Suchitlán and Laguna de la María

Suchitlan and the adjacent Laguna de la Maria sit about 20 km northeast of Colima City in the Comala municipality, a 35-40 minute drive along local roads that pass through Comala itself. Visitors without a car can take a colectivo to Comala and connect with a local taxi onward, or join an organized tour that combines both destinations in a single trip. Suchitlan is a Nahua village known for its pastorela masks, hand-carved and painted wooden masks used in traditional dance performances, which local artisans sell directly from home workshops around the village center. A short drive beyond the village reaches the Laguna de la Maria, a crater lake ringed by pine forest that offers rowboat rentals, birdwatching along the shoreline, and small lakeside restaurants serving fresh tilapia and other lake fish. A typical day starts with a morning stop in Suchitlan to see the mask workshops and the village church, followed by a midday drive to the lagoon for a boat ride and lakeside lunch, with the afternoon left free for a walk along the forested shore or a temazcal steam-bath session offered by some local operators. The lake sits at a noticeably higher, cooler elevation than Colima City, so light layers are worth packing even in the dry season. Water levels in the lagoon are fullest during the rainy season from June through October, though the site is visitable year-round and the surrounding forest stays green for most of the year. The route pairs naturally with a Comala stop on the way out or back, since both destinations sit along the same northeastern road corridor.