Manzanillo attractions places to visit

Although Mexican tourists had been coming to Manzanillo for years, international arrivals grew rapidly after the opening of the big Club Maeva and Las Hadas Resorts in the 1970s. The new jetport north of town increased the steady flow to a flood; then came the 1980s, with Bo Derek starring in her fabulously successful movie 10, which rocketed Las Hadas and Manzanillo to the stars as an international vacation destination.

Long timers know two Manzanillo's: the old downtown, clustered around the south-end harbor front jardín and rest-greater Manzanillo - spread northerly along the sandy shores of Manzanillo and Santiago Bays. The downtown has the banks, the government services, and the busy market district, while most of the hotels, restaurants, and tours businesses dot the northern beach fronts.

Manzanillo area offers numerous attractions including the curious magic zone, the El Salto waterfall, the Nogueras Hacienda, and breathtakingly beautiful villages tucked below the region’s twin volcanoes.

Hacienda de Nogueras

This incredible museum, an ex-hacienda acquired and maintained by the University of Colima. It started out as a sugar mill  that produced cane alcohol in the 17th century, and the old chimney still stands, withstanding numerous seismic disasters that hit the state of Colima throughout the years.

To locate the museum, take the road north to Comala. Upon reaching the river, take the road to the right (there's a botanero on the corner), and you'll pass a number of large estates, and travel about 2 km. (The street is called Calle Degollado.) It will curve around, but you'll eventually get to the hacienda.

Hours are: Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. and 5:30 till 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays.

In Manzanillo is the Archaeological Museum, located just north of downtown at the San Pedrito campus of the University of Colima. The museum displays 5,000 of its more than 18,000 collected artifacts, which come from the immediate region, the state of Colima and Mesoamerica.The museum, is on Av. Niños Héroes, near the San Pedrito
Open Tues. Sat. 10 am. – 2 pm.

Observe Mexico's most active volcano!

Come and join Volcano Tours on a marvelous journey through endless palm forests, gorgeous valleys and deep canyons. There you can enjoy the Nevado National Park, which is more than 13,000 feet high and has a spectacular view of its neighboring peak, "El Volcan de Fuego."

Make a B-I-G splash and have a great time! Play in the pool at the base of the 100-foot waterfall, explore the crystal-clear spring-fed creek, swim through the sheer-walled canyon into a serene arroyo with a water-carved grotto, and slide down the 3-story water slide in the new public park. On the drive there you'll enjoy Colima's "Jurassic Park," an ageless tangle of Mexican jungle, highlighted by flowering trees and the songs of colorful birds. Be sure to bring your camera, bathing suit, towel, and shoes you don't mind getting wet!

The drive from Manzanillo to El Salto takes only about 40 minutes, Getting there is half the fun--driving through jungles and tropical rain forests, on a winding mountain road where you cross the river several times. You'll pass several little Mexican pueblos, or villages, so don't be surprised if you see people riding burros in the road. Just past the town of Peña Colorada is the entrance to El Salto.

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