Colima is Mexico's second-smallest state, a compact Pacific coast territory dominated by the twin volcanic peaks of Volcán de Fuego and Nevado de Colima. It pairs the whitewashed Pueblo Mágico of Comala with the resort and cargo port city of Manzanillo, self-styled the Sailfish Capital of the World, plus black-sand beaches, lime orchards around Tecomán, and a low-key colonial capital in Colima City.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Comala
Comala is a Pueblo Mágico of white-washed buildings and red-tiled roofs a short hop from Colima City, built around a compact main square. It is known regionally for its "punto" bars serving free antojitos with drinks, and for coffee grown on the volcanic slopes above town. A day here is unhurried: wander the plaza, sample local snacks, and browse craft stalls without needing a fixed itinerary.
Highlights: Jardin Principal plaza ringed by whitewashed colonial arcades · Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel colonial church · Free botanas served with every drink at plaza restaurants · Nogueras museum and gardens of muralist Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo · Volcano views of Nevado de Colima and Volcan de Fuego from the plaza
Nevado de Colima National Park
This is Mexico's dormant, snow-capped counterpart to the active Volcán de Fuego next door, and the park protects the pine and fir forest on its lower and middle slopes. Most visitors do not summit in a day trip - the appeal is the cooler mountain air, forest trails, and views back down toward the Colima valley. It is a genuine change of scenery from the tropical lowlands around Colima City.
Highlights: Pine-oak and pine-fir forest trails around El Fresnito and La Joya · Views across the Colima valley toward the active Volcan de Fuego · Cool high-altitude air, a sharp contrast to the coastal lowlands · Unpaved forestry road drive through remote mountain terrain · Access point for multi-day mountaineering routes to the 4,260 m summit
Suchitlán and Laguna de la María
Suchitlán is a small Nahua village known for handwoven textiles and traditional masks, sitting close to Laguna de la María, a crater lake ringed by forest. Together they make a quieter, slower day than the beach or city sites, centered on craft-buying and a walk or short boat trip on the lake. It suits travellers who want a low-key nature and culture combination rather than a headline attraction.
Highlights: Suchitlan's Nahua pastorela mask-making workshops · Laguna de la Maria, a pine-forest-ringed crater lake · Rowboat rentals and birdwatching along the lakeshore · Lakeside restaurants serving fresh tilapia · Temazcal steam-bath sessions offered by local operators
Manzanillo and the Las Hadas Peninsula
Manzanillo is Colima's port city and beach resort, and the Las Hadas development on the Santiago Peninsula is its most recognizable landmark - a whitewashed, Mediterranean-style resort complex overlooking its own bay. It is the most developed, resort-oriented day trip on this list, with marina life, sportfishing charters, and calmer swimming beaches than the open Pacific coast further south. The distance makes it a long day trip rather than a quick outing.
Highlights: Las Hadas resort, the Moorish-style complex known from the film '10' · Playa Las Hadas and Playa Audiencia, sheltered peninsula beaches · Santiago Peninsula marina and its sportfishing fleet · Manzanillo's title as the self-proclaimed sailfish capital of the world · Seafood restaurants along the peninsula and Manzanillo malecon
Tecomán and the Lime Country
Tecomán calls itself the lime capital of the world, and the surrounding countryside is covered in lime groves that supply much of Mexico's export crop. A day trip here is about seeing agricultural Colima rather than a postcard sight - the packing operations, the citrus-scented drive through the groves, and the town's own food culture built around the fruit. It pairs naturally with a route toward the coast since it sits between Colima City and Cuyutlán.
Highlights: Lime orchards surrounding Mexico's leading lime-producing municipality · Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de Tecoman pilgrimage church · Feria del Limon agricultural fair with food and music stalls · Central market selling lime-based products and fresh produce · Easy pairing with Playa Cuyutlan for a combined southern-coast day
Playa Cuyutlán and the Black-Sand Coast
Cuyutlán is a former salt-trading town on Colima's Pacific coast, fronted by a beach of dark volcanic sand and known historically for its ola verde, a large green-tinged wave that used to appear seasonally offshore. Today it's a quieter, more working-class beach town than Manzanillo, with a long malecón and simple seafood restaurants rather than resort development. It makes a straightforward beach day without the crowds of the bigger coastal towns.
Highlights: Dark volcanic sand beach, distinct from lighter Pacific beaches nearby · Seasonal ola verde 'green wave' phenomenon, typically April-May · Malecon boardwalk lined with seafood palapa restaurants · Museo de la Sal documenting the town's historic salt industry · Sea turtle nesting and hatchling release program, June-December
La Campana Archaeological Zone
La Campana is Colima City's own archaeological site, a set of pre-Hispanic structures and platforms tied to the region's shaft-tomb culture that once controlled trade routes through the valley. Its close distance to downtown makes it an easy half-day add-on rather than a full excursion, and it gives context for the ceramic figures Colima is known for in Mexican archaeology. The site is compact enough to see thoroughly without an all-day commitment.
Highlights: Pre-Hispanic pyramidal structures and ballcourt managed by INAH · On-site museum displaying shaft-tomb ceramics and artifacts · Compact, walkable layout suited to a one-to-two-hour visit · Easy pairing with a broader Colima City museum and plaza day · Short 10-minute drive from downtown Colima City
Volcán de Fuego Viewpoints near La Yerbabuena
La Yerbabuena is a mountain village positioned for some of the closest safe views of Volcán de Fuego, one of Mexico's most consistently active volcanoes, which sits just across a valley from the dormant Nevado de Colima. On clear days you can watch steam or ash plumes rise from the crater from a comfortable distance, something the flatter viewpoints around Colima City don't offer. This is a scenery-and-photography trip rather than a hiking or cultural stop.
Highlights: Roadside viewpoints overlooking the active Volcan de Fuego (Volcan de Colima) · Pine forest drive through La Yerbabuena's cooler mountain climate · Local restaurants in La Yerbabuena serving trout and mountain dishes · Easy pairing with a Comala stop on the same northern route · Optional extension toward the Nevado de Colima foothills
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from Colima City to Comala, the Nevado de Colima foothills, or Manzanillo's beaches run from about MXN 500-1,400 (USD 30-83) per person including transport
- Private
- Private driver hire for a full day runs from about MXN 1,500 (USD 89); useful for combining Comala with the Nevado de Colima foothills or several Manzanillo beaches in one trip
- Public
- Colectivos and second-class buses connect Colima City with Comala, Coquimatlán, and Tecomán frequently; first-class ETN and Primera Plus buses cover the Colima City-Manzanillo run for beach day trips
- Rental
- Car rental from about MXN 650/day (USD 38/day); the most flexible way to reach La María lagoon, the volcano viewpoints, and multiple beaches in a single day
Multi-day tours from Colima
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from ColimaWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Colima's small size means most day trips involve under two hours of driving each way, making it easy to combine two nearby stops in a single day
A rental car offers the most flexibility for reaching Suchitlán, the Nevado de Colima foothills, and the volcano viewpoints that have limited or no direct bus service
First-class buses (ETN, Primera Plus) reliably connect Colima City with Manzanillo, while colectivos handle shorter hops to Comala, Coquimatlán, and Tecomán
Bring cash for rural stops - card acceptance drops off quickly outside Colima City and Manzanillo's hotel zones
Check current volcanic activity advisories before planning any Volcán de Fuego viewpoint trip, since access points can shift with monitoring status
Time a Playa Cuyutlán trip for April-May to catch the seasonal ola verde green-wave phenomenon if that is a priority