Beaches in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

In Zihuatanejo -- At Zihuatanejo's town beach, Playa Municipal, 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.

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. Beachside restaurants are plentiful, and beach operators rent kayaks, Hobie Cat sailboats, and snorkeling equipment. A taxi from town costs 35 pesos. The name Playa La Ropa (Clothing Beach) comes from an old tale of the sinking of a galeón during a storm. The silk clothing it was carrying back from the Philippines washed ashore on this beach.

The best beach for swimming, and for children, is 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. 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. The PADI-certified Carlo Scuba (tel. 755/554-6003; www.carloscuba.com) arranges scuba-diving and snorkeling trips from here. Kayaks are also available for rent. Small pangas or lanchas (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 8am and 5pm for 40 pesos round-trip. Usually the last boat back leaves Las Gatas at 6:30pm (5:30pm in low season), 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. There are three public access points to the beach along Paseo de Ixtapa, but 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 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 the Las Brisas hotel high on the hill. All are very attractive beaches for sunbathing or a stroll but have heavy surf and strong undertow. Use caution if you swim here.