Ixtapa was beautiful, but HOT! We definitely went during the wrong time of the year (June). May - July is the rainy season in Ixtapa, which doesn't necessarily mean rain but lots of heat and high humidity. A big plus to going during the rainy…Read More

Ixtapa was beautiful, but HOT! We definitely went during the wrong time of the year (June). May - July is the rainy season in Ixtapa, which doesn't necessarily mean rain but lots of heat and high humidity. A big plus to going during the rainy season is that no one else is there! No fighting for a beach chair or restaurant reservations! The markets were empty so we were able to get some good deals when shopping. So as long as you don't mind heat, June in Ixtapa was a very peaceful experience.

Because of the heat, we split up our days into two parts. One part was spent in the pool, at the pool bar, and the other was spent doing an activity. These included shopping in Zihuatenejo, horseback riding, visiting the local markets, and trying out all of the local restaurants.

All in all, we found the people of Ixtapa very friendly and helpful. We never felt unsafe (even in the poor sections of Zihuatenejo). One phrase we learned quickly was "no, gracias" because everywhere we went we were hounded by timeshare salespeople, taxi drivers, vendors, charter fishermen, etc.

The greatest thing we got from this trip was experiencing another culture. In the US we take for granted everything that is made available to us. Even though Ixtapa is geared towards foreigners, our time in Zihuatenejo was a real eye-opener as to how the rest of the world lives.

Among the many activities that are hawked on the beach is horseback riding. We were approached by several local people and ended up taking a package deal from a young man whom we got to know fairly well. He was college-educated and home working for…Read More

Among the many activities that are hawked on the beach is horseback riding. We were approached by several local people and ended up taking a package deal from a young man whom we got to know fairly well. He was college-educated and home working for extra cash during the summer months. His retired doctor-uncle owned the horse ranch. He picked up us early one morning and drove us to his uncle's place in Playa Linda. His ranch is on the beach and has several horses. We were all matched up to the appropriately sized horse and off we went for a few hours of fun on horseback! This is something I have always wanted to do and I was not disappointed. This was worth the trip to Ixtapa! To ride a horse along the Pacific Ocean with the waves crashing up around your feet and the spray hitting your face was indescribable! And we all felt the same way. We went down the beach quite a ways and then into the "jungle" where it was cooler. We came out on the beach again and then continued back along the beach to the ranch. After we got back, we all enjoyed cold drinks under the canopies. Our guide even took us back into town and asked where we would like to go from there. Of course, we were hungry so he took us to Carlos & Charlies where we enjoyed a great lunch before setting out on our next adventure! The cost per person was US$30.Close

This is a picture from my room at the Krystal Hotel in Ixtapa Mexico. Spent 3 nights there...very nice hotel right on the Beach. If you stay at this hotel try to get a room as high up as you can for very good views.…Read More

This is a picture from my room at the Krystal Hotel in Ixtapa Mexico. Spent 3 nights there...very nice hotel right on the Beach. If you stay at this hotel try to get a room as high up as you can for very good views.Close

AT ZIHUATANEJO`S TOWN BEACH,PLAYA MUNICIPAL,THE FISHERMEN PULL UP THEIR COLORFUL BOATS ONTO THE SAND.SMALL SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS LINE THE WATERFRONT.PLAYA MADERA,JUST EAST OF PLAYA MUNICIPAL,HAS MANY ATTRACTIVE BUDGET HOTELS. ZIHUATANEJO`S LARGEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH,PLAYA LA ROPA IS A LONG SWEEP OF SAND WITH A…Read More

AT ZIHUATANEJO`S TOWN BEACH,PLAYA MUNICIPAL,THE FISHERMEN PULL UP THEIR COLORFUL BOATS ONTO THE SAND.SMALL SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS LINE THE WATERFRONT.PLAYA MADERA,JUST EAST OF PLAYA MUNICIPAL,HAS MANY ATTRACTIVE BUDGET HOTELS. ZIHUATANEJO`S LARGEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH,PLAYA LA ROPA IS A LONG SWEEP OF SAND WITH A GREAT VIEW OF THE SUNSET.Close

LIKE OTHER RESORTS IN MEXICO, ZIHUATANEJO HAS ITS T-SHIRT AND SOUVENIR SHOPS,THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE SHOP,WHEN THE CRUISE SHIPS COME IN TO THE BAY.THE MUNICIPAL MARKET ABOUT 5 BLOCKS INLAND FROM THE WATERFRONT IS ALSO GOOD.THE MARKET AREA SPRAWLS OVER SEVERAL…Read More

LIKE OTHER RESORTS IN MEXICO, ZIHUATANEJO HAS ITS T-SHIRT AND SOUVENIR SHOPS,THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE SHOP,WHEN THE CRUISE SHIPS COME IN TO THE BAY.THE MUNICIPAL MARKET ABOUT 5 BLOCKS INLAND FROM THE WATERFRONT IS ALSO GOOD.THE MARKET AREA SPRAWLS OVER SEVERAL BLOCKS AND IS WELL WORTH A VISIT.Close

The heart of Zihuatanejo is the waterfront walkway called the malecón. This tree-lined pedestrian walkway goes along the municipal beach between the archaeological museum and the fishing pier. Zihuatanejo has many restaurants offering seafood and many other dishes, as well as a variety of…Read More

The heart of Zihuatanejo is the waterfront walkway called the malecón. This tree-lined pedestrian walkway goes along the municipal beach between the archaeological museum and the fishing pier. Zihuatanejo has many restaurants offering seafood and many other dishes, as well as a variety of stores selling arts and crafts and souvenirs, and a small shell market. We were on the Cruise Ship Radiance of the Seas, we spent the day in this beautiful place.Close

These beaches are the prettiest we've seen in Mexico and very clean. The hotel/condos/restaurants maintain their waterfront sand. The water is soooo warm and conducive to just doing nothing or being as active as you can be in the warm sun. …Read More

These beaches are the prettiest we've seen in Mexico and very clean. The hotel/condos/restaurants maintain their waterfront sand. The water is soooo warm and conducive to just doing nothing or being as active as you can be in the warm sun.

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