Active Pursuits

The Beaches

In Zihuatanejo -- At Zihuatanejo's town beach, Playa Municipal, the local fishermen pull their colorful boats up onto the sand, making for a fine photo op. The small shops and restaurants lining the waterfront are great for people-watching and absorbing the flavor of daily village life. Playa Madera (Wood Beach), just east of Playa Municipal, is open to the surf but generally peaceful. A number of attractive budget lodgings overlook this area.

All beaches in Zihuatanejo are safe for swimming. Undertow is rarely a problem, and the municipal beach is protected from the main surge of the Pacific. Beaches in Ixtapa are more dangerous for swimming, with frequent undertow problems.

South of Playa Madera is Zihuatanejo's largest and most beautiful beach, Playa La Ropa, a long sweep of sand with a great view of the sunset. Some lovely small hotels and restaurants nestle in the hills; palm groves edge the shoreline. Although it's also open to the Pacific, waves are usually gentle. A taxi from town costs $3.50 (£1.90). The name Playa La Ropa (Clothing Beach) comes from an old tale of the sinking of a galeón during a storm. The silk clothing that it was carrying back from the Philippines washed ashore on this beach -- hence the name.

The nicest beach for swimming, and the best for children, is the secluded Playa Las Gatas (Cats Beach), across the bay from Playa La Ropa and Zihuatanejo. The small coral reef just offshore is a nice spot for snorkeling and diving, and a little dive shop on the beach rents gear. Shop owner Jean Claude is a local institution -- and the only full-time resident of Las Gatas. He claims to offer special rates for female divers and has a collection of bikini tops on display. The waters at Las Gatas are exceptionally clear, without undertow or big waves. Open-air seafood restaurants on the beach make it an appealing lunch spot. Small pangas (boats) with shade run to Las Gatas from the Zihuatanejo town pier, a 10-minute trip; the captains will take you across whenever you wish between 9am and 5pm for $3 (£1.65) round-trip. Usually the last boat back leaves Las Gatas at 6:30pm, but check to be sure.

Playa Larga is a beautiful, uncrowded beach between Zihuatanejo and the airport, with several small palapa restaurants, hammocks, and wading pools.

In Ixtapa -- Ixtapa's main beach, Playa Palmar, is a lovely white-sand arc on the edge of the Hotel Zone, with dramatic rock formations silhouetted in the sea. The surf can be rough; use caution, and don't swim when a red flag is posted. Several of the nicest beaches in the area are essentially closed to the public. Although by law all Mexican beaches are open to the public, it is common practice for hotels to create artificial barriers (such as rocks or dunes).

Club Med and Qualton Club have largely claimed Playa Quieta, on the mainland across from Isla Ixtapa. The remaining piece of beach was once the launching point for boats to Isla Ixtapa, but it is gradually being taken over by a private development. Isla Ixtapa-bound boats now leave from the jetty on Playa Linda, about 13km (8 miles) north of Ixtapa. Inexpensive water taxis ferry passengers to Isla Ixtapa. Playa Linda is the primary out-of-town beach, with watersports equipment and horse rentals available. Playa las Cuatas, a pretty beach and cove a few miles north of Ixtapa, and Playa Majahua, an isolated beach just west of Zihuatanejo, are both being transformed into resort complexes. Lovely Playa Vista Hermosa is framed by striking rock formations and bordered by the Las Brisas hotel high on the hill. All of these are very attractive beaches for sunbathing or a stroll but have heavy surf and strong undertow. Use caution if you swim here.

Watersports & Boat Trips

Probably the most popular boat trip is to Isla Ixtapa for snorkeling and lunch at the El Marlin restaurant, one of several on the island. You can book this outing as a tour through local travel agencies, or go on your own from Zihuatanejo by following the directions to Playa Linda above and taking a boat from there. Boats leave for Isla Ixtapa every 10 minutes between 9am and 5pm, so you can depart and return as you like. The round-trip boat ride is $3 (£1.65). Along the way, you'll pass dramatic rock formations and see in the distance Los Morros de Los Pericos islands, where a great variety of birds nest on the rocky points jutting out into the blue Pacific. On Isla Ixtapa, you'll find good snorkeling, diving, and other watersports. Gear is available for rent on the island. Be sure to catch the last water taxi back at 5pm, and double-check that time upon arrival on the island.

Local travel agencies can usually arrange day trips to Los Morros de Los Pericos islands for birding, though it's less expensive to rent a boat with a guide at Playa Linda. The islands are offshore from Ixtapa's main beach.

Sunset cruises on the sailboat Picante, arranged through Yates del Sol (tel. 755/554-2694 or -8270; www.picantecruises.com), depart from the Zihuatanejo town marina at Puerto Mío. The evening cruises cost $54 (£30) per person and include an open bar and hors d'oeuvres. There's also a "Sail and snorkel" day trip to Playa Manzanillo on the very comfortable, rarely crowded sailboat. It begins at 10am, costs $69 (£38) per person, and includes an open bar and lunch (snorkeling gear extra). Schedules and special trips vary, so call for current information.

