Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa are really two resorts in one. Ixtapa, 10 kilometers northwest of Zihuatanejo, is a modern resort full of luxury high-rise hotels set along 7 kilometers of curving beach, Playa Palmar. Zihuatanejo, in contrast, with low-rise buildings only, sits in a scenic sheltered bay (much visited by cruise ships and private yachts) and still has the intimate feel of a small fishing community. Both offer great fishing and some of the best scuba diving on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. They are both also convenient starting points for exploring the spectacular deserted beaches along the surrounding coast. This dual destination tends to cater towards adults and couples, rather than families (some places are off limits to those under age 16).Zihuatanejo (which means “place of the woman” in the native Nahuatl tongue) has grown to 80,000 inhabitants, but still retains the ambiance of a small village with a lot of local color. Along its cobblestone streets are a number of cozy restaurants, grocery stores, rug shops, art galleries, and artisan markets, and you can find all levels of accommodations, though you won’t find any high-rise mega hotels. The city has mandated a four-story limit to buildings in an effort to maintain its charm and village appeal. The downtown area, El Centro, is great for walking and browsing, as is the Paseo del Pescador, a brick-paved beachfront promenade along Playa Principal. Zihuatanejo is famous for its great fishing, diving, and water sports. The area’s three beaches invite all kinds of sports, and the local waters are famed for their abundance of game fish, including sailfish, marlin, and roosterfish. Because it lies on a relatively small bay, the excellent beaches have clean water and are safe for young swimmers. For further recreation, do what the locals do—take a boat from the town pier and go to Los Gatos beach for a day of swimming and eating. There are no “great buys” these days, but shopping can be fun. Bargain at the artisan market, and you might come away with a very nice silver bracelet or a pretty hand-painted plate or vase.Ixtapa is a modern, world-class resort that was created from the ground up beginning in 1968 by Fonatur (Mexico’s National Tourism Development Fund). In contrast to Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa is a modern resort town with high-rise hotels along the beachfront, which is backed by a palm-lined promenade with restaurants, nightclubs, and shops. This is a good place for souvenir shopping (T-shirts and Mexican crafts). Ixtapa also offers 14 unspoiled beaches, golf courses, tennis courts, and a yacht marina. Launches explore the turtles, fish, and pelicans at El Morro de Los Pericos, and boat excursions tour Ixtapa Island, which served as the location for the film Robinson Crusoe. The town sits on a wide bay dotted with small rocky islands inhabited solely by sea birds. Here you find excellent beaches with clean water (although the water is a little rougher than in Zihuatanejo). The beach in town, Playa del Mar, a 3.5-kilometer stretch of white sand, gave Ixtapa its Nahuatl Indian name, “the white place.” A very special experience is to swim with dolphins at the new Dolphinarium.