Manzanillo to Oaxtepec Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Manzanillo to Oaxtepec is 501 miles (806 km), about 9 h 53 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Colima — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Morelos is the Mexican state that contains Oaxtepec. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo Comunitario de la SalMuseo Regional de la CristiadaCathedral of AtlacomulcoLa Marquesa National ParkLagunas de Zempoala National ParkCuernavaca CathedralTeopanzolcoEl TepoztecoEl Tepozteco National ParkManzanilloOaxtepec
Route from Manzanillo to Oaxtepec with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance501 mi (806 km)
Driving time, no stops9 h 53 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D
Mexican states on the routeColima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 20.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 insuranceRequired 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.

What the drive from Manzanillo to Oaxtepec is like

MEX-15D (188 mi) and MEX-110 (107 mi) carry about 59% of the 501 miles. MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-200, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-15, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Manzanillo to Oaxtepec, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–33Colima
MEX-2003–96Colima
MEX-200D9–3526Colima
connecting roads35–383Colima
MEX-11038–6325Colima
MEX-5463–707Colima
MEX-54D70–9424Colima, Jalisco
MEX-5494–10410Jalisco
MEX-110104–16864Jalisco, Michoacán
connecting roads168–1702Michoacán
MEX-15170–1766Michoacán
MEX-110176–19418Michoacán
connecting roads194–1984Michoacán, Jalisco
MEX-15D198–386188Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
connecting roads386–3904State of Mexico
MEX-55D390–42434State of Mexico
MEX-55424–4295State of Mexico
local roads429–4356State of Mexico
connecting roads435–4361State of Mexico
EM 44436–4448State of Mexico
connecting roads444–4473State of Mexico
local roads447–4514State of Mexico
MEX-200451–4554State of Mexico
local roads455–47015State of Mexico, Morelos
connecting roads470–4788Morelos
MEX-95D478–4835Morelos
MEX-160D483–49916Morelos
local roads499–5012Morelos
  • Mile 80 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 146 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 195 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 201 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 369 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 462 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)

Stops between Manzanillo and Oaxtepec

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 389), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 464)
  • Nature and outdoors: La Marquesa National Park (mile 444), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 464), El Tepozteco National Park (mile 488)
  • Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Museo Regional de la Cristiada (mile 65), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 389), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 477), Teopanzolco (mile 477), El Tepozteco (mile 488)

Museo Comunitario de la Sal

Mile 26 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

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 la Cristiada

Mile 65 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Museo Regional de la Cristiada is a small museum in the city of Colima, in the Mexican state of the same name. It opened its doors in 2004.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 389 · Catholic cathedral · 0.4 mi from the route

Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.

La Marquesa National Park

Mile 444 · National Park of Mexico · 11 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.

Lagunas de Zempoala National Park

Mile 464 · National Park of Mexico · 0.3 mi from the route

Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.

Cuernavaca Cathedral

Mile 477 · Cathedral · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.

Teopanzolco

Mile 477 · Archaeological site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.

El Tepozteco

Mile 488 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.

El Tepozteco National Park

Mile 488 · National Park of Mexico · 1 mi from the route

Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.

When you get to Oaxtepec

Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán

Convent · in Oaxtepec

In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.

Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan

Convent · in Oaxtepec

Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.

More drives to Oaxtepec

From Manzanillo to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Manzanillo to Oaxtepec?

About 9 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 501 miles.

How far is Oaxtepec from Manzanillo by car?

About 501 miles (806 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 Oaxtepec?

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 Oaxtepec?

The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Manzanillo to Oaxtepec use?

In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Manzanillo and Oaxtepec?

Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 26, 0.4 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 389, 0.4 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 464, 0.3 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.