Friday, March 6, 2009

local attractions

NEW!! If you are from the States, and count on Trader Joe's for your grocery needs, apparently there's a great new place similar to TJ's. Check out: http://www.manzanilloblog.com/?p=573 for information.

We provide two excellent and complete guidebooks for your use during your stay. One provides info about Manzanillo and the second about Melaque and Barre de Navidad, surrounding towns, both by Susan Dearing - an expat and expert on just about everything Manzanillo. She has compiled all her knowledge into two very complete references which cover just about anything you might want to know or do.

The tourist zone of Manzanillo consists of two bays with crescent-shaped Beaches, each about 4-miles in length. Bahía de Manzanillo is closer to downtown and is the older tourist section. Bahía de Santiago, to the west, is the newer and more upscale area. The two are separated by the Santiago Peninsula, a steep outcrop on whose slopes are some of the most Beautiful hotels such as Las Hadas [photo]. A ship channel is located at the southeast end of Bahía de Manzanillo where large ocean liners enter the port area. Other large ships may be seen anchored in the bay. The industrial/commercial zone occupies a relatively small area beyond the channel.

The coastal Hwy 200 passes along both bays and most hotels are located on or very near the highway. A toll road bypasses the city. The Manzanillo Airport is located 22 miles west on Hwy 200. 25 miles/40 km to the west on Hwy 200 is the town of Cihuatlán. 38 miles/61 km west is Barra de Navidad, Jalisco. 61 miles/98 km to the northeast is the city of Colima with the town of Comala nearby.



Beaches • Playas

Playa de Cocos is just south of Barra de Navidad. To get there by car, exit hwy 200 at km 51 at the Isla de Navidad sign. Follow the road for several miles, crossing a bridge (into Colima), then paralleling the beach, through the golf course, take the left fork at the traffic circle, and after another mile the road ends at the beach. Wide, miles long beach, rather steep with waves breaking close in. Dangerous for swimming but good for fishing and beachcombing.

Playa El Viejo is a tiny downtown area beach accessible by footpath.

Playa San Pedrito is another small downtown area beach just across the ship channel from the tourist zone. Restaurants, swimming.

Playa Las Brisas (outside your door!) begins at the jetty that marks the ship channel and curves westward along the older tourist zone. Swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, windsurfing. At some point the name changes to Playa Azul and then to Playa Salagua. Altogether about 4 miles of beach.

Playa Azul This is central beach area of Bahía de Manzanillo.

Playa Salagua is the name of the westernmost stretch of beach on Bahía de Manzanillo.

Playa La Audiencia is a small beach located on the western side of the steeply sloped Santiago Peninsula. Swimming, kayaks, windsurfing, water skiing, jet skis, etc.

Playa Santiago The 5-mile long curving beach of Bahía Santiago begins at Santiago Peninsula as Playa Santiago. At the mouth of the Río Colorado creek it becomes Playa Olas Altas.

Playa Olas Altas (high waves) is located just west of Santiago Peninsula in Bahía de Santiago. At some point the name of this gently curving stretch of beach changes to Playa d Miramar. Boogie boarding, surfing, swimming.

Playa de Miramar is also in Bahía de Santiago.

Playa La Boquita is located at the southwest end of Bahía de Santiago at the opening to Laguna de Juluapan. Seafood palapas, fishing boats, very calm, good snorkeling, scuba diving, offshore wreck in shallow water.


Restaurants • Restaurantes

Benedetti's Pizza Km 7, near the Las Brisas intersection. Pizza, salad bar.

Coco Loco Cafe Located at Suave Vida Suites and Hotel in Las Brisas, 3rd traffic light. Pizza oven, grill. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Carlos'n Charlie's Closed Km 8 on Hwy 200.

Chantilly On the south side of the zócalo. Delicious comida corrida, reasonably priced. Good coffee. Popular and recommended.

Restaurant Jalapeños Km 10.5, Hwy 200. Popular.

Juanitos Cybercafé Km.14 Hwy 200. (314) 333-1388, (314) 333-2019 (fax). Email: juanitos@delfin.colimanet.com Since 1976. 8 AM - 11 PM daily. Excellent burgers, homemade sausage, public internet connection.

Monkey's Restaurant in front of the Commercial Mexican shopping Center. 11am - 10pm. Southern fried chicken.

