Rocky60 Posted April 17, 2010 Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 Oh experienced travelers, I am in need of travel directions to Melaque. I live by Jocotepec and I have been trying to find the route online but not sure it is the correct or best route to take. Here is what I have found so far. Take SR15 up just past the GDL turnoff SR54 and connect with highway 80 and just keep on going southwest. I see the cuota (sp?) to Colima runs fairly close to 80 with some amount backtracking to get to Melaque. Thanks. Rocky... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Oh experienced travelers, I am in need of travel directions to Melaque. I live by Jocotepec and I have been trying to find the route online but not sure it is the correct or best route to take. Here is what I have found so far. Take SR15 up just past the GDL turnoff SR54 and connect with highway 80 and just keep on going southwest. I see the cuota (sp?) to Colima runs fairly close to 80 with some amount backtracking to get to Melaque. Thanks. Rocky... If you want the free road ... and if you've never been, take 80. If you want the better more relaxing road take 54 thru Colima. They both take about the same time but the toll is about $310 pesos. I pay the tolls anymore. Highway 80 is pretty country and if you want to do it ... going downhill is the best. Fewer slow vehicles to get behind Out 15 till you reach the highway overpass, cross over and make the loop under. If going 80 you make the first right past the overpass. Going highway 54 stay on the highway and you'll see the first toll booth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Rocky and Chuck or anyone else making a trip soon to the Melaque area please be so kind as to report back for our benefit as to route, restaurants, accommodations etc. Also look at the homes and you will notice many with only decorative walls, no broken glass or razor wire on top and even boats and Sea-Doos left on the street for sale. Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Almost all of the gringo run restaurants will be closed for the summer including Roosters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tio copas Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Almost all of the gringo run restaurants will be closed for the summer including Roosters Go to Bananas in Barra for breakfast. It is far better to start with and they are open year round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Almost all of the gringo run restaurants will be closed for the summer including Roosters Today's email from Roosters .... Hola, we are open FRIDAYS SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS from 9 am to 5pm...we will keep this schedule as long as we have customers....and can keep our staff working, thanks Joyce They are now right on the beach and big breakfast 50 to 70 p with coffee etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Chips Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Highway 80 is scenic except much of the time you will be white knuckling it and wont be able to enjoy the view.For the life of me,I cant understand why someone would take 80 over the cuota unless they could not afford the cuota fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 I would not take Hwy 80 often but for a first time trip the scenery is breathtaking. We stopped many times for photos and only a portion of the road is high up in the mountains. It allows one to see another aspect of the beauty of Mexico. For most of us who are retired, enjoy the journey, what's the rush? I would encourage anyone to take this road at least once. The trip without stops is less than 5 hours. We are only as old in attitude as our fears allow us to be. RV good post below. It somewhat reminds me of the High Road to Taos another incredible drive or from Guanajuato to Dolores Hidalgo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVGRINGO Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Flatlanders may get white knuckles, but those who have grown up in mountainous terrain will enjoy the scenery and the ability to actually drive their vehicle, rather than just set the cruise control and get bored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijiccharlie Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Rocky, I have recently taken both routes. Via Colima many kilometers further and cuotas but as Sparks noted same amount of time. I came back through the mountains the other route he noted and very scenic. So, for first trip I would recommend going via mountain route and back via Colima, which if you have the time, do visit as it is a gorgeous small city. In Melaque eat dinner at Salamandra http://www.villasalamandra.com/ and breakfast at Roosters http://www.costalegre.ca/Restaurante_Roosters.htm on the water front. Both are awesome. http://www.costalegre.ca/Melaque_Places_To_Eat.htm and on the web site are also maps and information on beaches. A spectacular beach is Tenacatita in same web site and 30 minutes north. Hi Ajijic, Are