Top Things to do in La Manzanilla
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The 10 Best Things to Do in La Manzanilla, Mexico
Discover the best top things to do in La Manzanilla, Mexico including Experience Mex-ECO Tours, Barra Navidad, Melaque, Cocodrilario La Manzanilla, Playa Miramar, Tenacatita Beach, Bending Tree Yoga and Healing Center, Playa La Audiencia, Jarro Beach Disco, Manzanillo Bay.
Restaurants in La Manzanilla
1. Experience Mex-ECO Tours
Overall Ratings
5 based on 108 reviews
Based in Melaque (Jalisco) and Bucerias (Nayarit), we offer a large range of trips, with pick-ups available in nearby locations such as Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, San Pancho, Sayulita and Guadalajara.
Reviewed By MACINK - Calgary, Canada
My third time with Mex-Eco tours and the never fail to deliver. Ruth and Dan (partners) have built a great tour company and they make sure every detail is covered. This trip was to Guadalajara and the tour guide was Noel and the bus driver Omar...outstanding service in all aspects. I only wish I could back my car up as well as Omar backs up the tour bus! He is safety first and made sure we had a comfortable ride. The bus was only a few weeks old and was a pleasure to ride in. Noel kept everybody happy and was engaging with history of Mexico I had never heard and with stories and antics that kept us all laughing.
The h
Hotel Morales is a magnificent historical property. beautiful room, great customer service and excellent food.
Thank you everyone for a great trip!! Can't wait to experience Copper Canyon.
2. Barra Navidad
3. Melaque
Overall Ratings
4 based on 91 reviews
This beach is perfect for a relaxing swim and is a favorite of the locals.
Reviewed By Schanke - Des Moines, Iowa
A small and lazy town, a bit scruffy and uninviting. Beach is nice but lots of rather shacky looking places to stay and a huge, block long deserted hotel. We will not return. Much better to visit nearby Barra de Navidad
4. Cocodrilario La Manzanilla
Overall Ratings
5 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By John P - Guadalajara, Mexico
“Mexico’s biggest crocodile sanctuary is only 20 minutes from here,” I told my sister-in-law while relaxing on a balcony overlooking the beautiful bay of Cuastecomates, near Barra de Navidad. She opened one eye and gave me a glance that seemed to say, “A cocodrilario? Ah, yes, toothy monsters that never move a muscle, piled topsy-turvy behind a cyclone fence: boooooring!”
Fortunately, her sister Susy came to my rescue: “Not boring at all, Bety! The local people love crocodiles and feed them like we feed squirrels. Even the little kids participate. You should see the expressions on their faces when they’re carefully carrying newly laid eggs to a place where they can safely hatch.”
Well, the human dimension of the Cocodrilario caught Bety’s attention and off we went, the three of us, to tiny La Manzanilla, located 56 kilometers northwest of the bustling port of Manzanillo, with which it should not be confused.
big signs pointing to the newly revamped entrance and informing us that the estuary of La Manzanilla was declared an official Ramsar Wetland in 2008. The local people had been fighting for years to protect their mangroves from “developers” who had been systematically converting the marshland into real estate, continually reducing the space supporting not only crocodiles, but a wide variety of birds, fish, mollusks, crustaceans and reptiles.
We paid the 25-peso entrance fee and found ourselves on a narrow boardwalk suspended above the estuary waters. “This is new,” we told Bety. “Apparently Ramsar status has resulted in funding.” The boardwalk brought us within a few meters of crocodiles of all sizes, some with names like “Pancho” who, we learned is 46 years old, weighs 380 kilos and is four meters long. All of these creatures are Crocodylus acutus, American Crocodile in English and Cocodrilo Amarillo in Spanish. They seem to be fresh-water river crocodiles with a great tolerance for salt water and live to reach an age of 80 years, although we were told that one inhabitant of El Cocodrilario is 100 years old. They are said to be less aggressive than other kinds of crocodiles.
Visitors are allowed to feed the crocs here, many of which looked quite lively as they raced to gulp down a treat with a toothy grin.
We had not taken more than twenty steps along the boardwalk when we found ourselves face to face with a yellow-crowned night heron perched on the walkway railing. We were amazed, as it was 1:00 in the afternoon, the very worst time imaginable for bird-watching.
