Maruata to Chacala is about 353 road miles (568 km): roughly 6 h 16 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 353 mi (568 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-15D → MEX-70D → MEX-200D |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
Driving Maruata to Chacala: the shape of the trip
MEX-54D (91 mi) and MEX-200 (74 mi) carry about 47% of the 353 miles. It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Maruata to Chacala: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-200 | 0–66 | 66 | Michoacán, Colima |
| local roads | 66–71 | 5 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 71–72 | 1 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 72–96 | 24 | Colima |
| MEX-54 | 96–103 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 103–194 | 91 | Colima, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 194–196 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-GUA 10D | 196–226 | 30 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 226–281 | 55 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 281–315 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 315–334 | 19 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 334–339 | 5 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 339–347 | 8 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 347–353 | 6 | Nayarit |
- Mile 50 of this route: Michoacán → Colima (state line)
- Mile 113 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 264 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Maruata and Chacala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 275)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 117), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 339)
- Museums and history: Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 98), Museo Regional de la Cristiada (mile 98), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 140), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 140), Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (mile 213), National Museum of Tequila (mile 235), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 275)
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.
Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán
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.
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.
National Museum of Tequila
Jalisco's state government took back the National Museum of Tequila in 2026, announcing a reopening with refreshed displays. The museum, known as MUNAT, tells the story of the spirit in the town that shares its name.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Rincón de Guayabitos is a beach town in Compostela, Nayarit, with about two kilometers of shore known for gentle waves, a popular getaway from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to Chacala
- Tequila to Chacala
- Amatitán to Chacala
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Chacala
- Tepatitlán to Chacala
- Mazatlán to Chacala
- Nochistlán to Chacala
From Maruata to other places in Mexico
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Maruata to Chacala?
About 6 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 353 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maruata to Chacala?
About 353 miles (568 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 Maruata to Chacala?
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 Maruata to Chacala?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; 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 Maruata to Chacala?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D and MEX-200D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Maruata and Chacala?
Closest to the road: Cathedral Basilica of Colima (cathedral, mile 98, 2 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Cristiada (museum, mile 98, 2 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 275, 0.5 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.