OUR CASA

ENTRANCE TO COMMUNITY

OUR CASA

BACK YARD PATIO

OUR POOL

THE

 Canadian Casa.

outside area...

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OUR PRIVATE POOL.

COMMUNITY POOL AND PAVILLION JUST STEPS AWAY

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BARRA DE NAVIDAD

If you wish to spend an enjoyable day without too much driving time, go to Barra de Navidad. It's about an hour drive north from the house and is a great way to spend a day. Lots of little shops and beautiful scenery. There's numerous restaurants serving fabulous food of different varieties. Most are ocean view so you can enjoy the meal as well as the sights.  Many employees rely on tips so be as generous as your wallet allows if you've enjoyed the meal and service.
Some restaurants will NOT bring you the bill until you signal or ask for it.  It's considered impolite to do so.
They don't want you to feel like they're booting your arse out the door so will patiently wait until you are ready to leave. 

PLAYA DE ORO

You'll need a vehicle if you want to visit Playa de Oro. It's a rough drive of about 7 km. on a washed out cobblestone road but well worth the bumps when you see the spectacular beauty of this area. There's high waves and a strong undertow so swimming is not advised but the cliffs, ocean, beach and a small cave make it a memorable visit.
The name Playa de Oro or "Beach of Gold" originates because of a shipwreck.  In 1862, a paddle steamship called "Golden Gate" left San Francisco with $1,400.00 of minted gold.  Off the coast of this beach, it caught fire and sunk.  80 of the 337 people aboard were saved but the gold was lost.  Salvage operations have since recovered some cases but some people believe there is still some buried in the sand.

When we were last there a friendly local man rode over to share a coconut with us. We had no money to repay his kindness and he didn't want any but he gladly accepted a cerveza we just happened to have a cooler of......... .

MANZANILLO'S BEACHES and RESTAURANTS!

Manzanillo has a beach for everyone.  From crashing waves to a floating paradise, there are literally miles of beach to roam.  And because of this, you never feel crowded when you wish to spend a day at the ocean. 
From our house you have a 10 minute stroll to reach Miramar.  A ship wreck is not too far off and the snorkling here is great.  Or walk down towards La Boquita and you'll find the lagoon and also be close to the coral reef.  Great little spots for a meal and wonderful for watching people, birds and the surf.
A favourite way for us to spend some time is at the Oasis beach bar. You can get anything from appetizers to a main meal, cold beer and great mixed drinks.  There's the beach bar area and then the upper level which is a little more refined dining. The servers are friendly, fun and look after you well.
If you're on Madrid Blvd. find the restaurant called Monkey's Chicken.  It puts KFC and all the other chicken franchises to shame.  It's located near Commericial Plaza but on the other side of the road.  One of our favorite places to order from.
If you're looking for more of a fine dining experience, there's lots to choose from. 
Another wonderful one is Marina Grill located at the Marina near Las Hades.  From the incredible interior and exterior designs to the outside patio, this is another spot that will be hard to beat for the ambience and food.  Great steaks and wonderful fish dishes.  And a great selection of wines or beers to top it off. 
We can't wait to go back.  And we're also looking forward to adding to our "favourite's" list.


There are vendors on the beach.  If you don't wish to buy anything, just tell them and they will continue on.
Be forewarned though, as soon as you reach out to examine anything, they'll think they have a potential sale and won't leave until they're sure you won't buy.  La Boquita has some stalls set up as well.  Not as many items as you'll find at the market, but fun to browse if you're in the mood.

MORE MANZANILLO BEACHES

Manzanillo is reputed to be the "Sailfish Capital of the World". It's a quaint city with a small town atmosphere. You can safely wander the cobblestone streets to find great deals from the local people or you can find some of the gringo franchises that are starting to spring up.
It's said that Manzanillo is the safest city in Mexico. 

The beaches are some of the most beautiful you'll find and with an average temperature of 27 degrees C, it's a great climate no matter when you go.  It's on the same latitude as Hawaii.

From our home you can walk to some of the beaches. There's Miramar and La Boquita.

And of course the lagoon with incredible wildlife and scenery. Snorkel right from the beach to the shipwreck and then relax at one of the many beach stands serving great food and cold drinks.

COLIMA

Here's some general information about the state of Colima.
It's one of the smallest states of Mexico but has a lot packed into the area.
It's located 165 miles south of Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific side with 87 miles of coastline.
It also boasts a yearly average of 350 days of sun.  Three quarters of the state is mountainous so there is always a beautiful view, be it the ocean with the incredible sunsets or the lush mountains almost anywhere you look.
It shares the same latitude as Hawaii and the days are warm with a gentle ocean breeze. 
Colima is the name of the state as well as the state capital. It's known as "City of the Palms," with beautiful parks, museums, cathedrals and much more.