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.
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.
For Krystal Ixtapa guests, Troncones is a 35-45 minute drive north on Federal Highway 200. It’s a half-day or full-day trip — and a worthwhile overnight if you want a totally different version of the Costa Grande for one or two nights of your stay.
What to skip
Trying to drive Troncones-to-Ixtapa after dark on Highway 200. The road is unlit in stretches and has occasional cattle, debris, or stopped vehicles. Daylight only for self-drivers.
Booking a Troncones day trip during a major hurricane warning. The break can become genuinely dangerous, and rip currents along the entire 4-km beach intensify. Local surf schools will close on bad-weather days; respect the closure.
The overnight version is the materially better trip
A Troncones day trip is fine — drive up, surf lesson, lunch, drive back. But Troncones at night, when the day-trippers have left and the beach hotels are running, is a genuinely different town. Sunset dinner at the Inn at Manzanillo Bay or Tropic of Cancer. Stars unobstructed by any city light. Dawn surf when the waves are at their calmest. Beachfront breakfast. If you have one or two flex nights in your trip, Troncones is the smartest place to spend them. $80-300 per night, no big-resort infrastructure, total contrast to a week at Krystal Ixtapa.
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Stay closest at Krystal Ixtapa
Krystal Ixtapa is the closest Vacation Club Promo property for this excursion. Promotional packages from $435 for 5–7 nights. Resort concierge handles tour booking and pickup directly from the lobby.
View Krystal IxtapaThe resort is 35-45 minutes south of Troncones on Federal Highway 200 — easy day-trip access, easy overnight return.
