|
The
state of Colima is located at the central Pacific coast of Mexico,
bordered to the north, east and southeast by the states of Michoacán
and Jalisco. The symbol of Colima is the still active volcano
"Fuego de Colima" with an altitude of 3930 meters, although
its top is located within the State of Jalisco and just the southern
slopes belong to Colima. Close to this volcano is the Nevado de
Colima, due to his altitude of 4,350 meters covered with snow
during the whole year. Even though it is the 3rd smallest
state in Mexico, Colima has a large amount of attractions. Nearly
three-quarters of Colima's surface area is covered by hills and
mountains, important rivers are the Cihuatlán River, which
forms a geographical boundary with the state of Jalisco, the Coahuayana
River, forming a boundary with the state of Michoacan, and the
Armería River, which originates in Jalisco. Colima's principal
lagunas, or small lakes, are the Cuyutlán, Alcuzahue and
Amela. Colima has great climatic contrasts between the coastal
and mountain zones.
|
|
|
|
Colima
in old Indian language means "Place conquered by our grandparents
or ancestors" or "Place dominated by the Old God or
the Fire God", a reference to the active volcano.
The
capital of the state, the city with the same name Colima is a
medium-sized city with a population of approximately 160,000 people.
Extensive coconut palm trees blending perfectly with colonial-style
constructions give Colima, known as the City of Palms, its distinctively
provincial air. It was founded by Gonzalo de Sandoval in 1523.
The city is set in a tranquil and fertile valley to the west of
the Sierra Madre Occidental. The region around Colima is famous
for the clay dog figures sculpted by the nahuatl culture settled
in the area. Just half an hour from the City of Colima is the
Ticuzitan lagoon, and from the city you reach within 15 minutes
the Coahuayana River, with its heavy flowing and lush vegetation
a nice attraction for all visitors.
|
Comala,
considered one of the region's most beautiful towns, is also known
as "America's Town of White" because of its picturesque
white houses with tile roofs standing out among orchards of exuberant
vegetation.
Villa de Alvarez is a city known for its traditional rodeo
cowboy festivals, considered to be among the oldest and most convivial
of the Mexican southwest.
An
interesting ecological center - El Tortugario - is located close
to the Cuyutlán Beach. This Marine Turtle Sanctuary will
let you participate in the marvelous hands-on experience of helping
save these magnificent reptiles from extinction, setting baby
turtles free to begin their lives in the ocean (weather conditions
permitting). The center also has caiman and iguana sanctuaries,
and visitors may walk along its nature path to observe local birds
or take a boat ride on the El Paraíso estuary to further
appreciate the area's natural beauty.
Check
our hotels offer in Colima
|
|
Manzanillo
offers beautiful beaches and hotels and has been touted the "Sailfish
Capital of the World," made famous by the fishing tournaments
held in November and February. In the early '80s, Bo Derek and
Dudley Moore starred in the popular movie "10" , filmed
at Las Hadas resort and La Audiencia beach. Other movies done
at or near Manzanillo include the made-for-TV mini-series, "Return
to Eden," the remake of "McHale's Navy," and "I
Still Know".
Photos and texts thanks to Don Porter www.donporter.net,
Colima´s tourism ministry www.visitacolima.com.mx
and www.gomanzanillo.com
Check
our hotels offer in Manzanillo
|
|
|
