Ixtapa is a modern development of a dozen high-rise hotels that loom over Playa El Palmar, a mile-and-a-half-long arc of fine sand that curves like a smile around the Bahía del Palmar. A three-mile landscaped boulevard, Bulevar Ixtapa, with speed bumps every few feet to ease you into the pace of paradise, runs between them and the Club de Golf Palma Real Ixtapa. Located on the stretch of Pacific Coastline known as the Mexican Riviera, the resort is set against the lush green backdrop of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains.

Ixtapa, however, maintains its sense of space and communion with nature. Developed in the 1970s, Ixtapa's ecology-sensitive master plan allots half the land on the site to ecological reserves. Hotels and residential structures, both limited in size, have been built to be proportionate to their land area. The resort has its own international airport and a water purification and treatment facility.

Ixtapa, which means “the white place” because of its white sand, is geared to natural pleasures — the enjoyment of spectacular scenery, sports, and sheer relaxation. The water is warm, the beach lit for nighttime strolls.

Four miles down the road from Ixtapa, you'll find Zihuatanejo, a sleepy fishing village wrapped around the pristine Bahía de Zihuatanejo (Zihuatanejo Bay). Known locally as “Zihuat,” the centuries-old town offers cobblestone streets lined with shops and cafés where a frosty beer and a dozen oysters is still a traditional breakfast.

By the 1930s, tourists seeking adventure were driving fifteen hours from Acapulco to Zihuatanejo and staying in private homes. Eventually, residents began building small hotels. Originally the Mexican government wanted to build a new resort in Zihuatanejo, but the residents protested. So it expropriated a large coconut plantation north of the village to develop into Ixtapa, and tourism development began.

Best Time to Go

The average annual temperature is a comfortable 78ºF with a high of 96ºF and a low of 50ºF, and the area averages 340 days of sunshine a year. While any time of year is a good time to be in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, the heat and humidity of mid-summer can be oppressive. Also, afternoon thundershowers happen almost daily from June through September, with the latter being the rainiest month.

Cuisine

Since the waters off the Pacific Coast are renowned for superb fishing, it's only natural that fresh seafood, from lobster to oysters to red clams to octopus and shrimp, is a main ingredient in local cuisine. Locals prefer eating huachinango (red snapper) and dorado, locally referred to as dolphin fish, while watching the sunset. Tiritas, thin fish strips marinaded with onions and hot peppers, are a specialty in Zihuatanejo. Fresh ceviche, raw fish marinated in lime juice, and shrimp and fish tacos are also local favorites.

Cautions and Safety Concerns

Both Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are clean and well kept. With fewer tourists, the resort has fewer problems. Since the hotels in Ixtapa front an open-ocean beach, flags indicate swimming conditions — green means it's safe to swim, yellow means to take precautions, and red means to be careful of strong waves or currents.