Things to Do in Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo on Vacation Club Promo

Isla Ixtapa Day Trip: The 10-Minute Island Off the Ixtapa Coast

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Island Day Trip · Off Playa Linda

Isla Ixtapa Day Trip

A small uninhabited island 10 minutes by boat off the northwestern Ixtapa coast — federally protected wildlife reserve with four beaches, snorkel reef, and palapa restaurants on the largest beach. The closest water excursion from any Ixtapa resort.

10 minBoat from Playa Linda

$20Round-trip panga

4 beachesEach different

4:30 PMLast boat back

The small island day trip 10 minutes off the Ixtapa coast

Isla Ixtapa is a small uninhabited island about 10 minutes by boat off the northwestern end of the Ixtapa hotel zone. Federal protected wildlife reserve, four small beaches (each with different water conditions), a snorkel reef, and a handful of palapa restaurants on the larger of the four beaches. It’s the half-day water excursion most Ixtapa visitors do — easy logistics, calm water, and the closest snorkel destination from any Ixtapa resort.

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Beaches Ranked: From La Ropa to Troncones

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Beach Comparison · Costa Grande

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Beaches Ranked

The 50-km Costa Grande coast contains a wide range of beaches — bay-protected swim beaches, surf breaks, boat-only snorkel exclusives, the Ixtapa hotel zone, and remote Pacific beaches. The honest ranking — La Ropa, Las Gatas, el Palmar, Isla Ixtapa, Troncones, and the rest.

50 kmCoast length

12Beaches ranked

#1Playa La Ropa

ResortEl Palmar

The Costa Grande coast, ranked honestly

The 50-km Costa Grande coast around Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo contains a wide range of beaches — from the planned Ixtapa hotel-zone beach to bay-protected swimming beaches, surf breaks, boat-only snorkel beaches, and remote open-Pacific beaches that haven’t been over-developed. Some are stunning. Some are surf-only. A few are boat-access exclusives. This is the no-bullshit ranking based on water quality, accessibility, and what each beach actually does well.

Playa La Ropa: The Iconic Zihuatanejo Beach

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Beach · Eastern Zihua Bay

Playa La Ropa

The 1.4-km horseshoe beach on the eastern side of Zihuatanejo Bay — mountain-protected calm water, golden sand, a row of palapa restaurants on the sand, and the antidote to anywhere resort-style. Consistently ranked one of the best beaches in Mexico.

15 minFrom Krystal

$8Taxi each way

1.4 kmBeach length

CalmBay-protected

The iconic Zihua beach, ranked one of the best in Mexico

Playa La Ropa is a 1.4-km horseshoe beach on the eastern side of Zihuatanejo Bay, consistently ranked one of the best beaches in Mexico — calm protected water, soft golden sand, the most beautiful natural setting in the Costa Grande, and the row of palapa restaurants on the sand that defines Zihua’s beach culture. The bay is fully enclosed by mountains on three sides, which keeps the water glass-flat year-round and makes the swim conditions among the safest on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

Playa Las Gatas: The Boat-Only Snorkel Beach Across Zihuatanejo Bay

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Snorkel Beach · South Zihua Bay

Playa Las Gatas

A 400-meter sheltered beach on the southern shore of Zihuatanejo Bay, protected by a 15th-century Tarascan-built breakwater and accessible only by water taxi. The best snorkel beach in the region with the densest fish population on the Costa Grande coast.

10 minBoat from Zihua pier

$7Panga round-trip

400 mBeach length

AncientTarascan breakwater

The boat-only snorkel beach across the bay

Playa Las Gatas is a 400-meter sheltered beach on the southern shore of Zihuatanejo Bay, accessible only by water taxi from the Zihua pier (10 minutes across the bay). It’s the best snorkel beach in the region — protected by an ancient man-made breakwater built by Tarascan king Calzontzin in the 15th century, with calm clear water inside the breakwater and the most concentrated fish population of any easily accessible beach in the Costa Grande.

Playa Linda & the Crocodile Lagoon: The Northern Ixtapa Wildlife Beach

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Beach & Wildlife · Northern Ixtapa

Playa Linda & the Crocodile Lagoon

The open-Pacific beach at the northwestern end of Ixtapa — panga departure for Isla Ixtapa, working fishing beach with daily fresh-catch market, and the gateway to El Cocodrilario, a federally protected estuary where 100+ wild American crocodiles live in a managed sanctuary.

15 minFrom Krystal

$4Boardwalk entry

120+Crocodiles

8 AM-5 PMBoardwalk hours

The northern beach + the crocodile sanctuary

Playa Linda is a 1-km open-Pacific beach at the northwestern end of Ixtapa — past the hotel zone, past Marina Ixtapa, near where the cobblestone road runs out. It’s the panga departure point for Isla Ixtapa, a working fishing beach with a small daily market, and the gateway to El Cocodrilario (the crocodile lagoon), a federally protected estuary inland from the beach where 100+ wild American crocodiles live in a managed sanctuary.

