from Palenque on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in Cascada Welib-Já
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Weather warm
Cascada Welib-Já shares the climate of Palenque, 24 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Palenque your base
Cascada Welib-Já is an easy trip from Palenque, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Palenque
-
Zona Arqueológica de Palenque
· Archaeological site · 8 km away
The great Maya city in the jungle 8 km from town: the Palace, the Temple of the Inscriptions and King Pakal's story. -
Misol-Há
· Waterfall · 13 km away
A 35-meter waterfall dropping into a round jungle pool, with a path that runs behind the curtain of water. -
Cascadas de Roberto Barrios
· Waterfall · 21 km away
Terraced turquoise pools and small falls run by a local community, quieter than Agua Azul and closer to town. -
Catazajá
· Lake · 24 km away
A lakeside town on a vast wetland lagoon north of Palenque, with boat rides among herons and a manatee sanctuary. -
Agua Clara
· Nature reserve · 29 km away
A calm stretch of the Shumuljá River with a hanging bridge and swimming spots, often a stop on the Agua Azul tour. -
Agua Azul
· Waterfall · 32 km away
Chiapas's famous chain of turquoise cascades, about 1.5 hours south; best in the dry season, and check the road first.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.