Couples planning a stay of five or six days can consider a day trip to one of the surrounding areas.

Colima City, the capital of the State of Colima, lies about an hour inland from Manzanillo via a four-lane highway. Dating back to the 11th century, the historic city also has many colonial reminders including its palm-shaded plazas, perfect for an afternoon stroll, hand-in-hand. The city is home to the Casa de Cultura with an excellent pre-Columbian pottery collection, and a downtown cathedral which dates back to 1527.

Tlaloc Tours (www.011-314-334-1180, fax 314-333-2172, tlaloczlo@hotmail.com) offers guided tours to the capital city and surrounding region including the small colonial city of Comala and the nearby volcanoes: the active Volcán de Fuego and the extinct Nevado de Colima, home to a nature preserve.

Enroute to the volcano, visitors can drive down Magic Hill, an optical illusion that makes cars appear to roll up the sloped highway.

The dancing dogs statue stands as a symbol of Colima City.