By road, Manzanillo and Mexcaltitán are about 362 miles (582 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 39 min of driving.
| Total distance | 362 mi (582 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
How the Manzanillo to Mexcaltitán drive plays out
MEX-15D (118 mi) and MEX-54D (91 mi) carry about 58% of the 362 miles. It runs through 3 states: Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-54D and MEX-GUA 10D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Manzanillo to Mexcaltitán: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-200 | 3–9 | 6 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 9–35 | 26 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 35–38 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 38–63 | 25 | Colima |
| MEX-54 | 63–70 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 70–161 | 91 | Colima, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 161–162 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-GUA 10D | 162–193 | 31 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 193–311 | 118 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| connecting roads | 311–312 | 1 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15 | 312–334 | 22 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 334–362 | 28 | Nayarit |
- Mile 80 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 231 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Manzanillo and Mexcaltitán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 241)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Museo Regional de Historia de Colima (mile 64), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 106), Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (mile 180), Guachimontones (mile 186), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 241), Tepic Cathedral (mile 293)
Museo Comunitario de la Sal
Set in an old warehouse in Cuyutlán, the community Salt Museum (Museo Comunitario de la Sal) explains how local salt has been harvested, from the old tapeixtle technique to modern methods, with historic photos of the salt works.
Museo Regional de Historia de Colima
An early 19th-century mansion on Colima's Portal Morelos holds this regional history museum, run jointly by INAH, the University of Colima and the state. Exhibits range from Capacha and Comala pottery and shaft tombs to Philippine trade and the Revolution.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila
Around the town of Tequila, the Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of blue agave fields shaped by the plant's use for tequila since the 16th century.
Guachimontones
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
Tepic Cathedral
Serving the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tepic, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also called Tepic Cathedral, stands on the main square in the heart of the city.
More drives to Mexcaltitán
- Lo de Marcos to Mexcaltitán
- San Francisco to Mexcaltitán
- Sayulita to Mexcaltitán
- Bucerías to Mexcaltitán
- Nuevo Nayarit to Mexcaltitán
- Amatitán to Mexcaltitán
From Manzanillo to other places in Mexico
- Manzanillo to Comala
- Manzanillo to Mazamitla
- Manzanillo to Cotija
- Manzanillo to San Luis Soyatlán
- Manzanillo to Ajijic
- Manzanillo to Tequila
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Manzanillo to Mexcaltitán?
About 6 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 362 miles.
How far is Mexcaltitán from Manzanillo by car?
About 362 miles (582 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Manzanillo to Mexcaltitán?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Manzanillo to Mexcaltitán?
The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Manzanillo to Mexcaltitán?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Manzanillo to Mexcaltitán?
Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 26, 0.4 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 241, 0.6 mi from the route); Tepic Cathedral (cathedral, mile 293, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.