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Colima

Travel Guide North America Mexico Colima

Introduction

Colima is a small state in western Mexico, on the Pacific coast. Away from the sea are mountains, a desert and a volcano. Colima is bordered by Jalisco and Michoacán, which are both popular destinations. Little Colima, however, is well worth a visit, boasting great beaches, friendly locals and one of Mexico's oldest cities.

The city of Colima was the capital of the Coliman Kingdom, an old civilisation from pre-colonial times. Now, it is the state's largest city - as well as its capital.

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Geography

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Municipalities and Towns

The state of Colima is divided into 10 municipalities (municipios), each headed by a municipal president (mayor). Municipalities are named after the city that serves as municipal seat. These municipalities could be best compared to counties in the United States, in that they have their own government, police, and services. They also hold their own culture which culminates to create the state's culture. Each has its own songs, dances, and traditional foods.

The municipalities are:

Colima
Armería
Comala
Coquimatlán
Cuauhtémoc
Ixtlahuacán
Manzanillo
Minatitlán
Tecomán
Villa de Álvarez

The main cities in Colima are Colima, Manzanillo and Tecomán.

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Sights and Activities

There are many activities to do in Colima, including camping, bike riding, jogging, walking, watching crafts, visiting ruins, tasting authentic Mexican food and going to local fairs and markets.

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Events and Festivals

The main event is the state fair, which runs from October 29 to November 10.
Another popular event is the festival of Charro Taurinas in February, featuring bull fights.
Fiestas de la Guadalupana is a colourful, local religious holiday that runs for the nine days leading up to December 12.

Day of the Dead

Although the Day of the Dead is also celebrated in many Latin American countries except Mexico (and also in parts of Europe, Asia and Africa), the Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is most intensily celebrated in Mexciowhere where it is equal to a National Holiday. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration takes place on November 1st and 2nd, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. Although it is about the Dead, it is also a celebration where eating and partying both are common as well.

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Weather

Colima's weather is hot and humid year round. The rainy season is between August and November.

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Getting There

There are airports in Colima and Manzanillo. There are bus services and good roads to and from Guadalajara in neighbouring Jalisco, but there is no train service.

By Plane

Miguel de la Madrid Airport (CLQ) in Colima and Playa de Oro International Airport (ZLO) in Manzanillo are the two main airports. There are direct flights to Colima from Mexico's main states like Monterrey, Mexico City and Tijuana.

By Car

From Guadalajara, it’s about 2 hours on the main road. It costs $180 pesos, to use the road, and about $200 worth of gas.The secondary road is ok, but there are many big buses and it will take an extra hour, so it will take 3 or 4 hours to get to Colima.

By Bus

The bus from Guadalajara takes about 3 hours. One recommended bus service is ETN, which offers comfortable seats for $220 pesos. The buses have TV. Two cheaper options are La Lineal Plus and Primer Plus, which cost around $180 pesos. There are even cheaper services (around $100 pesos) which stop in many little towns.