Explore Manzanillo
Manzanillo is the largest city in the state of Colima, Mexico and is a bustling port on the Pacific Ocean. Manzanillo is a tourist hub as well, what with its lush, tropical milieu and beautiful beaches. The large bay of Manzanillo contains vibrant coral reefs and a shipwreck, as well as various rock formations on its outskirts.
Divers of all experience levels find Manzanillo to be an exciting dive destination. The sheltered areas of Manzanillo Bay offer easy shore dives that will meet the needs of open water students, newly certified divers, and those in need of a refresher. Less-sheltered areas that are subject to heavier surf are suitable for more advanced divers. Since Manzanillo has many great dive sites close to shore, liveaboard diving is not common or necessary. There are a few dive resorts that offer daily boat trips as well as certification courses, but the majority of Manzanillo’s dive boat tours run through local dive shops.
Top Manzanillo Dive Sites
San Luciano Wreck
This site features a 91.4 meters/300 feet shipwreck accessible within a 10-15 minute swim from shore. Situated at a depth of just 6 meters/19.7 feet, it's ideal for both scuba divers and snorkelers. The wreck is home to a variety of marine life, including colorful fish and corals. The adventure level is easy, making it suitable for beginners.
Roca Elefante (Elephant Rock)
Accessible by boat, this site offers two underwater arches to swim through at an average depth of 18 meters/59.1 feet. It’s common to see coral reef species, with occasional sightings of sea turtles and whale sharks. The site is suited for scuba diving and is considered moderate to advanced due to its depth and features.
Playa la Audiencia
A shore dive that requires navigating through surges, it rewards divers with rock formations, crevices, and abundant marine life such as corals, angelfish, and moray eels. This site is ideal for scuba diving and is suited for those with some experience due to its challenging entry conditions.
Club de Yates
Located near Playa la Audiencia, this site offers easy access and is great for observing diverse marine life. It’s suitable for scuba divers of all levels, providing a chance to see an array of fish in a relatively safe environment.
Peña Blanca
An open ocean dive site offering opportunities to encounter migratory whales, manta rays, and sailfish. It is accessible by boat and suited for advanced divers due to the potential for strong currents and the need for open water experience.
The best Months to dive in Manzanillo
The best time to visit Manzanillo depends on the types of marine fauna that you are hoping to see! Pelagic species such as whale sharks and Giant Pacific manta rays are best spotted at offshore dive sites from November through May, since this is when ocean conditions are calmest and whales are breeding. It must be noted, however, that these pelagic species are drawn to this area because of its plankton blooms. They are especially common during the full moon, and they can reduce visibility by up to 15 meters/49.2 feet.
Visibility is generally quite good at Manzanillo, reaching 30 meters/98.4 feet on a calm day. Occasionally, strong currents are experienced on the rocky wall outskirts of Manzanillo Bay, and during full and new moons, divers must be aware of heavy surge. Visibility is at its peak from June through October, and this time is optimal if the goal is to dive closer to shore. However, keep in mind that this window overlaps with hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific!
Top Wildlife Sightings in Manzanillo
Pristine, healthy coral reefs which are (sadly) not easy to come by anymore, can still be found in Manzanillo. The health of these reefs is reflected by the thriving marine fauna. Common sightings at the “Roca Elefante” dive site include schools of surgeonfish, pufferfish, zebra and jewel moray eels, parrotfish, and stingrays. Megafauna such as sea turtles and whale sharks have been reported here as well.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
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Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 25
iStock/Juliosanjuan
Eagle Ray
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus
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iStock/HakBak1979
Bull Shark
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Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
Hawksbill Turtle
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Humpback Whale
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 130
AdobeStock-JirinaVFR
Pufferfish
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 20
iStock-stephankerkhofs
Porcupinefish
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