Manzanillo to San Luis Soyatlán Road Trip: Route & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Manzanillo to San Luis Soyatlán is 174 miles (280 km), about 3 h 25 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Colima — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains San Luis Soyatlán. 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 Historia de ColimaVolcán Nevado de Colima National ParkCiudad Guzmán CathedralMuseo Arqueológico de Ciudad GuzmánManzanilloSan Luis Soyatlán
Route from Manzanillo to San Luis Soyatlán with the 5 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance174 mi (280 km)
Driving time, no stops3 h 25 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → JAL 446 → MEX-15
Mexican states on the routeColima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-200D, MEX-54D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 6.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below5

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 San Luis Soyatlán is like

MEX-54D (68 mi) and MEX-200D (26 mi) carry about 54% of the 174 miles. MEX-200D, MEX-54D 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 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Manzanillo to San Luis Soyatlán, 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-54D70–13868Colima, Jalisco
local roads138–1468Jalisco
JAL 446146–16418Jalisco
connecting roads164–1651Jalisco
MEX-15165–1738Jalisco
local roads173–1741Jalisco
  • Mile 80 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)

Stops between Manzanillo and San Luis Soyatlán

  • 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), Museo Regional de Historia de Colima (mile 64), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 106), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 106)

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 Historia de Colima

Mile 64 · Museum · 2 mi from the route

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

Mile 83 · National Park of Mexico · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 106 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán

Mile 106 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.

More drives to San Luis Soyatlán

From Manzanillo to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Manzanillo to San Luis Soyatlán?

About 3 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 174 miles.

How far is San Luis Soyatlán from Manzanillo by car?

About 174 miles (280 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 Luis Soyatlán?

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 Luis Soyatlán?

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 Luis Soyatlán use?

In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, JAL 446 and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Manzanillo and San Luis Soyatlán?

Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 26, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Historia de Colima (museum, mile 64, 2 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (museum, mile 106, 2 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.