Not every traveler likes to follow the crowd. In fact, we often try to avoid them.
With so many great beach spots in Mexico, it’s a shame Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Los Cabos steal all the shine away, even as awesome as they may be.
But if there’s one thing you should know about Mexico, it’s that it’s an incredible place to visit despite mainstream news’ mischaracterization of the country as a whole.
As someone who has visited Tijuana over 200 times, largely considered one of Mexico’s most dangerous cities, not a single sketchy encounter has ever happened to me.
It’s time to give lesser-known destinations a chance. Don’t worry, though. I’m not here to convince you on border town safety.
Airlines, however, are trying to convince travelers to visit one beach town flying under the radar, beautiful Manzanillo.
With 2 new flights just announced, Americans can now fly nonstop to Manzanillo from 5 U.S. cities.
Colima’s Little Known Beach Paradise – But Is It Safe?
While not quite in the same breath as Sinaloa, Juarez, or even Tijuana, next in line might be Colima, both a city and state in Central Mexico.
Reporting crime and safety is a fickle topic, as random acts of violence can occur anywhere, not limited to Mexico.
Take Mazatlan, for example. This rapidly surging beach city in Sinaloa, a trigger word for many who are scared to venture in to Mexico’s unknown, yet Mazatlan couldn’t be more misunderstood and is very safe for tourists.
The same can be said for Manzanillo.
While Colima holds a ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel‘ from the U.S. State Department, this is largely in part due to the city of Colima’s uptick in crime, an inland city an hour and a half away from gorgeous resort-lined Manzanillo.
For what it’s worth when travel advisories of this magnitude are issued, government employees are typically barred from certain areas.
In this case, Manzanillo is the only destination listed as an approved destination, which essentially means this little known beach town is of very little concern to the State Dept.
Certainly nowhere near the extreme Level 4 designation.
5 U.S. Airports With Nonstop Flights To Manzanillo
Delta and Aeromexico are BFFs in the airline industry as codeshare partners. Recently, the airlines issued a press release announcing their expanded network across Mexico, including 2 new flights to Manzanillo and 1 new flight to Mazatlan.
See what I was saying?
AeroMexico is taking the reins for Manzanillo’s new flights.
The first lucky city will be Atlanta with service beginning in the fall, while Los Angelenos will have to wait closer to Christmas to fly in for winter sun, where Manzanillo’s temps often hover in the 80’s.
These are the 5 U.S. airports with nonstop service to Manzanillo (ZLO), according to FlightConnections:
- Atlanta – AeroMexico (beginning November 2)
- Dallas – American
- Houston – United
- Los Angeles – Alaska, AeroMexico (beginning December 21)
- Phoenix – American
Bonus:
- Calgary – WestJet
Tickets are on sale now for AeroMexico’s new flights. Atlanta’s initial flight to ZLO starts at $358, while the Los Angeles route starts at $450.
Dare We Say The ‘Santorini Of Mexico’?
Despite being off the radar for most, Manzanillo is well-equipped for tourists. More of a common stop on cruise itineraries rather than flying in, it’s actually a phenomenal resort town.
While the whole city isn’t meticulously whitewashed like, say, Greece’s famous island of Santorini, many are, which makes for a beautiful sight to behold.
That being said, there’s no better spot to immerse yourself in Manzanillo’s beautiful cityscape than the 5-star Las Hadas by Brisas oozing Mediterranean charm with hillside whitewashed architecture.
Another great option would be Villas Manzanillo, where their signature vacation rentals are a rightfully titled “Condo Santorini”.
No matter where you rest your head at night, you have beautiful accommodations at your fingertips, ranging from spacious villas cloaked in Greece’s whites and blues to immaculate 5-star resorts, many of which overlook the ocean.
It is known for its two beautiful bays, Bahía de Manzanillo and Bahía de Santiago.
The latter is home to the most popular beach, Playa La Audiencia, with blissful calm waters.
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