Extreme Sports in Manzanillo
For those of you who live for the rush of adrenaline and the palpable excitement of living on the edge, there is surprisingly a lot of extreme sports readily available in Manzanillo and the surrounding areas. Recent growth in popularity has made many of these sports much more available, and we are seeing more and more surf and skate shops opening up.
These sports are more than activities for many, they are a lifestyle. Even if you are not one who seeks this sort of thing out, it's always fun to watch!
Surfing in Manzanillo
Manzanillo is a beach town and as such we have some amazing waves within walking and/or driving distance of us. Water sports here are probably the most popular activities by far. Some of the best surf breaks in Manzanillo are at Playa de Oro, to the left of Bora's, Olas Altas beach in the center of Santiago bay, and the amazing thermal waves over by the power plant (only for VERY experienced surfers... sharks and heavy currents). Of course, there are other secret spots, but to find them you will have to chat with the local surfers here. The surf scene here is very open and friendly, and the waves are refreshingly uncrowded.
If surfing is a bit too much for you, you can always try boogey boarding on almost any of the beaches in Manzanillo. Surf boards and boogey boards can be rented at the Mi Pariaso surf shop next to Juanitos, just minutes from the beach.
Barra de Navidad has some amazing waves as well when the surf is up, great for longboarding. And the nearby Pascuales is a legendary surf spot that has hosted some of the best surfers in the world for their yearly competitions. Pascuales is a huge beach break, so be prepared to take a beating if you aren't experienced with heavy surfing conditions.
Skimboarding
Skimboarding has been gaining in popularity all over the world. It started years ago with people skimming over the thin layer of water left after a wave pulls away from the beach. The tricks consisted of flatland skateboarding maneuvers and wild spins. Since then the sport has evolved and continues to evolve, modern skimboards look more like surfboards in their shape, and experienced skimboarders can ride the skim out into the surf and catch the waves back in. Nowadays amazing maneuvers can be pulled with the new fiberglass skimboards including arials, surflike carving, and many other tricks. It's fun to watch, but painful to learn!
The most popular beach for skimboading is the beach just behind the Nautalis night club. It has a steep decline, allowing skimmers to pick up some speed as they ride out into the surf, and catch a wave back in. Watching these guys go to town on the waves is like watching poetry in action (probably haiku poetry as the rides are short and action packed).
Rock Climbing
One of the things I love most is rock climbing. Manzanillo Mexico isn't known particularly for its amazing rocks, cliffs, or boulders. However there are a few spots where you can shake the itch out of your fingers and flash a few routes. Ventanas beach out in Campos (near the power plant) has some pretty good cliffs that jut out over the ocean. The adventure company out there offers to take you on the bolted sport routes that they have already set up on the rocks. Diffiulty levels are in the ranges of 5.8-5.12 so it is good for beginners and more experienced climbers as well.
Also, the eco resort of Boca De Iguanas out in La Manzanilla has some decent cliffs and a fun cave for bouldering. Just be sure you don't fall on the Virgin Mary statue... it's got some pointy parts to it. Some decent boulders can also be found in the foothills of Manzanillo, if you are willing to brave the scorpions and snakes and whatever other critters are out there.
Nearby Guadalajara has a much wider selection for rock climbing and bouldering, it is even home to a couple rock gyms as well.
Scuba Diving
Of course, where there is ocean there is also scuba diving. The Scuba Shack is one of the best dive operators in Manzanillo, and they have many years of experience in these waters. The diving is not the best in the world, but it is a great experience nonetheless. You can dive various coral reefs, sunken ships, and exciting underwater volcanic lava tubes (now dormant, duh!). The diving here is certianly fun and it's a great place to learn the techniques from basic diving skills to advanced open water certifications.
Kite Boarding
This is one sport we haven't had the pleasure of trying yet. But we often watch the amazing kite boarders who love to show off their windy skills on our shores. You could say they are full of hot air... but in reality it's mostly warm breezes off the Pacific. They use their kites like sails to pull them out along the ocean, and when they hit a wave they can catch 10-20 feet of air or more. It's fun to watch these guys, even from a distance as the kites make it look like a delicate beautiful balet of color on the Manzanillo shores.
So there you have it, here are some of the top extreme sports available in Manzanillo. We won't be hosting the next X Games, but that's just because they don't know what they are missing! All you adrenaline junkies out there can get your fix on your next trip here, while the more mellow among your group can enjoy relaxing on the beach as they watch you fall flat on your back and pull muscles you didn't know you had while trying to figure out how to skimboard. Oh wait... that was me.
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