Playa La Audiencia

Playa La Audiencia is a small beach in a cove on the Santiago peninsula, the rocky, hilly headland that separates Manzanillo Bay from Santiago Bay in the municipality of Manzanillo. It lies on the peninsula's western side, about 3 km south of the town of Santiago off Federal Highway 200, and is enclosed by rocky points and wooded slopes with palms, hotels and condominiums. The sand is light grey to golden and medium-grained, and in some months it darkens with volcanic sand that originates on the Volcán de Colima. The beach shelves gently and the waves are usually moderate, which makes it one of the calmest and most family-friendly beaches in Manzanillo.

The name is usually explained by local tradition as the site of an early colonial meeting, an audiencia, between Spanish newcomers and local leaders, though the details vary between accounts. Today the cove is surrounded by the resort development of the Santiago peninsula, with hotels such as those on Bahía La Audiencia and restaurants and bars along Avenida La Audiencia. It was the first beach in Colima to be certified by the Instituto Mexicano de Normalización y Certificación for its water quality, upkeep and safety.

The water is often clearer than at other beaches in the area, and snorkelling near the rocky points is popular, with tropical fish, octopus and colourful seaweed. Vendors and small operators rent kayaks, windsurf and bodyboards and snorkel gear, and run dive trips and boat rides; there is water-skiing too. Small restaurants on the sand serve seafood, and from the lookouts on the peninsula, such as El Faro near Las Hadas and La Reina, there are wide views over both bays.