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Zihuatanejo
The town of Zihuatanejo lies near the back of a deep, enclosed bay with calm
beaches. It is a classic Mexican pueblo with unpretentious and
family-oriented attitude. Some of Mexico's most picturesque bays can be
seen in Zihuatanejo where the local have pretty much retained their heritage of
a fishing village culture despite its gradual growth as a popular tourist stop.
Isla Ixtapa
The most popular beach on Ixtapa Island is Playa Cuachalalate which is lined
with good seafood eateries and is excellent for swimming. A short walk
across to the other side of the island takes you to the gorgeous sandy Varadero
Beach which is also well-equipped with resort facilities. Just behind the
restaurants is Playa Coral, with crystal-clear water that's ideal for
snorkeling. Playa Carey, toward the south end of the island, is small and
isolated. There are boat services between Cuachalalate and Varadero
beaches and Playa Linda on the mainland.
Museo Arqueologico de la Costa Grande
The malecon ends at the Museo Arqueologico de la Costa Grande, a grand
museum where pre-Hispanic murals, maps, and archaeological finds are on
permanent display. Beyond the museum, a footpath cut into the rocks leads
to Playa la Madera.
Marina Ixtapa
This is a new 450-acre mega project just up the beach from the Ixtapa hotel
zone. The complex is comprised of nautical facilities with 622 yacht
slips, private villas, restaurants, shops, a beach club, and a tennis center.
An 18-hole golf course is crisscrossed by recreational canals.
Playa del Palmar
Ixtapa's main beach is a strip of 3km-long sand stretch that runs the length
of the hotel zone. Water-sports facilities are available all along the
shore.
Playa Quieta and Playa Linda
About 10 minutes beyond the Ixtapa hotel zone, the long, pristine Playa
Linda has a handicraft mart at its edge, as well as a rock jetty from which
covered pangas make the 10-minute trip to Ixtapa Island. Boats run
continuously from early morning until 5 pm, and cost about $4 round-trip.
The beach provides an excellent setting for horseback riding and jogging.
Playa la Madera
Across the bay from Zihuatanejo's Playa Principal, the tiny Playa la Madera
can be reached via a seaside footpath cut into the rocks. Also accessible
by car, this flat beach has a sprinkling of small hotels and restaurants.
It was named madera, or "wood", beach because it was a Spanish port
for shipping oak, pine, cedar, and mahogany cut from the nearby Sierra Madre Sur.
Playa la Ropa
On the other side of a rocky point, Playa la Ropa is the most beautiful
beach in the area and is only five minutes away from town. Along this 1km
stretch of soft sand are open-air restaurants, a few hotels, and places to rent
wave runners, banana boats, and snorkel equipment. The beach got its name
("clothes beach") when a cargo of Oriental silks and clothing washed
ashore from a shipwrecked Spanish galleon.
Playa las Gatas
Playa las Gatas earned its name for the gatas (nurse sharks) that used to
linger here. The beach has a long row of hewn rocks offshore which serves
as a breakwater. It's an ideal spot for swimming, snorkeling, and diving.
Las Gatas can be reached on foot 20 minutes from La Ropa beach. There are
also small boat service running between the two beaches from 8-5pm as well.
Playa Principal
At the edge of town, Zihuatanejo's picturesque main beach is rimmed by the
Paseo del Pescador. Here local fishermen keep their skiffs and gear, used
for nightly fishing journeys out to sea. They return in the early morning
to sell their catch to the local townspeople and to restaurateurs.
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