Cuyutlán, Colima lies on the Pacific coast, 30 kilometers southeast of Manzanillo and can easily be reached in three and a half hours from Guadalajara or Lake Chapala via ever-improving toll roads.
Curiously, the word Cuyutlán means “Place of the coyotes” in Nahuatl. In case you’re wondering why coyotes would have found the beach so attractive, think turtle. Yes, in bygone times, the coyotes found turtle eggs just as tempting as humans do and it is only thanks to the hard work of some dedicated naturalists that today there’s a Tortugario (Turtle Sanctuary) on this beach and three endangered species of turtles are now being protected and assisted here, instead of eaten.
Cuyutlán is a very small place and we found our way to the impressive-sounding “Hotel Concierge Plaza San Rafael” without a hitch. Okay, I must admit that our room was clean, which is a huge plus in out-of-the-way pueblitos, but beyond that it was stark and spartan with all the charm of a jail cell. Still, from what we could gather, the San Rafael is the best Cuyutlán has to offer.
Life in the Place of the Coyotes seems to be centered on the Malecón (promenade) and the black-sand beach, both of which were bustling with bodies during the Navidad holidays. What the attraction was, I’m not sure, since the food there was only so-so and the waves were pretty wild ... and once the sun went down, the noise level went up, with loud music filling the humid air until the wee hours.
Fortunately, we had come to this area to enjoy nature and the nearby Tortugario did not disappoint us. On the contrary, it was well worth our while!
The turtle sanctuary is located at the Palo Verde Estuary, only four kilometers southeast of town at the end of a road friendly to any sort of vehicle. Like many other eco-centers, this one is run by enthusiastic young Mexicans who love what they are doing. It got started in 1992 and was declared an international RAMSAR site in 2011. At the Tortugario we learned that turtles are the oldest living reptiles on earth: they’ve been around for 230 million years. Nevertheless, human beings have managed to bring sea turtles to the brink of extinction in only 40 years!
Mexico, it seems, is the place where seven out of the eight species of marine turtles like to lay their eggs, and three species prefer the beaches of Colima: the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, the Galápagos Green Turtle and the Leatherback Sea Turtle. The latter is the largest turtle on earth and can weigh as much as a small car. Several of the first two species can be seen in pools at the Tortugario where they are being studied by biologists trying to learn more about their lives.
During the last 20 years well over two million turtles have been liberated at the Tortugario. At the center they have worked things out so every baby turtle they liberate is personally assisted by a visitor to the sanctuary. Yes, they only release as many turtles as there are volunteers on hand that particular day. If you want to participate, the time for you to show up is on weekends at about 3 p.m., when there are less predatory birds around to gobble up freshly liberated baby turtles waddling across the beach. You can find out if baby turtles will be liberated on a certain day by calling one of the numbers at the end of this article.
Unfortunately, we didn’t know about all this and missed our chance to participate by one day. However, we were successful in visiting the entire stretch of mangroves between the Turtle Sanctuary and “El Paraiso,” located five kilometers away.
At El Paraiso we enlisted the services of Don Federico Balovinos, who speaks English and is very knowledgeable about the local wildlife. As soon as we left the pier, our panga (fishing boat) silently slipped into a veritable tunnel through the mangroves, a truly magical place with long, cinnamon-colored, perfectly cylindrical “tentacles” growing out of and hanging down from the horizontal branches above us, desperately trying to reach water level, which, by the way, is only about a meter deep, meaning you are unlikely to drown if you fall overboard, but, of course, you could end up inside a crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), several of which we spotted along the way.
The Palo Verde Estuary in Colima is home to around 130 species of birds. During our boat ride, which started at 10 a.m., Chris Lloyd counted 19, including roseate spoonbills, frigates, osprey, pelicans, anhingas, boat-billed herons and egrets of several colors. I’m sure you’ll see a much greater number if you arrange an early departure time with Don Fernando. Aside from crocs and birds, we saw several iguanas and boa constrictors, quite close up. After an hour and 15 minutes, we completed the run between El Paraiso and El Tortugario. These mangroves are much smaller than those of San Blas, but the local people are taking good care of what they’ve got. We used repellent and had no problems with bugs whatsoever.
If you are not an avid birder, you can take one of the half-hour panga rides offered by the Tortugario. Whereas the center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the boat rides are offered only between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If it’s a Saturday or Sunday, you may want to hang around the place until 3 p.m. to help liberate baby
turtles, which is possible throughout most of the year. If you prefer the longer boat ride from El Paraiso, at the time of your choice, you can call Federico “El Pelícano” Baldovinos at cell phone 313-100-7951.
As for the Tortugario, the phone numbers are 313-107-4061, 313-119-4908 and 313-119-0434. Their email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and their website is tortugariocuyutlan.com. Admission is 35 pesos for adults and 25 for children. The boat ride costs 40 pesos for adults and 20 for kids. Note well: They are closed on Wednesdays, unless that Wednesday is a holiday.
How to get there
From Guadalajara, head south for Colima on Highway 54. After the city of Colima, you’ll be on Highway 110. Follow the signs for Manzanillo Cuota and keep your eyes open for the Cuyutlán exit (N18 55.633 W104 03.897). From “downtown” Cuyutlán, head southeast 4.3 kilometers along the coast road to reach the Tortugario (N18 53.849 W10402.093). If you want to meet Don Federico in El Paraiso (N18 52.536 W103 59.511), you’ll find the route on Wikiloc.com under “Cuyutlan to Paradise.” Driving time from Guadalajara to Cuyutlán is about three hours and a half.
Editor’s Note: There are a few private residences for rent in Cuyutlan. We suggest Quinta Cuyutlan, just off the beach with 4 bedrooms upstairs and a pool, kitchen, living, and dining area downstairs. See www.quintacuyutlan.com or call Bobby at cel 331 771 1641.