Colima, Mexico

Colima is a small state located in Pacific central Mexico along the Pacific coast. Landward, Colima is bordered to the north and east by the state of Jalisco and to the south-east by the state of Michoacan.

Near Manzanillo Colima

Colima’s primary tourist destinations are of the City of Colima, its state capital; the port of Manzanillo, sought out for its beach resorts and wonderful sport fishing; the smaller beach town of Cuyutlán, home of the “Green Wave”, and the surfer haven of Boca de Pascuales near Tecoman, lime growing capital of Mexico.

Other attractions of Colima include the “Volcano of Fire” (Volcán del Fuego) and Nevado de Colima National Park.

Geographically, the State of Colima is comprised of four areas: the Colima Valley, which encompasses the municipalities of Cuauhtemoc, Colima and part of Villa de Coquimatlan; the Pacific Coast region, covering the southern and coastal areas of Manzanillo and Tecoman municipalities; the River Basin zone, encompassing the valleys of the Armeria and Marabasco rivers; and the eastern zone, which is the area of volcanic highlands.

Colima’s primary economic activities center around agriculture (rice, cane, sorghum, limes, mangoes and tamarind), livestock, and the production of soaps, chile sauces, regional sweets and leather goods.

The Gastronomy of Colima

Colima’s cuisine is fraught with wonderful little things snack on. Sopitos – small tortillas covered with seasoned ground meat and juices; tostadas (crisp-fried tortillas) topped with savory chicken or pork; tatemados – spicy pork marinated in coconut vinegar; pork pozole (hominy stew); tamales made with beans and meat; and a special dish called cuachala, prepared with corn and chicken.

The Comalá area is well known for its dairy products such as cream and fresh cheeses, as well as its special fruit flavored liqueurs made with tuxca (fermented maguey – type of mezcal) called ponches. These come in flavors such as pomegranate, prune, tamarindo and guava. Other beverages typical to the state are tejuino, made with cornstarch, and tuba - from coconut tree sap, and bate, a sweet drink made with seeds similar to chia seeds.

Coconut and dried and candied fruits are also made into a variety of regional sweets such as cocadas, alfajores de piña and dried bananas.

Seafood abounds: river prawns and, on the coast, moyos – a dark species of crab. Needless to say, Colima’s coastline provides a constant fare of regular, year-round, fresh delicacies from the sea. Colima’s ceviche is made from finely chopped fish combined with grated carrot and mixed with tomatoes and chiles. One of our favorite seafood dishes of the Colima coast is Callo de Hacha, or Scallops, tossed with strips of red onion and chile, marinated in fresh lime juice and served with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers…

Colima’s Climate

Colima has a fairly comfortable year-round climate. It averages some 350 days of sunshine a year and, since most of the state is somewhat mountainous, enjoys cool, usually breezy, evenings. Average daytime temperatures from November through April are around 75-82 degrees F; nights are 63-75 degrees.

Colima City

Manzanillo