The Wayro route from Manzanillo to San Juan de los Lagos is 270 miles (435 km), about 4 h 44 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 270 mi (435 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-80D |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.8 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.
What the drive from Manzanillo to San Juan de los Lagos is like
MEX-54D (91 mi) and MEX-80D (67 mi) carry about 59% of the 270 miles. MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-200, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Colima, Jalisco. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Manzanillo to San Juan de los Lagos, road by road
| 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 |
| MEX-15 | 161–178 | 17 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 178–182 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 182–198 | 16 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 198–201 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 201–268 | 67 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 268–270 | 2 | Jalisco |
- Mile 80 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Manzanillo and San Juan de los Lagos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 64), Museo Regional de la Cristiada (mile 65), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 106), El Ixtépete (mile 178), Casa Museo López Portillo (mile 182), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 261)
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.
Cathedral Basilica of Colima
Colima Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, stands at a corner of the Jardín Libertad in the city center. Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica on October 12, 1998.
Museo Regional de la Cristiada
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.
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.
El Ixtépete
Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.
Casa Museo López Portillo
Opened on May 10, 1982, this house museum in Guadalajara's historic center showcases decorative arts and promotes work by young artists from the metro area.
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
Near Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region, the Teocaltitán site holds pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread across about nine hectares, built by a people who dominated much of the area from AD 400 to 900.
When you get to San Juan de los Lagos
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
More drives to San Juan de los Lagos
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to San Juan de los Lagos
- Zacatecas to San Juan de los Lagos
- Fresnillo to San Juan de los Lagos
- Durango to San Juan de los Lagos
- Mazatlán to San Juan de los Lagos
- Culiacán to San Juan de los Lagos
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 is the drive from Manzanillo to San Juan de los Lagos?
About 4 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 270 miles.
How far is San Juan de los Lagos from Manzanillo by car?
About 270 miles (435 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 San Juan de los Lagos?
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 San Juan de los Lagos?
The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Manzanillo to San Juan de los Lagos use?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D and MEX-80D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Manzanillo and San Juan de los Lagos?
Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 26, 0.4 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Colima (cathedral, mile 64, 2 mi from the route); El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 178, 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 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.