Our stay in Manzanillo: May 5-20, 2000

We first visited Manzanillo many years ago; at Christmas 1984. At that time we were living in Colorado Springs, Co. where I worked for Hewlett-Packard.   I'm Jeremy Thompson; my wife's name is Lynne and we have 3 sons aged 17, 19 and 21.  The youngest one, Sam, came with us to Manzanillo this time.  We had to save up a long time for this trip, even longer than usual, because we now live in Worcester, England.  A long way to come, but it was definitely worth it!

Here is a picture of our rented house in Club Santiago.

We found it at Vacation Rentals By Owner

< Right next door is the Tenisol Hotel, where we were made to feel very welcome at the bar, pool and restaurant.

The beach (Playa Miramar) is about 200 yards away, past the Delfos condominiums. >

The clubhouse where guests of Club Santiago home owners can use the pool, sun loungers and toilet facilities >

  ^ This is the view to the Northwest, up the beach towards "La Boquita".  As described in Susan's Book, there are many ramada-style restaurants there.  It is very popular at weekends with day-trippers from Guadalajara and Michoacan.  Our son, Sam, made friends with the owners of "El Capitan Gorila" restaurant and spent many happy hours there helping out and eating barbecued "huachinanga" (red snapper).

We took another photo of the view to the Northwest, this time from a viewpoint on the toll highway to Manzanillo.  

The large outcrop is the Peninsula of Juluapan.  

If you take a boat just around the end of the peninsula, you will see the unusual rock formation known as "Elephant Rock":

v

 << This has got to be my favourite Mexican "cooler": shaved ice with real fruit syrup (bits of strawberry, in this case)

Day trip to Colima, the state capital: a beautiful Spanish colonial flavour to this town, with its churches and collonaded plazas with orange trees >>

Another trip, to Minatitlan, only 50km distant but a horrendous drive on hairpin bends through the mountains: takes 2 hours each way!  There is a nice little restaurant there: "El Heradura", where lunch for two including drinks cost only 30 pesos ($3 US or £2GB).  Simple quesadillos and burritos, but quite delicious.  We tried to find the waterfall near "El Salto" iron ore mine, and eventually were guided there by two very friendly Mexican boys.  Their fathers work at the mine, and they live in a nicely laid-out, modern village named "Poblado Peña Colorada", which is owned by the mining company.

The map shows some of the places we visited.  Colima is off the page, 95 km from Manzanillo.

Where to eat

If we were going to make a "top 10", it would include:

  1. Willy's, Las Brisas
  2. Taco Julio's, Santiago (the one with the "s")
  3. Hotel Tenisol, Club Santiago
  4. Margaritas, Playa Santiago
  5. Guadalajara Grill, Plaza Pacifico, SEE PHOTO >>
  6. La Boquita
  7. Colima Bay Cafe, Salahua   (beware of the double-strength cocktails!)
  8. El Fogon, Salahua
  9. Juanito's, Santiago
  10. Jalapenos, Salahua

but there are lots more to try (and we have tried a few).

Refer to Susan's Book for the full list of restaurants and her recommendations.

Dangerous Menu Items

As far as I know, none of these dishes can be found at the restaurants featured opposite/above. We "experienced" them elsewhere in Mexico, so you are probably quite safe.

  • Escamoles - these are giant ant eggs, served with vegetables and wrapped in a tortilla. Palatable (if you have an open mind) with a slightly musty taste. "Mexican caviare"?
  • Chicharron - pork skin, delicious if roasted, becomes slimy and quite disgusting if served in a stew with beans. You have been warned...

Readers recommendations (not tried them personally...):
  • Menudo - tripe soup, made with the lining of a cow's stomach and heavily laced with chili, is widely recommended as a cure for a hangover. No thanks!
  • Chapulines - grasshoppers, an Indian treat from Oaxaca. See what you're missing!

Know any others? E-Mail me and I will add to this list!

Mexican Cooking At Home

When you get home, you can still experience the authentic flavour of Mexico.  Try this link for recipes - they are fantastic! - Cocina Mexicana  (especially the Tampiqueña steak)

More tourism:

Barra de Navidad is a small town up the coast from Santiago, and well worth a visit.  

< The Grand Bay Hotel is on the island across the lagoon.  It boasts a 27 hole golf course.

  Sam did not want to be seen drinking this >

^ We took a boat trip across  the lagoon to a small restaurant (not the Grand Bay Hotel, which according to our boatman, costs $350 US per night!!!).

Sam then  tried to push me in the lagoon,

while Lynne relaxed in a hammock.

Perhaps the most beautiful views around Manzanillo are to be found near Las Hadas, the famous hotel, resort and golf club.

 Here is part of Las Hadas hotel,

another view through the attractive foliage,

and finally a view of the almost deserted beach

"La Audiencia"

 The best holiday destination in the world?  Maybe not for everyone, but for us Manzanillo cannot be surpassed.  

If you have any questions or comments, please E-Mail me at jeremy.thompson@ukonline.co.uk

Our visit to Mexico City and the Floating Gardens of Xochimilco

Other good sites to check out (Click once on these links and be patient - each will open in a new window):

Visiting Britain?  For information on travel, services and accommodation, try my other website at:

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