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Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo Basics |
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 © istockphoto.com/Alysta |
With the twin ports of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, you get two resorts in one. Ixtapa is a one-time coconut plantation turned into a world-class luxury resort and eco-preserve. Zihuatanejo is a prototypical Mexican fishing village run large. Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are located in the Mexican State of Guerrero, and have a population of about 70,000 inhabitants between them.
The mainstay of the Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo economy is tourism. Ixtapa is a planned community owned by the Mexican Tourism Development Agency FONATUR, while Zihuatanejo is
run by elected public officials. They don't allow building over six stories high in Zihuatanejo.
Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo have a tropical climate, and it's hot and humid year round. The cities enjoy more than 300 days of sun each year, and the average annual temperature is 80° F (27° C). The Dry Season (winter) stretches from mid-October through May, while the Rainy Season (summer) lasts from June to mid-October.
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As you enter tranquil and pleasant Zihuatanejo Bay, you will see the pretty little fishing and tourist village of Zihuatanejo directly ahead of you. Once in the town, you will notice that it has retained its original charm, traditions and congeniality, despite the influx of tourists. The downtown area (el centro) features small restaurants, shops and a very pleasant brick-paved beachfront promenade (paseo del pescador or fisherman's walk).
Your ship will drop anchor in the bay, and you will proceed ashore via ship's tender. The tender will take you to the small pier in Zihuatanejo. The traditional Mexican village of Zihuatanejo is a one minute walk from the Zihuatanejo pier. Transit to the Ixtapa resort, only 5-miles away, takes about 10 minutes.
If you've signed up for an excursion, you will meet your transportation and/or your guide at the Zihuatanejo pier.
The Ixtapa "hotel zone" extends along a 2-mile strip of wide sandy beach called Playa del Palmar that faces the open Pacific. This area is bookmarked by a golf course at one end and a small-craft marina, replete with pleasure boats, on the other.
Don't confuse Ixtapa with Isla Ixtapa; Ixtapa is on the mainland, while Isla Ixtapa is an island a short distance to the north of Ixtapa itself. It's worth a visit. |
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 © istockphoto.com/designheidi |
The villages of Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo are on Central Time, six hours later than Greenwich Mean Time during standard time, or five hours during daylight savings time. Daylight savings time begins on the first Sunday of April, and ends on the last Sunday of October. |
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Spanish is universally spoken in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo; most of the shopkeepers catering to tourists also speak English.
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Currency
The Peso is Mexico's official currency, and uses the "$" sign to denote the peso amount. The exchange rate is currently around
12.75 Pesos per US dollar. Just be aware: larger notes (e.g., $500 Peso notes) are often difficult to change.
Banks and ATMs
Banks with ATM machines are found throughout Ixtapa's hotels and in the village of Zihuatanejo, near where your ship's tender will dock. ATM machines in the two cities can be found at the following locations:
- HSBC Mexico: Lote 21 Marina Ixtapa, in Ixtapa.
- Citibank: Ave. Ejido at Vicente Guerrero, in Zihuatanejo.
- Banco Nacional de Mexico: At the Hotel Regis Ixtapa, in Zihuatanejo.
Using US Dollars in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo
As US dollars are widely accepted in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, you don't have to change your dollars into pesos. If you're using dollars alone, make sure to bring smaller denominations to pay for incidentals and taxi rides.
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 © istockphoto.com/Tyrannosaur |
| Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo weather is almost always sunny, hot and humid. There are two seasons in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: winter, or the Dry Season, lasting from November through April, and summer, or the Rainy Season, which lasts from May through October.
In the dry season, expect daily highs in the high-80s F, with moderate humidity. In the rainy season, expect highs in the low-90s F and humidity that really gets to you; it'll rain up to 4 times per week (but in quick afternoon or evening bursts). The cities of Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo get around 110 inches of rain each year; most of it falls from June through October. They also enjoy more than 300 days of sun each year.
In the winter months, the average sea surface temperature is in the low-70s F (about 22° C); it rises to the low-80s F in the summer months. In the rainy season, the average sea surface temperature ranges between 82° to 84° F (27° to 28° C).
