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| Port Overview |
| Manzanillo straddles two worlds.
It ranks as one of Mexico's most important shipping ports. It ranks as one of Mexico's finest resort cities.
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 | | Manzanillo has been an important harbor since Spanish colonial times. Countless voyages, particularly to the Philippines and Far East, originated from Manzanillo. The town did more than just supply and prepare ships for the long journey east - a good number of the ocean-going vessels were built in Manzanillo, too. The port also offered the Spanish a protective harbor, providing a perfect refuge from Portuguese, English, French, and even Spanish pirates. Today, piracy along Mexico's Pacific coast exists only in the history books, but Manzanillo's role in shipping and shipbuilding continues. In fact, Manzanillo is Mexico's busiest Pacific port, its piers hoisting tons of fish, fruit, corn, and lumber onto ships bound for countries throughout the world.
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| But that's only half the story.
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In the 1970's a Bolivian tin magnate built Las Hadas as a getaway for himself and his friends. He chose the prime, hillside location on the Santiago peninsula immediately north of town. The beach resort, with its brilliant, white buildings and spiraling tower, became an instant focal point and placed Manzanillo on the map as a tourist destination. The town, however, has never achieved the mass-resort popularity of Mexico's other Pacific coast cities: Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. Manzanillo chose a different route, one that has landed it movie roles and a place in "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." Airline (and cruise line) visits remain comparatively low, lending the city an exclusive, refined ambiance that belies its role as one of Mexico's busiest and most industrious ports.
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Give That City a “10” for Tourism!The 1979 hit movie “10” was shot at the Las Hadas beach resort. The film’s success added a big boost to the already growing allure of Manzanillo.
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You don't care about the industrial side of Manzanillo's dual personality? Fine. You don't have to. You may spend your entire day lounging under a palm tree at one of the city's exclusive resorts, oblivious to the port activity just a few miles away. Keep in mind, however, that the piece of fresh fruit in your hand, the fish you ate at lunch (and the very chaise lounge you're sitting in), probably arrived from the fertile countryside, which supplies the majority of Mexico, and via the bustling piers, the world. | |
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