Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Mexico beaches. Photos and descriptions.

Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Mexico beaches. Photos and descriptions.

Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Mexico beaches; description, photos, location map, how to get there. Madera beach, La ropa beach, Las Gatas, Ixtapa Island, Barra de Potosi. Discover useful information and choose the beach of your dreams! Surfer? Playa Linda or Troncones. Do you like to take the sun on white sand?: go to Isla Ixtapa or Las Gatas beach.

Beaches in Zihuatanejo and in the surrounding areas, are the best attractions in the region, and every year, thousands of tourists come to visit them, enjoying their warm water and golden sand.
Zihuatanejo Bay has four protected and tranquil beaches, ideal to practice water ski, surfing, wind-surfing, sailing and diving, but, above all this, they are excellent to rest and take a sunbath. Nevertheless, to enjoy any beach, implicate certain kind of risks that every tourist has to take in consideration to make of the vacations, a real pleasure and relaxing trip...

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LAS GATAS BEACH

Settled in a small cove, at the south end of the Zihuatanejo bay, is maybe the most distinctive beach in Zihuatanejo. It's name comes from the lots of tiburones gatos (cat shark), inoffensive that used to inhabitedte the crystal clear water of this beach.
How to get there.
There is to ways to get to Las Gats Beach: by water taxi or walking by the path at the end of La Ropa beach.
If you want the fast and easiest way, you can go to the main pier near the downtown area, at the end of the Paseo del Pescador, and buy a round trip ticket that will cost you 30 pesos (around 3-4 dollars). Water taxies are collective, and they begin around 9 a.m. to take the people from the main pier to the pier at Playa Las Gatas. Keep the ticket because you can be asked for it in the way back to town. The last panga to come back is officially at 5 p.m. from Las Gatas.
If you like walking, is not a bad idea to take a bus or a taxi all the way down to La Ropa Beach, then, walk the road toward the south side. Is a kind of rough way, but, if you have time and you are a bit adventurer, you can do this nice walking, that is more used by locals than for tourists.
Once there, you will be offered from the waiters and owners of the restaurants to take a beer or a margarita in their palapas. Prices there are a bit more than in the rest of Zihuatanejo beaches, due to the cost of transportation the people have to pay to take all beverages and vegetables there.
At the end of Las Gatas, you will find Carlo's shop, where you can rent snorkel gear. They also offer diving facilities.

PLAYA LARGA,

is a beautiful, sparsely crowded beach, located between Zihuatanejo and the airport, with several small palapa restaurants, hammocks, and wading pools for children.

In Ixtapa--Ixtapa's main beach, Playa Palmar, is a lovely white-sand arc on the edge of the Hotel Zone, with dramatic rock formations silhouetted in the sea. The surf here can be rough; use caution and don't swim when a red flag is posted. Several of the nicest beaches in the area are essentially closed to the public, as resort developments rope them off exclusively for their guests. Although by law all Mexican beaches are open to the public, it is a common practice for hotels to create artificial barriers (such as rocks or dunes) to preclude entrance to their beaches.

LA ROPA BEACH:

Is told that, when a ship runned aground in that beach, it's cargo of fine silks was pushed to the sand beach, spreading it all over. This large beach is located on the center of the Zihuatanejo bay, where people go to enjoy it's clear and calm water, and the water sports that can be arranged there: parachute rides, water ski, wind-runed

surf and water moto rides.

MUNICIPAL BEACH:

This beach, approximately 900 meters of length, is located in front of downtown center, is very well visited by the people who likes to walk around, see the fishermen coming back from fishing, or just to enjoy the sea near the village. In this beach on "Paseo del Pescador", you will find several restaurants dedicated to serve fresh seafood on the walk side and on the sand , where they also have palapas and lounge chairs.
It is very common to see local people at this area, where there is a basketball court, to watch friendly basketball competitions.
The "Mercado de Conchas" (shells market) is settled here, and the "Teniente Jose Azueta" and "Benito Juarez" Cooperative Offices, that offer facilities to deep sea fishing, diving tours and special trips.

ISLA ENCANTADA:

Isla encantada, is a very interesting warm and small beach in a very little cove at the northern end of Zihuatanejo Bay.
There is a restaurant-Bar managed by the owner, Ing. Miguel Farias, who will offer you a free ride from your hotel to this very interesting project, where you can snorkel in it's real crystal clear waters. In fact this place is still unknown even for lots of local people, being a great alternative to dive, rest, or have your preferable fresh seafood.
Is more than worth to visit it.

PLAYA QUIETA,

on the mainland across from Isla Ixtapa, has been largely claimed by Club Med and Qualton Club. The remaining piece of beach was once the launching point for boats to the Isla Ixtapa, but it is gradually being taken over by a private development. Isla Ixtapa-bound boats now leave from the jetty on Playa Linda, about eight miles north of Ixtapa. Inexpensive water taxis here ferry passengers to Isla Ixtapa. Playa Linda is the primary out-of-town beach, with water-sports equipment and horse rentals available. Playa las Cuatas, a pretty beach and cove a few miles north of Ixtapa, and Playa Majahua, an isolated beach just west of Zihuatanejo, are both being transformed into resort complexes. Lovely Playa Vista Hermosa is framed by striking rock formations and bordered by the Westin Brisas Hotel high on the hill. All of these are very attractive beaches for sunbathing or a stroll, but have heavy surf and strong undertow. Use caution if swimming here.