Laguna Miramar is located deep in the Lacondon jungle on the border with Guatemala. It is one of the most ecologically untouched areas of Mexico, containing around 20% of all species in Mexico. The lake itself is a pure blue color and quite warm, making for great swimming and canoing. Additionally, there are untouched Maya ruins around the lake (although arranging to see them is quite difficult). The trip to the lake is not for the faint of heart taking several days of very rough travel through the rain forests of Chiapas. Tourism at Laguna Miramar is handled through the local Mayan community of Emiliano Zapata.
Laguna Miramar is one of the most untouched areas of Mexico. Many of the indigenous communities still dress in traditional clothing and in some cases still live deep in the jungle around the lake.
The Lacondon Jungle surrounds Laguna Miramar, with steep mountains ringing the lake. During a visit expect to hear (and possibly see) howler monkeys, crocodiles, tarantulas, scorpions, and a number of wild birds including parrots.
Laguna Miramar is warm year round, although the rainy season runs from August until October. Laguna Miramar is located in a rain forest, so no matter the time of year, expect at least some rain and a lot of mud.
Ask for "El Presidente de Tourismo" after you arrive in Emiliano Zapata. He will arrange your first night of accommodation and a guide for the following morning to take you to Laguna Miramar. You will be charged a number of relatively insignificant and sometimes meaningless fees by "El Presidente." The total cost comes to around $25 a day per person, which includes the park fee, the fee for camping, a maya guide and use of the canoes at the lake.
If you want to see the Maya ruins at the lake, be sure and talk to El Presidente about this while you are in Emiliano Zapata. The ruins are located in the village of Benito Juarez's section of the lake. Benito Juarez is a pro-Zapatista village and as such is not interested in cooperating with Emiliano Zapata's ecotourism project, but it is possible for arrangements to be made, but "El Presidente" will have to make the arrangements before the guide leaves for the lake.
Hiking
There are several maya houses that have been converted into "restaurants", i.e. a woman cooking over an open flame with a selection of eggs or carne asada.
There is some dispute as to whether alcohol is allowed in Emiliano Zapata. To put this to rest, you can purchase beer at the local shops in Emiliano Zapata, so if you want to travel with some Tequila to Emiliano Zapata it is not a problem.
Emiliano Zapata has six small buildings that pass as a place to sleep, (although there are occasional tarantulas, cockroaches and scorpions). Alternatively there is a covered outdoor "palapa" in both Emiliano Zapata and at the lake where you can sleep either on the ground or in a hammock. A tent is not needed for either sleeping at Laguna Miramar or Emiliano Zapata.
Other than the palapa and the canoe at the lake, you will be doing some hard core camping. Bring flash lights, sleeping bags, cooking utensils, pans for cooking over an open fire, etc.
Fire - you can create a camp fire out at the lake. The wood is a bit damp but does eventually light.
There is a very remote Maya village called Nuevo Galilea located across the lake and a 2 hours hike into the jungle. The Maya paddle with their whole families in canoes across the lake to the trail head for Emiliano Zapata in order to purchase supplies. A trip to Nueva Galilea with a guide might be spectacular.