You can arrange fishing trips with the boat cooperative (tel. 755/554-2056) at the Zihuatanejo town pier. They cost $150 to $450 (£83-£248), depending on boat size, trip length, and so on. Most trips last about 7 hours. The cooperative accepts Visa and MasterCard; paying cash saves you 20% tax, but don't expect a receipt. The price includes soft drinks, beer, bait, and fishing gear, but not lunch. You'll pay more for a trip arranged through a local travel agency. The least expensive trips are on small launches called pangas; most have shade. Both small-game and deep-sea fishing are offered. The fishing is adequate, though not on par with that of Mazatlán or Baja. Other trips combine fishing with a visit to the near-deserted ocean beaches that extend for miles along the coast. Sam Lushinsky at Ixtapa Sport-fishing Charters, 19 Depue Lane, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 (tel. 570/688-9466; fax 570/688-9554; www.ixtapasportfishing.com), is a noted outfitter. Prices range from $295 to $445 (£162-£245) per day, for 8 to 13m (26-42 ft.) custom cruisers, fully equipped. They accept MasterCard and Visa.

Boating and fishing expeditions from the new Marina Ixtapa, a bit north of the Ixtapa Hotel Zone, can also be arranged. As a rule, everything available in or through the marina is more expensive and more Americanized.

Sailboats, sailboards, and other watersports equipment rentals are usually available at stands on Playa La Ropa, Playa las Gatas, Isla Ixtapa, and at the main beach, Playa Palmar, in Ixtapa. There's parasailing at La Ropa and Palmar. Kayaks are available for rent at hotels in Ixtapa and some watersports operations on Playa La Ropa. Villa del Sol has a beach club in front of the hotel on La Ropa with sailboat, sailboard, and kayak rentals open to the public.

The PADI-certified Carlo Scuba, on Playa Las Gatas (tel. 755/554-6003; www.carloscuba.com), arranges scuba-diving trips. Fees start at $60 (£33) for a one-tank dive, or $80 (£44) for two dives, including all equipment and lunch. This shop has been around since 1962, and is very knowledgeable about the area, which has nearly 30 different dive sites, including walls and caves. Diving takes place year-round, though the water is clearest July to August and November to February, when visibility is 30m (100 ft.) or better. The nearest decompression chamber is in Acapulco. Advance reservations for dives are advised during Christmas and Easter.

Surfing is particularly good at Petacalco Beach north of Ixtapa.

Golf, Tennis & Horseback Riding

In Ixtapa, the Club de Golf Ixtapa Palma Real (tel. 755/553-1062 or -1163), in front of the Barceló Hotel, has an 18-hole course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The greens fee is $80 (£44); caddies cost $20 (£11) for 18 holes, $15 (£8.25) for 9 holes; electric carts are $25 (£14); and clubs are $30 (£17). Tee times begin at 6:30am. The Marina Ixtapa Golf Course (tel. 755/553-1410; fax 755/553-0825), designed by Robert von Hagge, has 18 challenging holes. The greens fee is $80 (£44); carts cost $35 (£19); caddies cost $20 (£11), club rental is $35 (£19). The first tee time is 7am. Call for reservations 24 hours in advance. Both courses accept American Express, MasterCard, and Visa.

In Ixtapa, the Club de Golf Ixtapa (tel. 755/553-1062 or -1163) has lighted public tennis courts. Fees are $8 (£4.40) an hour during the day, $13 (£7.15) at night. Call for reservations. In Zihuatanejo, the hotel Villa del Sol (tel. 755/555-5500) has lit tennis courts open to the public for $20 (£11) an hour; private lessons cost $70 (£39) an hour.

For horseback riding, the largest local stable is on Playa Linda (no phone), offering guided trail rides from the Playa Linda beach (about 13km/8 miles north of Ixtapa). It's just next to the pier where the water taxis debark to Isla Ixtapa. Groups of three or more riders can arrange their own tour, which is especially nice around sunset (though you'll need mosquito repellent). Riders can choose to trace the beach to the mouth of the river and back through coconut plantations, or hug the beach for the entire ride (which usually lasts 1-1 1/2 hr.). The fee is around $40 (£22), cash only. Travel agencies in either town can arrange your trip but will charge a bit more for transportation. Reservations are suggested in high season. Another good place to ride is in Playa Larga. There is a ranch on the first exit coming from Zihuatanejo (no phone, but you can't miss it -- it is the first corral to the right as you drive toward the beach). The horses are in excellent shape. The fee is $40 (£22) for 1 1/2 hours. To arrange riding in advance, call co-owner Ignacio Mendiola on his cellphone at tel. 755/559-8884.