Sights & Attractions in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

Although Ixtapa is quite pleasant, and self-sufficient in terms of services, its designers were unable to give it a heart and soul. Many visitors wander 7 km (4 mi) south to enjoy the authentic ambience of Zihuatanejo, which has been steadily adding its own restaurants and beachfront hotels—so far doing so without destroying its small-town essence. Neither Zihuatenejo nor Ixtapa have much in the way of attractions, but both are pleasant places to stroll and have gorgeous bays and marvelous beaches.

Zihuatenejo's bay was a retreat for indigenous nobility long before Columbus and Cortés sailed to the Americas. Figurines, ceramics, and stone carvings found in the area verify the presence of civilizations dating as far back as the Olmec (3000 BC). Weaving was likely the dominant industry. The original Nahuatl name, Cihuatlán, means "place of women." Ixtapa, originally spelled Iztapa, means "white sand," and was ceded to (but not used by) one of the Spanish conquistadors.

In 1527 Spain launched a trade route from Zihuatanejo Bay to the Orient. Galleons returned with silks, spices, and, according to some historians, the Americas' first coconut palms, brought from the Philippines. But the Spaniards did little colonizing here. A scout sent by Cortés reported back to the conquistador that the place was nothing great, tagging the name Cihuatlán with the less-than-flattering suffix "ejo"—hence "Zihuatanejo."

Ixtapa

It's fun to walk along the shore in Ixtapa's Zona Hotelera and check out the various hotel scenes and water-sports activities. Swimming is so-so because of how the small waves break close to shore. You can walk the length of the same zone on the landward side of the hotels, along Paseo Ixtapa. This landscaped thoroughfare—essentially, Ixtapa's only main street—is an access road that feeds the hotels on one side and strip malls filled with restaurants on the other. It's nicely landscaped and includes a broad path for pedestrians and cyclists. Entering Ixtapa along this road from the south you'll see a large handicrafts market, Mercado de Artesanía Turístico. Ixtapa's law against roving vendors confines local artisans—from painters and sculptors to sellers of tank tops and key chains—to this group of stalls.

Zihuatanejo

Everything in Zihuatenejo radiates out from the main beach. Although this stretch of sand is not the place for swimming, it's the best place to get a sense of the timeless local rhythm. Fishermen still set off in outboard-motorized skiffs and return a few hours later to sell their catch right there on the beach. A few blocks down, companies on and around the municipal pier, or muelle, take tourists on half- or full-day fishing adventures of their own, or on a 10-minute trip across the bay to one of the best swimming and snorkeling beaches, Playa las Gatas. The pier also marks the beginning of the Paseo del Pescador (Fishermen's Walk), or malecón. Follow this seaside path, which is only ½ km, along the main beach and is fronted by small restaurants and shops. Along the way you'll pass the basketball court that doubles as the town square.

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