August through October is the hurricane season. |
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo Average Temperatures |
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Jan |
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Feb |
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Mar |
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Apr |
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May |
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Jun |
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Jul |
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Aug |
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Sep |
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Oct |
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Nov |
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Dec |
| Avg High - F |
87 |
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87 |
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87 |
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89 |
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89 |
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91 |
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91 |
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91 |
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89 |
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89 |
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89 |
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87 |
| Avg High - C |
31 |
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31 |
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31 |
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32 |
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32 |
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33 |
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33 |
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33 |
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32 |
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32 |
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32 |
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31 |
| Avg Low - F |
68 |
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68 |
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71 |
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73 |
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75 |
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77 |
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77 |
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77 |
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75 |
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75 |
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73 |
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69 |
| Avg Low - C |
20 |
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20 |
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22 |
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23 |
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24 |
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25 |
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25 |
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25 |
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24 |
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24 |
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23 |
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21 |
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 © istockphoto.com/YinYang |
Internet Cafes
There are many Cyber Cafes in downtown Zihuatanejo and in the Ixtapa area. Rates are fairly reasonable, ranging from $15 to $75 pesos/hour. The following is only a partial list.
- Zihuatanejo Bar-Net, Below the Hotel Zihuatanejo Centro on Agustin Ramirez #9, Zihuatanejo. Drinks & snacks available. Open daily till 11:00 pm.
- Xtapa Conexxion, at Centro Commercial Ixtapa plaza #15 Ixtapa. Best internet connection in Ixtapa; coffee and drinks, nice music. $75 pesos/hour.
- Bad Bird Internet Cafe, Above Playa La Madera across from Bungalows Ley and Hotel Brisas del Mar, Zihuatanejo. Coffee and snacks served.
- Cyber Internet Cafe, Plaza Los Patios #105, Ixtapa.
Finding US Newspapers
US newspapers are tough to come by in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, even at the larger hotels catering to tourists from the US. The News, an English language newspaper from Mexico City, is available from some shops. |
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 © istockphoto.com/adamdodd |
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Local Holidays & Festivals |
The following local festivals, holidays and events are scheduled to take place in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo in 2010: |
- Ano Nuevo (New Year's Day), January 1. National holiday celebrated with dances and fiestas.
- Dia de los Santos Reyes (Day of the Three Kings), January 6. A national holiday when children receive their Christmas gifts as well as shoes full of candy.
- Dia de la Constitucion (Constitution Day), February 1. Public holiday commemorating the signing of the Mexican Constitution of 1917. The day is marked by festivals and a government-sponsored parade.
- Carnaval, February 11 to 16. Several cities in Mexico make a big deal out of the Carnival season; in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, it's not as big as as in Mazatlan, but they still have fun.
- Semana Santa (Easter Week), March 31 to April 4. The week before Easter is the busiest week of the year. The city provides free concerts, theater performances and fiestas.
- Birthday of Benito Juarez, March 15. A public holiday celebrating the birthday of Benito Juarez, who rose from humble origins to occupy the Presidency of the Republic in the second half of the 19th century.
- Primero de Mayo (Labor Day), May 1. A national holiday.
- Cinco de Mayo, May 5. A national Mexican holiday that commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when the Mexican army defeated a French force twice its size just south of Mexico City.
- Independence Day, September 16. A celebratory parade through town commences at 9:00 am. Look for the delivery of the "El Grito de Dolores," the offical grunt that marks the day.
- Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day), October 12. Dia de la Raza is how Mexico celebrates Columbus Day.
- Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), November 1 to 2. Celebrants build private altars to honor the deceased, using sugar skulls, flowers and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed.
- Revolution Day, November 22. A national holiday celebrating the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
- Fiesta de la Inmaculada (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), December 8. Marks the beginning of the Christmas celebration season.
- Dia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe), December 12. Commemorates the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. It's a festive occasion.
- Navidad (Christmas Day), December 25. A public and religious holiday celebrating the birth of Christ.
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 © istockphoto.com/Windzepher |
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