Bus Travel Tapachula Chiapas from Mexico City TAPO Terminal
Izapa Ruin Site
view of the entrance to
the complex (right)
called group F, first
settled in 1200 BC
Bus travel to Tapachula
Chiapas will put the Izapa
ruins within reach just
outside the City of
Tapachula.  Reach the
ancient city with Olmec
influence,  at its height from
600BC to 100 AD, by
collective van from in front of
the OCC bus terminal in
Tapachula.  Take the combi
headed for Talisman or
Talisman bridge. (the
Guatemala border)
Izapa has been little studied except for a Smithsonian expedition by Mathew Sterling in 1941 and by
the New World Archaeological Foundation.  It  was at one point in its long history an important Olmec
political and religious center that contributed to the Olmec art and architecture that was to spread
throughout Mesoamerica
The three sites open today for visits are small remnants of a huge sprawling city that developed its own
unique style of art after the Olmec influence ended around 200 AD. The art includes many standing
stones. A site at Tonala (Iglesia Viejo) to the north has similar Olmec and later art as does many small
sites in the Tapachula area.
The medium sized city of Tapachula where lodging and night life are available, lies within 8 miles of the
Izapa ruin site.. The city is served by a major ADO, OCC, and Tica bus terminal. Collectivos headed for
the ruin pass by the terminal.  The Talisman bound collectivo makes many runs throughout the day and
will stop at the Izapa ruin site.
Izapa Ruin Site, is an abandoned stone city built by the local settlers starting in 1200 BC.  The settlement
was influenced by the Olmec culture through trade and migration from 900 BC to 100 AD.. The city reached a
high point between 600 BC to 100 AD.
Izapa was the center of a large culture settled along the coastal plain and river delta near what is the current
border with Guatemala and the present day city of Tapachula in Chiapas State, Mexico.
To visit the Izapa ruin Site, catch the white collective taxis as they make runs in front of the bus terminal
headed for the town of Talisman. They run about every 15 minutes and cost about 8 pesos. They start near
the market district in the center of the city at a large terminal for collectivos.  The three Izapa sites are spread
about a mile apart, one near the main road , Group F, and two a mile distant at the end of a dirt road, group
A and B.
The complex was once a huge city but is now not much more than 13 plazas encircled by un-excavated
mounds except for group F.  which has been excavated and stabilized. The three groups have some unique
stone carvings and glyphs, however, and one , a snake or frogs head is made of magnetic stone with the
animals head polarized towards magnetic north.

Hotels, are plentiful in Tapachula near the lively center. (20-45  USD,  200 - 400 Pesos )
An archaeological museum near the center houses a great collection of ceramic and stone artifacts from
Izapa and the many smaller sites in the area.
(Hotel Plaza Guizar, 200 pesos with air and cable, 01-962-62-6-24-88)
Bus travel to Tapachula Chiapas from Mexico City Tapo
Terminal takes 18 hours with eight departures daily, Mexico
City to Tapachula.
OCC buses also serve Tapachula Chiapas from Oaxaca City
and from Puerto Escondido.
Bus travel reaches Tapachula Chiapas  for trips to the Izapa  Ruin Site  
located near the city .   Take the Talisman collectivo (shared van ) for the
ruin of Izapa, an ancient city with Olmec influence that was at its height
from 600 BC to 100 AD.  The vans pass in front of the bus terminal on
the way to Talisman.
  • Chiapas Beaches  
The Beaches of the Pacific coast in Chiapas are 25
minutes drive    (26km)  from the OCC bus terminal in
the city of Tapachula.
Puerto Chiapas (formerly Puerto Madero) is a cruise
ship terminal.
Playa Linda and Playa San Benito are Pacific Coast
Beaches near Tapachula.
Tours of chocolate , coffee, and banana plantations
are popular with visitors.  
  • Area Beaches
Reach Tonala 130 miles northwest of Tapachula via
ADO/OCC , first Class bus from Oaxaca City or
coastal bus, ADO/OCC  out of Puerto Escondido via
Huatulco.
ADO/OCC  bus from San Cristobal de las Casas,
Chiapas via Tuxtla Guiterez Chiapas.
From Tonala take a taxi or shared
taxi/Combi/Camionetta to Puerto Arista.
Check ahead, these areas suffer from hurricanes
every few years.
  • Tica Bus, Central America
The Tica Bus to Panama City uses the same terminal
as the OCC Bus
Tapachula'a Soconusco Museum of
Archaeology holds many artifacts that
came from the ruin of Izapa and other
Soconusco culture sites along the Pacific
Coast.
Izapa was an ancient city with Olmec
influence that was at its height from 600 BC
to 300 BC . The ancient site was settled
between 1500 to 1200 BC and sprawls over
many miles not far from the modern city of
Tapachula.
Bus travel to Tapachula
reaches Puerto Madero or
Puerto Chiapas
Bus service reaches Tonala
for trips to Puerto Arista
.(above)
Bus travel via OCC reaches
Tonala for trips to Puerto
Arista .(above)
Tapachula'a Soconusco Museum of Archaeology displays an extensive collection of artifacts
that came from the ruin of Izapa and other Soconusco culture sites along the Pacific Coast.
Custom Search
For Tica Bus service to Central America, the OCC Buses serve to the same terminal in Tapachula used by Tica
Bus