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Manzanillo Travel
Guide:
The wonderful town of Manzanillo is world renewed for its suburb
opportunities for deep sea fishing, scuba diving, parasailing and a host
of other great water sports. While it has long been known as a
premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts, Manzanillo has been
gaining a reputation as a great destination for more mainstream
visitors as well.
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Manzanillo has long been a favorite weekend getaway for the residents
of nearby Guadalajara, but in recent years it has attracted more an
more visitors from the United States, Canada and other places around
the world.
While many visitors are still lured to Manzanillo for the great scuba
diving, deep sea fishing and other marine sports, visitors are struck by
the awesome natural beauty of the town. Combining the luxuries and
amenities of a resort with the charm of a seaside village, Manzanillo
offers sometime for everyone. Every member of the family will find
something to like on their visit to Manzanillo.
The Manzanillo area can be divided into two parts. The downtown area
of the city is known as a busy commercial port. This area is not
frequented by tourists, and instead provides connections between the
port and the interior of Mexico. As the gateway to the Pacific Rim, the
port of Manzanillo handles large shipments of agricultural and
industrial products on their way to the countries of Asia. While it is a
fascinating sight to behold, the port activities of Manzanillo are not a
big tourist attraction.
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The true heart of Manzanillo, at least for the visitor, lies a few
kilometers up the coast in the resort zone. It is here that the visitor
will find the hotels, restaurants, shops and amenities that make a trip
to Manzanillo one to remember. The dive operations, deep sea fishing
suppliers and parasailing operations can all be found here, as can the
equipment you will need for any type of water sport.
The resort zone of Manzanillo consists of two large bays lined with
golden sand and rough surf. The two bays are connected by a coastal
highway lined with souvenir shops, mini malls, restaurants and night
spots. The area to the south, known locally as Bahia de Manzanillo,
contains most of the construction and development. The area further
up the coast, known as Bahia de Santiago is largely undeveloped
except for two large resorts called Club Maeva and Hotel Vista Playa de
Oro.
The Santiago Peninsula separates the two bays that comprise the
Manzanillo region. The Santiago Peninsula is the site of most of the
development in the area. It is this location that is home to the most
famous resident of Manzanillo - Las Hadas. This is truly one of the
most opulent beach resorts in all of Mexico. The resort of Las Hadas
was originally conceived, designed and built by a Bolivian tin baron
and used by him as an exclusive, secluded and ultra-luxurious private
hideaway. In later years, Las Hadas was reopened as the luxury
resort it is today.
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Las Hadas is single handedly responsible for putting Manzanillo on the
map with foreign tourists. The combination of fantasy like
Mediterranean village and luxurious modern resort have made Las
Hadas the most famous of Mexican resorts. Las Hadas is synonymous
with Manzanillo in the eyes of most visitors.
To this day, most visitors associate Manzanillo with the Las Hadas
resort. Many people still remember Bo Derek and Dudley Moore in the
movie "Ten". In addition to that film, many other films, television
programs and commercials have taken advantage of Manzanillo's
scenic beauty.
As late as the 1980's, Las Hadas was one of only a handful of visitor
attractions in the Manzanillo area. Today, however, Manzanillo boasts
many more attractions, even though the rapid expansion and
development seen at other Mexican resorts has not occurred in
Manzanillo.
Many visitors find this slow expansion refreshing. As a result of this
slow pace of development, Manzanillo has remained mostly
undeveloped and unspoiled. Jungle vegetation and tropical fruit
plantations are still abundant in this part of Mexico. Vast stretches of
unspoiled, undeveloped beaches are easily accessible from the resorts
in Manzanillo. Except for the busy pace of life in downtown, the pace
of life in Manzanillo is casual, slow and very relaxing. In comparison
with other Mexican resorts, dining, shopping, sightseeing and even
nightlife are subdued and low key. The major attraction for sports
enthusiasts is the fine deep sea fishing available in the Manzanillo
area. The sailfish in the area are wonderful. Catching a sailfish would
be a real treat for any dedicated fisherman.
Even though Manzanillo has not yet blossomed into a major resort, the
city of Manzanillo serves as an excellent gateway to the unspoiled and
superb Costa Alegre part of Mexico's Pacific Coast. This magnificent
coastal area to the north of Manzanillo is truly one of the finest
treasures of Mexico. Stretching for 240 kilometers along Highway
200, this area is at once both secluded and accessible, and it boasts
some of the most beautiful beaches and bays anywhere in Mexico.
The area is also home to some beautiful and luxurious hidden resorts
and rustic seaside villas.
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