Thanks! Did you stick to the 200 all the way?

Yup, and took whatever opportunities there were to get on toll roads - for example to avoid going anywhere near Manzanillo Centro.

Hmmm, I have someone from Z telling me it would be at least 16 hours...as far as I can find online it looks like most people say 8-12. Quite a bit of difference!

This past 12 April/15 we drove the other way - from Zihua to Melaque, along the coast. Melaque's approx. 50 km (30 miles) north of Manzanillo.
Total mileage Zihua - Melaque 499 km/310 miles. 9 hours, tolls 161 pesos.

Just thought you'd like to know.

IGNORE THE SIGN TO ZIHUATANEO and do not turn off the highway and take the overpass. Bad juju. Horrible route.

WAIT until the suburbs of Lazaro. You will encounter a major intersection with a left turn lane and signal arrow. Here, you will turn. This takes you right to the autopista Mex 14-D.

About 20 km later you will exit the autopista right before a Caseta de Cobro. Your caseta is on the salida, the off-ramp. At the bottom of the off-ramp Mex 200 makes it a "T" you will cross Mex 200 make a left onto the acceleration ramp and merge with Mex 200. 1,500 multa for turning directly onto Mex 200.

Two lane with wide shoulder etiquette. Pull over onto the shoulder to let trailing traffic pass you.

The is a puesto de control militar marina de armada right at the entronque to Troncones. There also may be a Reten federal de SSP there where they check car papers and migracion tramites.

Superb food, not tourist ripoff prices 30- meters from oceano pacifico and again 100% safe. Brenda makes coctel de camarones padrisimo and they have a clean bano. Jesus is a licensed diver and you can buy legal langostas from him. Local oystets are the size of teacup saucers.

CAUTION!

Between Cerro de Ortega and Maruata there are a dozen unmarked topes. in the shade of roadside trees. Always in the area of houses.

BYPASS TECOMAN save a half hour.

Exiting the freeway, you will be on a divided boulevard. Several miles later tou will see a gigantic monumento. Get ready to turn LEFT on the far side of it, signed CERRO de ORTEGA.

Follow this road and look for fairgrounds cyclone fence on right. When side road on right side appears fence will round the corner and so will you. Hisorically badly pockmarked. This bouldevard heads straight to Mex 200 on the far southside of Tecoman. You will encounter a smaller but still good size monumento at the entronque with la carratera. Make a left. Gas up at the first gasolinera on the right hand side. Th next dependable gasolinera in at Caleta de Campos, a fair piece down the road

BEWARE of autobuses y traylors loaded with varilla rebar cutting curves until Maruata.

Esso es mi tierra. Me gusta michoacan!

Hmmm, I have someone from Z telling me it would be at least 16 hours...as far as I can find online it looks like most people say 8-12. Quite a bit of difference!

I personally the 8th of May drove from Puerto Vallarta to Zihuatanejo in 11 and 1/2 hours going through Guadalajara and Morelia. I personally drove from La Barra de Navidad to Zihuatanejo in 7 hours. No, I am not born and raised here, but I have been driving in Mexico for about 30 years. I am familiar with driving here.

On line says 8 hours and 16 minutes. Also tells you 276 miles. Figure for yourself depending on whether you are a slow or aggressive driver.