Discover Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo offers a range of options for planning your trip: beaches and water sports, boat excursions, wildlife watching and culture.

Beaches, Water Sports and Nature

In Bahía de Zihuatanejo, you can swim and enjoy a leisurely walk along the shore. Playa La Ropa also has calm waters suitable for swimming. Stand-up paddleboarding is possible there, and you can also walk from one end of Playa La Ropa to the other. The waves at Playa La Madera are especially well suited to bodysurfing, while Playa Quieta is ideal for kayaking. You can snorkel at Coral Beach on La Isla. Its rocky reef is home to a diverse and colorful underwater fauna.

Three species of sea turtle nest on the beaches of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo: leatherback turtles, olive ridley turtles and black turtles. At the entrance to Playa Linda, there is a fenced, protected natural estuary where crocodiles live; an observation point offers a place to watch them. For more activities on the water, Catcha L’ola offers surf lessons at Playa Linda. Stand-up paddleboarding equipment is also available to rent, and lessons are offered; check current availability before your trip.

There are also activities on land: the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Ciclopista is almost 25 kilometers long. The Parque Aztlán ecological reserve has a six-kilometer mountain trail for training and a physical challenge that leads to the summit.

Seasonal Nature Experiences

Whale-watching tours are offered from December 15 to March 20. In addition to humpback whales, you may also see sea turtles, dolphins and manta rays. During the season, the beaches of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo are also officially designated whale-watching points. Before your trip, check whether tours are operating and which beaches are seasonally designated.

The “Liberar Tortugas” activity includes beach patrols, relocating nests and releasing newly hatched turtles. Opportunities to take part in releasing baby turtles are offered at sunset from August through March. Contact a local conservation provider in advance to ask about participating.

Boat Trips and Playa Principal

Playa Principal is next to a pier where boat tours around the bays and fishing trips depart; cruise ships also dock there. You can book private sunset boat tours at Playa Principal in Zihuatanejo or at the Ixtapa marina. A path also leads from the pier at Playa Principal to Playa Madera. This gives you the choice of planning boat trips or a route connecting two named beaches.

You can book fishing trips at Playa Principal through the Sociedad Cooperativa de Lanchas de Recreo y Pesca Deportiva “Teniente José Azueta, S.C.L.”; confirm current operator arrangements in advance. Every morning at dawn, numerous fishermen return to Playa Principal. Fresh seafood is sold there, including huachinango, marlin, tuna, spiny lobster and various crustaceans.

Culture in Zihuatanejo

The Museo Arqueológico de la Costa Grande is in central Zihuatanejo, on Paseo del Pescador and Plaza Olof Palme. Six exhibition rooms display objects from various archaeological sites in the region and document the development of the populations that settled there. The museum complements the beach and nature offerings with a look at the region’s history.

Getting There and Routes to La Isla

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo can be reached via the Autopista Siglo XXI and Carretera Federal 200. The Autopista Siglo XXI connects the area with Morelia and the Bajío; the Carretera Federal 200 leads to Acapulco and the southern part of the state. The international airport is served by daily domestic flights, including from Mexico City, Monterrey and Tijuana. Flight routes and schedules can change; check them before booking.

You can reach La Isla by boat from the pier at Playa Linda; the trip takes no more than ten minutes. La Isla is home to Coral Beach, where you can snorkel and observe the diverse underwater fauna of the rocky reef.

Discover more destinations: Barra Vieja, Bajos Del Ejido, El Calvario, Técpan De Galeana, Coyuca De Benítez, Troncones, Papanoa, Barra De Potosí.

See the broader travel overview: Guerrero.