Comitan travel guides

Comitán (formally: Comitán de Domínguez) is an important city in the Mexican state of Chiapas. It is the seat of government of the municipality of the same name.

It is located near the border with Guatemala at 16.25° N 92.13° W. In 2003 the estimated population was 75,600 people.

The original name given by the local Maya peoples is Balún Canán ('Nine stars'). It was later changed to Comitán de las Flores. Comitán de Domínguez is named after Dr. Belisario Domínguez, who gave a memorable speech in the Congress against the dictator Victoriano Huerta for which he was murdered.

Comitán is also a popular tourist destination, mostly for Mexican nationals, though some international visitors can also be seen. The town itself is one of the most pleasant and pretty in Mexico, with colonial architecture, narrow avenues, and clean streets. The climate is cool most of the year, and can get quite chilly from October to March. The town square is active almost every night, with live music, or some kind of presentation/play (though often they seem to be somewhat evangelical). The main road into and out of town is planted with flowers and unique artistic monuments to many of the States of Mexico. It is a beautiful place to visit, and not so artificially touristy or backpacker-oriented as nearby San Cristobal de las Casas.