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One of the popular tourist destinations in Mexico, the Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo is visited by large number of tourists from different parts of the world. The Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo on the Mexican Riviera are two popular resorts blended into one. The Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo is located in the northwestern part of the state of Guerrero about 150 miles up the coast from Acapulco via coastal Highway 200.
Ixtapa and Zihuatenejo are two completely different Mexican beach resort destinations with distinct lifestyles and only 7 kilometers apart from each other. Ixtapa is a modern, world class resort which was born in early 1972 when Fonatur or the National Fund for Tourism Development, which also developed resorts such as Cancún and Huatulco, began designing the master plan. Ixtapa is a 2 mile strip of wide sandy beach called Playa del Palmar, on the open Pacific. This is one of many beaches in and around Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo. There are many restaurants, hotels and shops in the Ixtapa Boulevard.
At one end of Ixtapa is the 18 hole Ixtapa Golf Club. At the other end, the Marina Ixtapa development includes a 600 slip yacht marina, a nautical-ambience promenade with restaurants and shops, and the new 18-hole Marina Golf Course.
Nightlife in Ixtapa is very popular. Plenty of discos, clubs and larger bars can be found here. Zihuatanejo is much quieter with most drinking establishments found in the local restaurants or hotels which close earlier than the lively nightspots in Ixtapa.
Zihuatanejo located down the coast (southeast) from Ixtapa is an old fishing town on a picturesque sheltered bay that is only 1.6 miles wide. You will have a wonderful time in the tranquil and pleasant Zihuatanejo Bay. Until the development of Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo was hardly known even among Mexicans and to the rest of the world. With the development of Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo began to grow and the little dirt streets transformed into decorative brick lanes. Still the town retains its original charm, traditions and congeniality. You can take a casual stroll in the central area (el centro) watching the small restaurants, shops and a delightful brick paved beachfront promenade (paseo del pescador or fisherman's walk).
Toward the end of the rainy season, the countryside and the mountainous backdrop of the Sierra Madre del Sur becomes brilliantly green with multicolored blossoms of trees and flowers.
For dining and drinking there are plenty of restaurants in Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo. Restaurants range from simple beach eateries to deluxe establishments. Regional seafood favorites include tiritas (fish strips), pescadillas (fish tacos), and a la talla (baked in foil). Meals generally cost less in Zihuatanejo than Ixtapa.
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