the Salamandra villas right on the beach or a block away? Thanks, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijiccharlie Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Rocky, I have recently taken both routes. Via Colima many kilometers further and cuotas but as Sparks noted same amount of time. I came back through the mountains the other route he noted and very scenic. So, for first trip I would recommend going via mountain route and back via Colima, which if you have the time, do visit as it is a gorgeous small city. In Melaque eat dinner at Salamandra http://www.villasalamandra.com/ and breakfast at Roosters http://www.costalegre.ca/Restaurante_Roosters.htm on the water front. Both are awesome. http://www.costalegre.ca/Melaque_Places_To_Eat.htm and on the web site are also maps and information on beaches. A spectacular beach is Tenacatita in same web site and 30 minutes north. Hi Ajijic, Are the Salamandra villas right on the beach or a block away? Thanks, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Chuck a block away. Look at http://maps.google.com/ and the address is Abel Salgado #382. The restaurant prices are for example filet in mushroom sauce for 120 p. Have an awesome trip. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Rocky and Chuck or anyone else making a trip soon to the Melaque area please be so kind as to report back for our benefit as to route, restaurants, accommodations etc. Also look at the homes and you will notice many with only decorative walls, no broken glass or razor wire on top and even boats and Sea-Doos left on the street for sale. You will notice also many expats are saying "eh" as this seems to be a place with many Canadians and especially from BC. Definitely take a boat for a few pesos to the island across from Barra and explore the huge upscale hotel I think called Grand Bay. You can tour the grounds and have lunch which surprisingly is reasonably priced. You can also walk around parts of the island. Some may think $5 to $10 for lunch is too much but look at this ultra-luxury hotel and see how gorgeous are the grounds and facility. They have room specials that for most may be still high but about half price right now. The pools are amazing and service awesome. Then walk to a different water taxi half a mile away for ride back past the marina with many yachts. Or stay in Barra and eat street tacos for 30 p and think you are back in Ajijic. lmao http://www.islanavidad.com.mx/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobyjug Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Almost all of the gringo run restaurants will be closed for the summer including Roosters I recall eating at a place called Roosters, which was very expensive, more so than Lakeside...ambiance was nice and I think owned by Canadians... lots of lighted trees etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doolittle Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Rocky and Chuck or anyone else making a trip soon to the Melaque area please be so kind as to report back for our benefit as to route, restaurants, accommodations etc. Also look at the homes and you will notice many with only decorative walls, no broken glass or razor wire on top and even boats and Sea-Doos left on the street for sale. You will notice also many expats are saying "eh" as this seems to be a place with many Canadians and especially from BC. Definitely take a boat for a few pesos to the island across from Barra and explore the huge upscale hotel I think called Grand Bay. You can tour the grounds and have lunch which surprisingly is reasonably priced. You can also walk around parts of the island. John The Grand Bay Hotel is located at the end of penninsula, not an island. It is beautiful and there's a 27 hole golf course there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 I recall eating at a place called Roosters, which was very expensive, more so than Lakeside...ambiance was nice and I think owned by Canadians... lots of lighted trees etc. Roosters is/was in their 4th location since 02/03 this year. Lighted trees sounds like on the grounds of Hacienda Melaque ... but again Mexican landlords chased them out wanting more rent or to take over the business Definitely take a boat for a few pesos to the island across from Barra and explore the huge upscale hotel I think called Grand Bay. You can tour the grounds and have lunch which surprisingly is reasonably priced. You can also walk around parts of the island. John Better to take a water-taxi to Colimilla just beyond the Grand Bay for inexpensive waterfront dining in a Mexican mode. A sandwich at the Grand Bay can be had for $4-5us but a beer will cost the same ... and a room is $200+. Better to drive over if you want to see the grounds and golf course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 Roosters is/was in their 4th location since 02/03 this year. Lighted trees sounds like on the grounds of Hacienda Melaque ... but again Mexican landlords chased them out wanting more rent or to