The Lagunas de Montebello is a cluster of around sixty lakes scattered through pine forest on the border with Guatemala, and they come in colours that look improbable. Some are turquoise, some deep green, some blue-grey, and the shades change with the light and the minerals in the water. The lakes sit in a limestone karst landscape at about 1,500 metres, where underground rivers and sinkholes feed them, and the park is a protected national area. The small villages around, such as Tziscao, Miguel Hidalgo and Ojo de Agua, are home to Tojolabal and Mam communities and a few families who run cabins and food stalls.
The ride from Comitán de DomÃnguez is easy and pleasant, with a road that climbs through cool pine and oak forest, with mist in the mornings. Surface quality is fair, but topes and potholes are common, and local trucks and pickups are slow. The air is crisp, and the quiet is notable after the traffic of the plateau. This is a region of strong Maya heritage, and the border with Guatemala, a few kilometres away, is not a fence but a line through the forest.
Some of the lakes are named, such as Tziscao, with a beach and boats, and Laguna Bosque Azul, and the Cinco Lagos, a group with different shades. At Tziscao, you can walk to the border marker. The water is cold, but swimming is allowed in some lakes. Birds are abundant, and in the forest, you may see quetzals, though that is a matter of luck and patience.
Simple food is available from stalls and small restaurants, with quesadillas, tamales and fresh trout, plus coffee grown nearby. The dry season, November to April, is best, as the rainy months can bring heavy showers. Bring a warm layer, because the air at altitude is cooler than you expect, and the water is a fine reward.