Restaurant Lychee on Morelos by the dock. Chinese food.

El Patio in the Hotel Colonial on Avenida México. Good seafood selection, reasonable.

La Pergola - near WalMart. Excellent, reasonable delicious food prepared by master chef, Wolf. Pasta, pizza, seafood, meat. Delicious breakfasts. As an added bonus, WiFi on site.


Celebrations • Fiestas

Fiesta de Mayo is Manzanillo's main celebration and begins near the end of April, runs for two weeks and ends around May 10. Numerous events including sports, art exhibits, parades, concerts, native dances, carnival.
Fiesta de Guadalupe celebrates the patron saint, the Virgin of Guadalupe, beginning December 1 and lasting for 12 days. Parades, native dances and costumes, displays and offerings for the Virgin of Guadalupe.


Transportation • Transportación

Airport The Manzanillo airport, located off Hwy 200 several miles northwest of town, is served by several international carriers. This includes flights on America West from Arizona.
Aerocalifornia.
America West Airlines www.americawest.com.
Alaska Airlines (sometimes) www.alaskaair.com
Aeromar/Mexicana Airlines has daily flights to Manzanillo from Mexico City. www.mexicana.com.
Delta Airlines www.delta.com.
Bus Station Manzanillo Central de Camiones, the new Manzanillo bus station, is located just inland from the Las Brisas beach area just north of downtown.

Car Rentals

Arrendadora de Autos " Ku-Ce" (314) 336-6373 Balvino Davalos No. 100, El Centro
Auto Rentas de Mexico (314) 333-2580 Crucero las Brisas S/N
Odin Renta Auto (314) 333-1112, (314) 334-0897 BLVD. Miguel de la Madrid No. 412
Renta De Autos Budget (314) 333-1445 Blvd. Miguel de la Madrid km. 10
Sub-Agencia de National Car (314) 334-2000 Avenida Vista hermosa y Avenida de los Riscos, Peninsula de Santiago; (314) 333-0611 Aeropuerto Internacional
National Car Rental (314) 333-0611, (314) 333-1140 blvd. Miguel de la Madrid V. km. 7
To drive from Laredo, Texas to Manzanillo is about 800 miles and takes 20 hours.


Tour Operators, Outfitters • Operadores Turísticos, Proveedores

Admire Mexico Tours Alvaro Obregón No. 105 (inside Casa Alvarada B&B). (312) 314-5454, (312) 315-5229. Cultural, nature, volcano tours, lodging, car and bike rentals. Email: AdmireMexicoTours@hotmail.com.
Moretours Transportadora Turistica S.A. DE C.V. Tabachin #5 Fracc. Arboledas Santiago. (314) 35 30377, (314) 334-6572. Tours to Colima, Barra de Navidad, markets, plantations, estuary, caves, jungle. Email: more_106@hotmail.com
Sea to Sierra Outdoor Adventures Avenida Veracruz #204, Barra de Navidad, Jalisco. (315) 355-8582. Mountain biking tours; helmets, gloves, water, bikes provided. Excursions via suburban and taxi including tours to Colima and the Volcano. Scheduled Yacht trips; Tuesday Tenacatita snorkel and beach w/Jungle River Tour and Friday Sunset Cruises. Fishing, Yacht and boat charter. Email: info@seatosierra.com

Sport Fishing, Boat Tours • Pesca, Excursiones en Barco

The International Sailfish Tournament takes place during the last half of November. Another tournament takes place in early February. (333) 32770.
Sportfishing trips may be arranged through Flota Amarilla, (333) 21031, office on Avenida Niños Héroes, at the dock downtown.
Ocean Pacific Adventures offers deep sea fishing in boats ranging in size from 26' to 40'. (314) 335-0605, 044 (314) 357-0717 (cell). Email: fish@bay.net.mx. Web: http://www.mexonline.com/opafish.htm.
Help keep this information current. Email tom@tomzap.com with updates. Ayúdenme a mantener ésta información al día. Envía tus actualizaciones por e-mail a tom@tomzap.com.


