Ever tried calling a friend in Manzanillo or checking a meeting time in Colima City only to realize you’re an hour off? It happens. More than you'd think.
Right now, if you're wondering what time is it in Colima, the answer is pretty straightforward: Colima follows Central Standard Time (CST). Specifically, it is UTC-6. But wait—don't just glance at your phone and assume you've got it figured out for the rest of the year.
Mexico did something big recently. They basically broke up with Daylight Saving Time. For most of the country, including the entire state of Colima, the clocks stopped jumping around in 2022.
The Death of Daylight Saving in Colima
If you’re a fan of "springing forward" and "falling back," I’ve got bad news for you regarding your trip to western Mexico. Or maybe it’s good news? Honestly, most locals are thrilled they don't have to deal with the jet lag of a one-hour shift anymore.
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In October 2022, the Mexican Senate passed the Ley de los Husos Horarios (the Law of Time Zones). This essentially killed off horario de verano (summer time) for the vast majority of the nation.
Why does this matter for you?
Well, if you are coming from the United States or Canada, you are likely used to your phone magically changing times in March and November. In Colima, that doesn't happen.
- Summer Time: When the US is on Central Daylight Time (CDT), Colima stays on CST. This means Colima is actually one hour behind Chicago or Dallas during the summer.
- Winter Time: Once the US "falls back" to Standard Time in November, Colima and the US Central states are back in sync.
It’s a tiny detail that ruins a lot of dinner reservations.
Is Colima Always the Same as Mexico City?
Mostly, yes. Colima shares the same time zone as Mexico City. When it’s 2:00 PM at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in the capital, it’s 2:00 PM at the Jardin Libertad in downtown Colima.
But there is a weird exception you should know about if you’re a geography nerd.
The state of Colima actually includes the Revillagigedo Islands. These are way out in the Pacific Ocean—we're talking hundreds of miles off the coast. Because they are so far west, they don't follow the same clock as the mainland.
- The inner islands (like Socorro) use UTC-7.
- The furthest island (Clarión) uses UTC-8.
Unless you are a researcher or a very adventurous scuba diver heading to the "Galapagos of Mexico," you probably don't need to worry about this. But hey, now you can win a trivia night.
Traveling from Puerto Vallarta to Colima
This is where it gets kind of annoying for travelers. Imagine you are driving down the coast from Puerto Vallarta (in the state of Jalisco) to the beaches of Colima.
Jalisco and Colima are neighbors. They both use Central Standard Time. Usually, the transition is seamless. However, because Mexico is a massive country with complex borders, sometimes navigation apps get confused near the state lines.
Always double-check your "Set Time Automatically" setting on your phone. If you are near the border of Nayarit (which uses Mountain Time in some areas), your phone might flip-flop between hours.
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Practical Tips for Staying on Time
Planning a trip to see the Volcán de Colima or grabbing some tuba (the local fermented coconut sap drink) in the plaza? Here is how to not be late:
- Trust the "CST" Label: If a website says "Mexico Central Time," that’s your target.
- Don't Google "Time in Mexico": Mexico has four distinct time zones. If you just search for the country's time, you might get results for Tijuana (Pacific) or Cancun (Eastern). Always search specifically for "what time is it in Colima."
- Airlines are Boss: If you have a flight out of Miguel de la Madrid Airport (CLQ), the time on your boarding pass is always local time. They’ve already done the math for you.
Why the Time Change Happened
The decision to stop changing the clocks wasn't just a random whim. The Mexican government cited health concerns and minimal energy savings as the primary reasons.
Studies showed that the "energy savings" from Daylight Saving Time were actually less than 1% of total national consumption. Meanwhile, the disruption to sleep cycles was causing real stress for people. So, they just stopped.
Today, Colima enjoys a consistent rhythm. The sun rises, the sun sets, and nobody has to climb a ladder to change the clock on the wall twice a year.
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Actionable Next Steps
If you are coordinating a business call or a flight to Colima, do this right now:
- Check if your home location is currently observing Daylight Saving. If it is, and you are in the US Central zone, you are 1 hour ahead of Colima.
- Manually add "Colima, Mexico" to your world clock app on your smartphone. This bypasses any GPS glitches that might happen while you're in transit.
- Confirm all tour bookings or restaurant reservations using local time, especially if you are traveling during the March or November transition windows in your home country.