Town 8 km northeast of Comala
An indigenous village above Comala known for its carved wooden masks and the Danza de los Morenos.
Suchitlán is a village a few kilometers north of Comala, on the road that climbs toward the volcanoes, and a community that keeps its indigenous roots close. It is best known for its mask makers, who carve and paint wooden masks by hand in family workshops, a craft passed down through generations.
The masks are made for the Danza de los Morenos, a dance that blends Nahua and Christian symbolism. The dancers wear brightly painted animal faces, such as coyotes, goats, donkeys, owls and jaguars, along with characters from local stories, and fill the plaza with music and color on Easter Sunday, on Pentecost Sunday, and on the Day of the Holy Cross in May.
The carvers usually work with tzompantle wood, which they cut, hollow out and shape with traditional tools before sanding and painting it. Visiting a workshop is the best way to see the process up close, and buying a mask directly from the person who made it is the best souvenir you can take home from the Comala area.
What to see and do
Visit a mask-making workshop and watch the carving and painting.
Buy a mask directly from the artisan who made it.
Come on Easter Sunday, Pentecost Sunday or May 3 to see the Danza de los Morenos in the plaza.
Stop here on the way to Laguna La María, which is farther up the same road.
Getting there
Suchitlán is about 10 minutes north of Comala by car or taxi on the road toward the volcanoes. Local buses and colectivos connect the villages around Comala, but schedules are irregular, so ask in the plaza. Workshops are family homes, so visit at a reasonable hour and ask before taking photos.
8 km northeast of Comala
Directions from Comala on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in Suchitlán
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Weather warm
Suchitlán shares the climate of Comala, 8 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec.
Make Comala your base
Suchitlán is an easy trip from Comala, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Comala
-
Nogueras
· Town · 2 km away
A former sugar hacienda next to Comala, now home to the museum of painter Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo and his pre-Hispanic collection. -
Zona Arqueológica El Chanal
· Archaeological site · 7 km away
Ruins of a large town on the Colima River that flourished around 1100–1400, with platforms, plazas and a ball court. -
Zona Arqueológica La Campana
· Archaeological site · 7 km away
The largest pre-Hispanic city of the Colima valley: stepped platforms, shaft tombs and a ball court with the volcano behind. -
Laguna La María
· Lake · 17 km away
A crater lake in the forest at the foot of the Colima volcano, run by the local ejido, with boats, trails and cabins. -
Volcán de Colima
· Mountain · 26 km away
One of Mexico's most active volcanoes, towering over Comala; the summit area is off-limits, but it is a dramatic sight from the valley.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.