Despite – or perhaps because of -the rocky start to the trip (drama in the form of disgrunted hijackers at the Mexico City airport led to flight delays) landing in Ixtapa- Zihiuatanejo was especially welcoming. It’s only a 50 minute flight from Benito Juarez International Airport and yet worlds away from the hustle and bustle of that major international hub
After checking in to El Dorado Pacifico, I had dinner at the gorgeous Las Brisas Ixtapa just up the road. The sweeping ocean views are the perfect cure for wathever ails you, but should you need that extra push, order yourself a corona or one of Las Brisas specialty margaritas. I poured a cold one, parked myself on one of the comfy sofas overlooking the ocean and switched my internal clock over to Mexico time.
This morning, we headed to Zihuatenejo’s famous Las Gatos beach, reachable only by a small fishing boat called a “panga.” Tickets are about $35 pesos each way and take about 10 minutes from pier to pier.
Zih-what? as it’s been dubbed by the locals is the quieter, sleepier, more authentico sister to Ixtapa’s government-built, tourist-driven hotels and shops. Today, the beach was almost empty when we arrived, with a few snorkelers and families arriving right around lunch time.
But don’t be fooled – the pace may be slower and the comida more traditional, but the prices prove that toursits have already discovered this hideaway. At $90 USD for lunch for five adults (without drinks!), the locals here have clearly realized that they are on to something good.
~Vanessa Torres, reporting live from Ixtapa