take over the business Better to take a water-taxi to Colimilla just beyond the Grand Bay for inexpensive waterfront dining in a Mexican mode. A sandwich at the Grand Bay can be had for $4-5us but a beer will cost the same ... and a room is $200+. Better to drive over if you want to see the grounds and golf course We drove to Grand Bay (Wyndham) mainly to see it and also to see the Playa de los Cocos for possible winter hideaway. We wondered through the Grand Bay (finding everything you want in Luxury resort) but went for lunch to Colimilla . There are few restaurants on the water with pretty views. Very good seafood. Camarones al Corbon, Pescado sarandeado etc. Colimilla is a small village (population less than 400) right at the gate to the Grand Bay Resort (golf course). Very picturesque and clean.I could yet to figure out the Colima/Jalisco border on that peninsula.Is Colimilla in Colima or Jalisco? Grand Bay is in Jalisco but I believe that the village is in Colima .But across the main road on top of the village is Jalisco again? There is also very upscale development near by. Do not know if in Jalisco or Colima. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 Islander when you get a chance love to know more of your impressions of the area. You will notice far less security measures on properties. One place in Melaque has an Elvis impersonator once a week and a large dance floor. First part of his show is Elvis and then oldies. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky60 Posted April 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2010 Thanks so much for the directions and the suggestions. Highway 80 was thrilling...I love curves! And there were plenty of them. The only thing I didn't like was the drivers heading at me while trying to pass a truck. I can see one vehicle at a time taking the risk of passing but to see 3 $%&/()s passing at once. Two of them made it...after I hit my brakes (hard). The third slid back in at the last second. Still, what a thrill. And what a view. I came back on 54 and not near the fun but the drive was fine. Actually took me a little longer coming back on 54. 4 hours on the nose going down on 80 and almost 4 1/2 coming back on 54. I did have breakfast at Banana's in Barre de Navidad (sp?). Nice place, great ocean side seating. Stayed at the Hotel Monterrey in Melaque - fine for the price 380 for a single, 440 for 2. Had a nice dinner at a hotel down the street (cannot remember the name of the hotel) the restaurant part was Club Nautica (or something like that), again right on the beach. Thanks again. Rocky60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slumdog Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 Highway 80 is just a big pain, for me. The cuotas are much more relaxing, and there are plenty of opps to white-knuckle it past trucks on the shaded highway past Colima. We did three days in Barra this week. Traffic to and from Ajijic was light on the cuotas, but coming back through Jocotepec on Sunday was a trial, with all the tourist traffic from Guadalajara. Cuotas are now three at $105, $105, and $102 pesos: it's going up steadily every year. There are several more gas stations along the route than even six months ago. Coming back from Barra there is a newly-finished off-ramp that says "Manzanillo" and "Manzanillo Airport", that swings you around in a 360 and then back on the main highway. Very weird. Had breakfast at Roosters: excellent bacon, eggs, sausage, hash-browns/potatos. Way too expensive, but jovial and lots of Canadians, eh? Used to eat at Bananas, but food is boring and never done properly. Might add that the service at Rooster's was attentive, friendly, and air-headed. We ordered the Lumberjack both days; after the first day, I wondered aloud if we weren't supposed to have three sausages and three bacons. The second day, checked the menu, sure enough, we had been shorted. So I pointed this out to the waiter, who said he would "double-check", after I pointed out the note on the menu. When the meals arrived, they were again missing the third sausage and bacon. Milk for coffee was forgotten, then 'stolen' from another table. Coffee was then forgotten. Then, tea mixed up with coffee. They got my eggs perfect, though. Whew. These were not show-stoppers, but the price will always make me think twice. $78 pesos, didn't include the juice. Sad story over. Lots of tourists arriving Saturday, due to the holidays, but Barra is never crowded. And the weather was great: terrific breezes from the water kept everything cool. Four hours driving each way, from Ajijic door to hotel door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 Slumdog glad you had such a great trip and enjoyed your holiday. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slumdog Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 Thank you very much. With luck, the original poster will be able to make use of the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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