Sierra Madre del Sur Day Trip: Petatlán & the Mountain Villages

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Inland Day Trip · Sierra Madre del Sur

Sierra Madre del Sur Day Trip

The Sierra Madre del Sur rises directly from the Costa Grande coast — Petatlán's 16th-century pilgrimage church, San Jeronimito's coffee plantations, cloud forest at 1,500+ meters, and rural Mexican cuisine 75-90 minutes inland from any Ixtapa resort.

75 minDrive to Petatlán

$120Typical guided tour

8 hrFull day

Nov-AprBest season

The mountains east of Zihua

The Sierra Madre del Sur rises directly from the Costa Grande coast — a wall of mountains that runs from Acapulco north through Petatlán, San Jeronimito, and the small mountain villages east of Zihuatanejo. About 60-90 minutes inland from any Ixtapa resort, the Sierra changes from coastal scrub to coffee plantations to oak-pine cloud forest in 2,000 meters of elevation gain. It’s the inland day trip for travelers who want a different version of Mexico — slower, cooler, more rural, and culturally distinct from the coast.

Troncones Surf Day Trip from Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Surf Day Trip · North Costa Grande

Troncones Surf Day Trip from Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo

A small Pacific surf town 30 km north of Zihuatanejo — 4-km sand-bottom break running the length of the main beach, surf schools, and a working fishing village vibe. The surf alternative to Zihua's calm-water beaches.

35 minDrive from Krystal

$50Surf lesson

4 kmBeach length

Apr-JunBest for beginners

The surf town 30 minutes north of Zihua

Troncones is a small Pacific surf town about 30 km north of Zihuatanejo on the Costa Grande coast. Population around 600. It’s been a working fishing village since long before tourism arrived, and the surf community started forming in the 1970s when American expatriate surfers discovered the consistent sand-bottom break that runs along Troncones’ main beach. Today it’s the surf alternative to Zihua’s calm-water beaches — for travelers who want bigger waves, a quieter scene, and a different feel from Ixtapa’s resort zone.

Zihuatanejo Friday Market & Food Scene

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Food & Markets · Old Town Zihua

Zihuatanejo Friday Market & Food Scene

Zihuatanejo has the better food scene than Ixtapa — Costa Grande regional cuisine, the Friday Tianguis street market, beachfront seafood at La Ropa, and the daily El Mercado upstairs comedores. The complete restaurant and market guide.

Fri 4-9Tianguis hours

$5Taxi from Krystal

$10-15Tianguis dinner

CashMost places

Why Zihua has the better food scene compared to Ixtapa

Ixtapa is a planned resort destination — the eight high-rise hotels along Playa el Palmar all have their own restaurants, and most of the dining within Ixtapa proper is resort-owned and resort-priced. Zihuatanejo, by contrast, is a working town with a 50-year fishing economy and a 30-year tourism economy that grew up around it organically. The result is Zihua has more genuinely good restaurants per capita than Ixtapa has across its entire planned zone — at materially better prices.

Zihuatanejo Old Town & the Pier: The Fishing Village Across from Ixtapa

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Old Town · Centro Zihuatanejo

Zihuatanejo Old Town & the Pier

The original Pacific fishing village that the planned resort zone of Ixtapa was built next to in the 1970s. Cobblestone streets, the working morning fishing pier, the daily market, and the best food on the Costa Grande. The cultural anchor of the region.

10 minTaxi from Krystal

$6Taxi each way

FridayBest evening

7-9 AMWorking pier

The fishing village that didn’t get over-developed

Zihuatanejo is the original Pacific fishing village that the planned resort zone of Ixtapa was built next to in the 1970s. While Ixtapa was master-planned as a tourism corridor (eight high-rise hotels along Playa el Palmar), Zihuatanejo was deliberately left alone — and 50 years later, it’s still a working fishing town with cobblestone streets, colorful houses, a small central plaza, and a fleet of pangas that goes out at dawn and comes back with the day’s catch around 9 AM.

Zihuatanejo Sport Fishing: The Sailfish Capital of the World

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sport Fishing · Costa Grande

Zihuatanejo Sport Fishing

The Sailfish Capital of the World — Pacific sailfish density off Zihuatanejo is among the highest anywhere, with multi-fish days routine November through May. Add striped marlin, blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, dorado, and roosterfish for a year-round fishery 20-35% cheaper than Cabo.

$500Half-day charter

Year-roundSailfish

Nov-MayPeak season

3-15Sailfish per day peak

The Sailfish Capital of the World

Zihuatanejo claims the title of Sailfish Capital of the World, and unlike a lot of marketing claims, the data backs it up — the Costa Grande continental shelf creates upwelling that concentrates baitfish, and from November through May the Pacific sailfish density off Zihua is among the highest anywhere in the world. Multi-fish days are routine in season, and double-digit catch counts (5-15 sailfish hooked in a single day) happen regularly.