Colima

Countryside

Ranches and rivers

Country life

Pastoral pueblos

Small and volcanically formed, Colima is the legendary domain of Mexico’s gods, who gaze down from the skies at the sweeping valleys, vast, open ranches, and dense subtropical jungle.

Perched on the south-western Pacific coast of Mexico, little-known Colima is the third smallest state in the union, hemmed in by touristy Jalisco to the north and cultural Michoacán to the south. The southern tip of the Sierra Madre mountains cascades down into the state, creating dramatic gorges and rivers, and the skyline is dominated by two huge volcanoes, one dormant and one the most active in country, the volcán de fuego, which looms over the state capital Colima, sporadically puffing out spires of smoke into the deep blue Mexican sky. Apart from a few urban pockets, such as the state capital, Colima, and resort town Manzanillo, this is ranchers’ territory, where cowboys-turned-businessmen top sharp suits with ten-gallon hats, and vast ranches dominate the terrain – making horse riding one of the best ways to explore. Colima’s also one of Mexico’s most fertile regions, producing coffee, coconuts and a cornucopian collection of tropical fruit. Plus, with a landscape rich with rainforest and wildlife, it’s a haven for naturalists, eco-adventurers, and anyone who knows a modern day Eden when they see one.