Manzanillo: the world capital of sailfish

On the Mexican Pacific coast, Manzanillo proclaims itself the world capital of sailfish, caught for sport off its coasts.

The center, world capital of sailfish fishing, is comfortably explored by taxi or local bus.

The Sailfish Statue, on the main waterfront, celebrates the tradition of sport fishing that made Manzanillo internationally famous.

Minutes away, the Cuyutlán Lagoon, a protected wetland, hosts colonies of pink flamingos and other migratory bird species.

Heading along the coast one reaches Playa Miramar, a beach popular among surfers for the consistent Pacific waves.

As evening falls, restaurants in the center serve the celebrated grilled sailfish, a local specialty caught offshore year-round.

Manzanillo hosts international sailfish fishing tournaments each year, a species that reaches some of the highest concentrations in the Mexican Pacific thanks to favorable ocean currents and particularly plankton-rich waters.

The city was chosen as the set of the film "10" with Bo Derek in 1979, an event that helped launch it as an international tourist destination in subsequent years, attracting visitors from across North America.