Travel Impressions

Vacation Enhancing tours A favorite for beach activities, ecotourism, adventure sports and fishing, there's much to do in Manzanillo. Make your tour arrangements before you go to experience the best of all the region has to offer. Deep Sea Fishing: A veteran crew takes you to the heart of the largest deep seaport on Mexico's Pacific Coast, providing transportation, boat, gear, beer and soft drinks on board, not to mention the experience of sport fishing in the "Sailfish Capital of the World." Eco Tour: Drive south through the local countryside to Cuyutlan's beachside ecological turtle camp that helps to preserve the endangered species. In season, you may even get to take part in releasing the baby turtles to sea! Learn about iguanas, and cruise through the mangroves of Cuyutlan Lagoon on a small boat, keeping an eye out for wildlife in their natural habitat. Horseback Riding: See the beach from a new perspective astride a horse as you follow the trail around a lagoon and up a mountain in search of wildlife, notably the friendly crocodile known as Panchito. A small town waits to welcome you with a cool drink. Sightseeing in Manzanillo: Travel to the highest point of the peninsula, where you'll see the twin bays, elite residential areas, tourist developments, and harbor on the Mexican Pacific. When your eyes have drank their fill of the rich landscape, haggle for handicrafts at the flea market at Miramar Beach, visit the "Big Fish," a symbol of the city, and shop downtown. Tropical Tour: Drive to the small fishing village of San Patricio Melaque, then continue to Barra de Navidad for a boat ride through the lagoon. Afterward, choose to lounge on the beach or do some shopping. Consult your travel agent for more details on these and other tours. MANzANILLo Manzanillo Bay P A C I F I C O C E A N Cuyutlán Lagoon Escondida Beach Boquita Beach San Pedrito Beach Las Hadas Beach Santiago Peninsula Juluapan Peninsula Santiago Beach 200 200 200 200D Santiago Bay Museum of Archeaology C O M E R C I A L C E N T E R L A S B R I S A S M I R A M A R O L A S A LTA S L A A U D I E N C I A 0 1 mile 0 1 km 1 3 Manzanillo 51 As the first shipping yard in Latin America, Manzanillo remains Mexico's busiest seaport, as well known for its sailfish and international fishing tournaments as it is for downtown Jardin's live music and dancing. Although it boasts a recently refurbished historic center with a main plaza that overlooks the bay, most travelers venture a few miles north of the city to the four-mile hotel zone, wherein lie some of the best beaches, luxury resorts and golf courses of this seaside destination. GRAND BAY HOTEL, ISLA NAVIDAD ooooh here, the discerning traveler encounters world class luxury and service in a dramatic resort setting amid 1,200 acres on an exclusive peninsula between acapulco and Puerto Vallarta. Enjoy the comfort and luxury of 158 superior rooms and 41 suites, three restaurants, three bars, three pools, a magnificent 27-hole golf course, spa and marina. aaa Four Diamond. LAS HADAS GOLf RESORT & MARINA oooo Located on a private beach, Las hadas golf resort & Marina is a unique Moorish-style hotel. Located 25 minutes from the airport and downtown, with 234 ocean view rooms and suites, four restaurants and four bars, club area, 18-hole golf course, 10 tennis courts, two swimming pools and a swim-up bar. aaa Four Diamond. 1 2 3 All-IncluSIvE All-IncluSIvE AvAIlAblE BARcELó KARMINA PALAcE DELuxE ooooh From its brilliant tropical gardens to the spectacular views of the slate-blue Pacific waters, the scenery offers an exquisite color palette sure to awaken your senses. take advantage of this resort as an unforgettable location for a seaside destination wedding, or use one of the eight flexible meeting spaces that make this resort an ideal host for destination meetings and staying connected while vacationing. aaa Four Diamond. see ad on page 66. In this resort area, the Sierra Madre Mountains help keep temperatures slightly cooler than many of the other Pacific Coast destinations, making the 350 annual days of sunshine even more enjoyable. With two bays and ten beaches, the Bahía de Manzanillo and Bahía de Santiago—the more posh, newer section—the variety of watersports, deep seaport fishing and abundance of soft sand, relaxing and waiting for the local phenomenon of green flash sunsets is a wonderful way to while away the day. For vacationers who want to inject some exploration into their getaway, San Patricio Melaque and Barre de Navidad, sister villages on a picturesque sandbar, and the capital of Colima, with its signature ceviche, await those intrepid travelers. 2

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