But the specifics...
We caught a bus from Villahermosa (2.5 hrs, 120 pesos) with the ADO bus company. 50m from the bus terminal was our hotel (handy during a tropical down pour). It was ok- giant big room, clean bathroom and a lots of places to eat (some quite cheap) within walking distances.
The popular thing to do with the backpacker crowd is not to stay in Palenque town but rather to stay closer to the ruins in an area called El Panchan. El Panchan is like a small village with eating spots and different hostels and accommodation. Quite a lot of the accommodation is in huts in the beautiful rainforest with fly screen windows and little other security. Although we were really keen to go out there and stay there, after the Catemaco incident we wanted to be safe rather than sorry and opted for the town after reading some truly scary reviews of El Panchan on hostelworld and trip advisor. In the end it is always up to personal experience, and we thought it would be fun, but just couldn't live with our selves if something had gone wrong.
To get out to Palenque there three options;
1. A tour. There is numerous tour agencies and travel offices throughout Palenque. We wandered through and the standard price for a ten hour trip was around about $35 dollars including entrance fees. This not only covered a morning tour to Palenque but also two waterfalls in the afternoon. We were sorely tempted, but...the tour price did not offer a tour guide, which was really what we were looking for. More expensive tours (well out of our price range) did offer tours in many different languages.
2. Taxi
3. Collectivo
We opted for a collectivo (20 pesos each). Any hotel will let you know where the collectivos depart from. For those not in the know a collectivo is a cheap way to get around in Mexico. Basically in most towns from any popular spot (bus station, ferry terminal, tourist attraction) a collectivo will depart. Collectivos are normally mini vans that cost (depending where you are) anywhere from 4 pesos to 20. You just say where you want to go, they tell you the cost per person and you get on. Most collectivos will have a sign at the front saying what is on that run, if you can't find a van with your destination on it, ask around and they will help you out! Collectivos will be packed (normally)--- the collectivo will never stop stopping for anyone that hails them down, even when it is impossible for the person to get on. In this situation the person will either get on (seriously...I have been in a collectivo when there were 20 passengers in the back of the minivan...and I am sure somebody could beat me with this number) or they will motion for the collectivo to keep going.
My advise is to go with a collectivo. Although they go very fast, and there is no air conditioning, it is cheap and goes exactly the same way as a taxi. Collectivos are also available to go out to the waterfalls, so you could do the whole popular Palenque Tour for a third of the price.
We loved Palenque, it is well preserved, in a beautiful setting, and although it was extremely hot there were lots of cool places to sit. My advise would be to bring plenty of water (lots) and comfortable shoes to climb all over the ruins. Also- if you aren't going with a tour, read up on the place or bring a guide book with you so that you will know what you are sitting on. There are plaques there in English so you can read what each ruin is. Even if you had no idea of Mayan culture and history (like us) you can't help but be impressed by Palenque.
We spent two nights in town, and left on the early bus to Campeche.
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