I had supposed that the boardwalk would follow the rather short trail that had been here during my last visit. Instead, it now takes you on a 650-meter circular route through the mangroves as well as through open waters, allowing you to quietly approach the natural inhabitants of the estuary. So we got to see, up close, not only crocs and iguanas, but a wide variety of water birds, including a white ibis, a tropical kingbird and several kinds of anhingas.
Halfway around the route, there’s a lookout tower offering a great view of the estuary and at the end of the loop you come to a crocodile nursery, where, of course, you can take a picture of yourself with a baby croc in your arms. Here we learned that the sanctuary, which covers some 264 hectares, has a population of around 400 American Crocodiles.
The sanctuary offers a dusk boat ride (1.5 hours) through the estuary, which I suspect bird watchers would find very interesting. This might work out particularly well if you were staying at one of several local hotels, several of which have five-star ratings on Tripadvisor. In addition, there are some nice campsites on the beach just north of town.
The sanctuary is open daily from 9 AM to 6:30 PM and is on Facebook as “Cocodrilario Ejido La Manzanilla.” Should you visit it? Take Bety Ibarra’s final word on the place: “The Crocodile Sanctuary turned out to be the best part of my entire trip to the beach.”
How to get there
The fastest and most convenient route from Guadalajara is by toll road, via Colima and Manzanillo. La Manzanilla is just a half-hour’s drive northwest of Barra de Navidad/Melaque and is sign-posted. Drive into the pueblito on Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas and, just before the road ends at the beach, you´ll see the Cocodrilario on your right. Google Maps lists it as Cocodrilario La Manzanilla, Jalisco. Driving time from Guadalajara is about four and a half hours.
5. Playa Miramar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 262 reviews
A long stretch of beach, directly across the highway from Club Maeva.
Reviewed By Paul-Jann V
This is our favorite beach to walk and enjoy the view. Every time we come to Manzanillo we walk this beach 1-2 times each day. We enjoy the shops and the view and the fact that it is not very crowded.
6. Tenacatita Beach
Overall Ratings
4 based on 83 reviews
Picturesque beach featured in the movie "McHale's Navy."
Reviewed By KevinFromCanada - Newmarket, Canada
This is a beach in transition. After a prolonged dispute over access to the beach, the public is now free to enjoy this beautiful beach. Unfortunately there are very limited services available. We stopped in during a boat tour and brought our own food and drink. For a modest fee (apparently the cost varies according to the season and seemingly by the whim of the attendants) we were able to rent plastic tables and chairs under a good tent / palapa. The beach is beautiful -- you can walk for miles and it is not crowded. As an added bonus, since there are so few people around, there are no 'vendors' interrupting your visit trying to sell you trinkets.
7. Bending Tree Yoga and Healing Center
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By turtle2373 - New Jersey
Though I have not (yet!) had the pleasure of visiting Bending Tree Yoga and Healing Center in person, I have downloaded Karen's Meditation classes and most recently the Half Hour of Power yoga class. Karen is a fantastic yoga instructor and always gives explanations and...MoreThank you Laura for your kind review. And, thank you for suggesting I get set up on TripAdvisor. I'm so happy you've enjoyed the podcast! Namaste my dear friend, Karen
8. Playa La Audiencia
Overall Ratings
4 based on 239 reviews
The 1979 movie "10" introduced the world to Bo Derek, and this beautiful beach.
Reviewed By crimepays1229 - oregon
Big resort beach with lots of people to watch. Lots of boats. Lots of vendors. Fun to spend a day. Pretty beach
9. Jarro Beach Disco
Overall Ratings
4 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Aerovergalineas - Crestline, California
There is something to do everynight. There is ALWAYS something exciting and truly 'mexican' about this place. If it is MUSIC or socializing or enjoying the atmosphere on the beach, and a spectacular view of the Ocean...there is something for everyone here. It is a very gay friendly enviorment. It is very liberal in old Mexico. And The Owner employees and D.J. are all wonderful and genuine people. I'm CERTAIN you will enjoy it too. You did NOT go to Mexicio, to sit and be bored, and take a little something back with you? Did you? I hope not.
10. Manzanillo Bay
Overall Ratings
4 based on 136 reviews
One of two major bays situated directly north of the city.
Reviewed By realpep - Imperial Beach, California, United States
Danitours took us around Manzanillo then we drove through Las Hadas - a very spiffy resort - so we could see the Eurodam and the bay itself. Nice view!
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