In 2018, I accompanied some family friends to Zihuatanejo. It was my first trip to Mexico (that I remember), and I had an amazing week soaking up the sun, enjoying the beautiful beach, and trying to practice my very beginner-level Spanish. We had a magical experience coming across a turtle laying eggs on the beach one night and enjoyed the food both in town and near our hotel.
My friend’s family continues to visit Zihuatanejo nearly every year, and they helped me put this guide together with additional recommendations from more recently trips. If you’re considering a trip to Mexico, I urge you to explore trips to Zihuatanejo; it’s a great destination for all ages.
Where is Zihuatanejo?
The city of Zihuatanejo is located in the northwest side of Guerrero, along the Pacific coast. The city is 5 km south of the popular resort town, Ixtapa, with which it shares an airport. It sits along a sheltered bay that makes for a great space for snorkelling, boating, and swimming.
Despite being a popular tourist region, Zihuatanejo has retained its traditional town feel. There are two sides to Zihuatanejo, the town centre and the more tourist-frequented Playa la Ropa.
What’s in this guide?
- Where to stay in Zihuatanejo
- What to do in Zihuatanejo
- Where to eat in Zihuatanejo
- Transportation in Zihuatanejo
- Map of places to save for your trip to Zihuatanejo
Where to Stay in Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo has two primary regions with hotels: the town centre (Centro) and the Playa la Ropa (beach) area. When I visited, we stayed at Hotel Villa Mexicana, a local hotel in the Playa la Ropa area. In fact, this hotel is located right on the beach. It’s not an all-inclusive; however, they do offer free beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from noon to 10:00 pm every day. They also have a restaurant on the premises for easy dining.
There are many hotels along Playa la Ropa, but I would absolutely recommend Hotel Villa Mexicana. In addition to nice, clean rooms and convenient dining options, the hotel has 3 pools and dedicated lounge chairs on the beach for guests.
What to Do in Zihuatanejo
If you’re interested in more than sitting on the beach or soaking up rays near the pool, Zihuatanejo is a great place to be. The city is very walkable, making it easy to get between the town centre and the beach district without worrying about transportation.
Things to Do Around Playa la Ropa
The area around Playa la Ropa has lots of things to do. For starters, Zihuatanejo Bay is very calm, great for swimming, boogie boarding, and snorkelling.
When I was there, we snorkelled at the north end of Playa la Ropa (near the Hitlon hotel), where there are some rocks near the shore. We saw lots of fish and a turtle while snorkeling here.
There are also opportunities to pay for a catamaran ride around the bay, which was lots of fun. Other activities, such as yoga on the beach, are available. Just ask at your hotel or explore along the beach to find options.
One night, we came across a turtle burying her eggs and making her way back to the water. It was an incredible experience to witness, but it’s important to remember to give animals their space, just as you would anywhere else. Tourism can impact the lives of these animals and their ability to reproduce, so try to be mindful of any wildlife you see and give it the space to live and thrive.
Walk into Town
If you’re looking for something to do beyond the beach, look no further than the easy walk into town. It takes around 30 minutes to walk from Playa la Ropa to Centro Zihuatanejo.
To get to the centre, walk north along the beach until you reach the round towers of the Hilton hotel. From there, follow the stairs leading from the beach up to the road.
Continue along Escénica la Ropa until you reach Calle Adelita. Then follow this street for a short ways until you pass Villas Miramar and Hotel Palacios.
From there, take a left turn and walk back to the beach. This will bring you along Paseo del Pescador, the scenic pedestrian route to town.
While I was in Zihuatanejo, we did the walk into town a couple times. We stopped once at El Cafecito, a little cafe along the marina next to the Plaza Municipal. They had nice smoothies and iced coffees, as well as breakfast and lunch options (although we didn’t stay for food).
Things to Do Around Zihuatanejo Centro
While in town, we also visited the artisans market, where we got a few souvenirs for our friends and my fmaily back home.
Beside exploring the town and marina, you can also visit the Museo Arqueológico de la Costa Grande, a small museum along the Paseo del Pescador that hosts almost 500 artifacts from Olmec, Teotihuacan, Triple Alliance and Tarascan cultures, as well as colonial times. Most of the information is in Spanish, and the entrance fee is only $15 MXN for adults and free for children.
It is also worth walking along the Malecón, which hosts some photo ops. Either on your way into town or back to Playa la Ropa, take a detour to the Partenón Zihuatanejo, an imposing building with Greek-style sculptures and an incredible view over Zihuatanejo Bay.
Things to Do Further from Zihuatanejo
If you’re looking for another place to swim or snorkel, make your way to Playa las Gatas at the south end of Zihuatanejo Bay. Bring water shoes, as the beach and shallow areas here can be rocky in many places. There are also many restaurants in the area so you could spend a whole day here.
If you’re looking for a day trip away from Zihuatanejo, try Barra de PotosÃ. This small fishing village has a beautiful freshwater lagoon where you can got boating or kayaking. There are many birds that live around the lagoon to watch while paddling here.
Where to Eat in Zihuatanejo
There are plenty of delicious restaurants to try in both town and the Playa la Ropa areas. One of my family friends’ favourites is El Manglar, a restaurant on Playa la Ropa known for the crocodilles that hang out in the adjacent estuary. The restaurant has a little bridge for visitors to cross in order to enter from the beach.
Other restaurants worth trying in the Playa la Ropa area include Restaurante Vista al Mar on the south end of the beach, and Las Adelitas, Jungle Pizza, and Acacia Restaurante (for breakfast or brunch) further inland, on Camino Escenico a Playa las Gatas.
Halfway between Playa la Ropa and the central district is Ristorante il Mare, an Italian restaurant known for its seafood and fantastic view over the bay of Zihuatanejo. I’d absolutely recommend trying to dine around sunset (book a reservation), as the view is spectacular.
In town, try Restaurante Mexicano Any for classic Mexican cuisine, El Vado Grill for pizza, and the Barracruda Bar for live music.
Transportation in Zihuatanejo
A taxi is the easiest way to get from the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo airport to your hotel. To get to a hotel in the Playa la Ropa area, the drive takes approximately 15 minutes and costs around $250-$300 MXN.
Once at your hotel, Zihuatanejo is very walkable. It is a fairly quiet area, and even while walking at night we felt safe in Playa la Ropa.
My Map of Zihuatanejo
Check out the map below and star it to save these locations to your own Google Maps account for easy trip planning.