Scuba • Buceo

Neptunes Diving and Sports Center. (314) 334-3001, (314) 334-3002 (fax). Email: diving@neptunesdiving.com. Km 14.5 Miguel de la Madrid. Diving, snorkeling and a variety of water sports activities. www.neptunesdiving.com.
Pacifico Water Sports (314) 331-0101 ext. 3804. Email: hector_pacifico@hotmail.com located at the Hotel Las Hadas. Scuba, snorkeling, fishing, tours and more. (1/04)
Underworld Scuba - Scuba Shack PADI Dive Center #20008, Km. 15, Blvd. Miguel de la Madrid, Santiago, Colima Mexico 28861, just north of Juanito's restaurant, on the beach side. (314) 333-0642, 044 (314) 358-0327 (when calling from Manzanillo), 045 (314) 358-0327 (when calling from elsewhere in Mexico), 011-521 (314) 358-0327 (when calling from the U.S. or Canada). scuba@gomanzanillo.com PADI, NAUI and CMAS-approved classes. Recommended. Ecotour also available. www.divemanzanillo.com

Real Estate:

Medina y Aguilera Real Estate; http://www.medinayaguilera.com/


Miscellaneous

Alcoholics Anonymous (314) 335-0184, 333-2085. (11/07)
Amigo Surf Mexico 011-52 (322) 306-6548, 011-52-322-297-1744 (from US), 297-1744 or 044 (322) 306-6548 (from
Amigos por un Refugio Animal 044 (314) 117-8150 (cellphone). a non-profit animal welfare organization. Free sterilization clinics. ara.mzlo@yahoo.com.
Occasional bullfights take place at either the Salagua or El Coloma bullring. Check for posters.
For crafts there is Centro Artesanal Las Primaveras, located at Juárez 40. (314) 333-0173. Downtown, 2 blocks from Hwy 200, open daily.
Club Santiago Golf Course Km 19, Hwy 200. (314) 335-0370. 9-hole course, $40 fee to play 18 holes.
Have You Met Manzanillo? article by Brandon Cornett providing an introduction to Manzanillo.
H E L P ! (314) 334-0977. Fax: (314) 334-2447, Cell: 044 (314) 357-0743. Email: HELP!@bay.net.mx The Manzanillo Foreign Community Association provides assistance to foreigners visiting or living in Mexico. Emergency services for illness, legal matters, immigration problems, translation needs, etc.
Insurance, AHA International (800) AHA-1778. Auto, health, and property insurance for Americans and Canadians in Mexico. Health insurance for Mexicans traveling outside of Mexico.
Jan Castillo Languages Miguel de la Madrid, km 12.5, upstairs. (314) 335-3770. Regular and immersion Spanish classes, translation of texts and documents, personal assistance/interpreting services, jan@jancastillo.com (2/06)
Lawyer Ruben Romo. Palma Real No. 19, Salahua, Manzanillo, Colima. C.P. 28860. (314)334-3066. r_romo66@hotmail.com. English-speaking, recommended for help with business, real estate and other legal matters.
Surf & Adventure Cruises 44-foot private yacht. Day trips, overnight trips, fishing, diving. Alicia & Cap. adventurcruises@yahoo.com
Manzamigos Tourist assistance group. manzamigos@yahoo.com
The main market, Mercado Municipal, is located downtown at Cuauhtémoc and Independencia.
Project Amigo 312 395 4485. Colima. Helping poor children in Mexico, offering international volunteer opportunities, and fostering fellowship among Rotarians. Email: inquiry@projectamigo.org. Web: www.projectamigo.org
Snoopy goes to Manzanillo Statue donated in honor of Manzanillo fan, cartoonist Charles Schultz, and the Manzanillo sister city, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Tourist Information Office (314) 333-2277, fax (314) 333-1426.
Viva Vino (314) 336-7914. Blvd. Miguel de la Madrid #1185. liquor, cold beer and a large selection of wines (about 100). Tasting bar. Free delivery with minimum purchase. tomas@vivavino.com.mx (9/08)
WaterSports: Promociones y Recreaciones, (314) 333-1848 at Playa La Audiencia, offers water-ski towing and wave-runner rentals.
Trans Marine de Mexico Sa de Cv full service ship agents / brokers / fuel suppliers. 140 Av. Morelos, Centro, 5to depto; 28200 Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. Tel: 52 (314) 332-2060, 332-0480. Fax: 52 (314) 332-4477, telex: 62542, email: vtudoran@aol.com

Mention of these establishments (with the exception of Medina y Aguilera, which provides excellent service) and services does not constitute an endorsement. These are provided as information only.