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    Tonila 3, Jalisco

    Photo by José González Peña, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Tonila

    Town Tonila, Jalisco

    Southern Jalisco seat on the Colima border, at the foot of the Volcán de Colima and Nevado, titled 'Valiente y Fiel Pueblo' since 1824.

    From Colima: 25 min by car (30 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Tonila

    Where to stay near Tonila

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Tonila.

    Hotels in Tonila Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Tonila

    Day trips around Comala sometimes stop in Tonila; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.

    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Tonila

    • From Colima: about 25 min by road (~30 km)
    • Nearest airport: Colima (CLQ), 32 min by car to Comala
    Rent a car at CLQ Flights to CLQ

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    About Tonila

    Tonila is the seat of the municipality of the same name in southern Jalisco, at 1,211 metres above sea level and very close to the Colima border. Its name comes from the Nahuatl Toníllan, "heated place" or "where the sun is born". It was a Tlahuica town depending on the Zapotitlán chiefdom, conquered in October 1524; it received a town council in 1846, the title of villa in 1878 and became a Jalisco municipality in 1929. Since 1824 it has carried the title "Valiente y Fiel Pueblo de Tonila" for defending federalism, and in 1863 Benito Juárez spent a night here when the telegraph line was inaugurated. It had 3,226 inhabitants in 2020.

    The main plaza is colourful, with gardens, palms, arcades and a lettered sign with the town's name, and the cone of the volcano shows over the rooftops. The municipality climbs from 560 to 4,260 metres and shares the Nevado de Colima and Volcán de Colima slopes; it also has the La Esperanza reservoir, the Puente de los Juanes and a replica of Chapultepec Castle. Maize, beans, sugarcane and coffee are grown.

    The festive calendar runs San Marcos in April, María Auxiliadora in May, the national holiday on 15–16 September, San Martín de Porres between October and November, and the Virgin of Guadalupe in December.

    How to get to Tonila

    Drive from Colima: 25 min, 30 km

    Tonila is in southern Jalisco and borders Zapotlán el Grande (Ciudad Guzmán), Tuxpan and Zapotitlán de Vadillo, as well as the state of Colima. The Guadalajara–Ciudad Guzmán highway passes through the municipality, and a state road runs between Tonila and Ciudad Guzmán; rural roads link the other localities. The nearest city is Colima, about 26 km away, roughly 30 minutes, and the nearest Pueblo Mágico is Comala, about 24 km, roughly 30 minutes. From Ciudad Guzmán several bus lines run to Colima, including Sur de Jalisco, Autovías, Elite and Futura; there are no published schedules for direct transport to Tonila's plaza.

    Directions to Tonila on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Tonila Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Tonila. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Tonila

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Tonila: hours, prices and tips

    Best season
    San Marcos in April; María Auxiliadora in May; national holiday 15–16 September; San Martín de Porres October–November; Virgin of Guadalupe in December. Wikipedia (Municipio de Tonila) · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Tonila: what to see and do

    Main plaza with the town sign, arcades and view of the volcano
    Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, within the municipality
    La Esperanza reservoir
    Puente de los Juanes
    Replica of Chapultepec Castle

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Tonila

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Tonila.

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips around Comala sometimes stop in Tonila; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at CLQ (Colima): about 32 min by road to Comala, then 24 km more to Tonila, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Colima (CLQ), about 32 min by road from Comala, the base for Tonila.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Comala: download a map of the way to Tonila before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to Tonila warm

    Tonila shares the climate of Comala, 24 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of Comala

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Comala

    The Colima volcanoes rising above green hills near Comala warm
    Colima Comala

    Comala is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Tonila, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Tonila

    Near Tonila

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.