Things to Do in Zihuatanejo: Center, Malecón, Beaches and Day Trips

How Zihuatanejo is laid out

Zihuatanejo sits on a bay in the state of Guerrero, with its colonial center set a couple of blocks back from the water on orange-paved walkways. That center is small enough to cross in minutes, which makes it the natural starting point before you commit to a beach. A Zihuatanejo map helps here, because the town bends around the bay and the malecón, the center and the beaches sit in three different directions.

Next door is Ixtapa, a separate resort area with its own beaches, connected to Zihuatanejo by a road with paved bike lanes. Treat them as two places with different jobs: Zihuatanejo for walking, markets and the malecón, and Ixtapa for Playa Linda, which travelers pair with crocodiles and surfing, and for the municipal dock where boats leave for Isla Ixtapa.

The bayside beaches sit along the water near the center. Playa Principal is the town's own beach, Playa La Madera is another beach close in, and Playa La Ropa lies farther out along the malecón. Zihuatanejo downtown is where the streets, markets and evening activity cluster, so plan your errands and meals there rather than at the beach.

Walk the colonial center: markets, commerce and artisan stalls

Give the center a few hours. The compact colonial quarter is full of small businesses, and the two markets do most of the work: the main Mercado for food and everyday shopping, and the artisan market for souvenirs, blouses and jewelry.

The center is also where you cool off between errands. Cafés and restaurants sit a couple of blocks from the beach, and the quarter picks up again in the evening. Pair the markets with a short loop of the streets, then head for the water.

Skip the assumption that a museum will fill an afternoon. An archaeological museum was reported under construction in 2024, so do not build a day around it without checking locally first.

Eat at the main Mercado: quesadillas, tacos and ceviche

The main Mercado is the practical lunch stop. Quesadillas, tacos and ceviche are the affordable local options, far cheaper than a sit-down meal on the bay.

Go early in the afternoon rather than late. Market stalls wind down as the day goes on, and a mid-afternoon visit leaves you time to walk the center afterward. If you want a proper table with a view instead, save that for the malecón end of the day and browse the best restaurants in Zihuatanejo for the sit-down meal.

Ceviche is the dish to order at the Mercado, listed among the town's affordable local foods. For a fuller picture of eating and dining in town, see the Zihuatanejo fishing and seafood guide.

Walk the malecón toward Playa La Ropa and the Parthenon

The malecón is the town's best free activity. The path runs along the bay with sculptures, tidepools and views across the water, and it continues all the way out to Playa La Ropa and the Parthenon.

Beachfront restaurants line the route, so you can break the walk for a drink or a snack and keep going. Wear shoes you can take off for the tidepools. Do the walk in the morning or late afternoon when the light is lower and the path is cooler.

At the far end, Playa La Ropa is the wide bay beach for swimming and lingering. It is the natural finish to a malecón morning, and the walk back into town is short enough that you do not need a taxi.

Zihuatanejo is much lesser known than Acapulco but has become a strong draw for tourists in recent decades. The center-and-malecón combination is the reason to base a shorter stop here rather than spreading out; the same comparison logic shapes the things to do in Acapulco.

Take a boat to Playa Las Gatas

Playa Las Gatas is the classic half-day excursion: a secluded beach across the water that you reach by boat rather than on foot. In 2025, one traveler reported paying 100 pesos, about 5 US dollars, for the crossing. Treat that as a 2025 figure and confirm the current fare at the dock before you board.

Because access is by water only, the boat is not optional, and your timing depends on when boats are running back. Ask about the return trip when you buy your ticket. Pair the crossing with a morning in the center so you are not paying for two boat rides in one day.

Rent a bike on the paved lanes between Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa

Dozens of kilometers of paved bike lanes connect Zihuatanejo with Ixtapa, which makes cycling one of the most efficient ways to see the coastline between the two towns. The route passes hills and viewpoints above the water, so it is a ride rather than a flat cruise.

A local bike shop in town is the place to arrange a day rental. Go in the morning before the heat builds, carry water, and plan your turnaround at a beach or at the Ixtapa end so you are not racing back in the dark.

Catch evening programming at the beach amphitheater

On most weekend evenings, the amphitheater on the beach hosts some kind of cultural programming or local concert. In 2025, that included a high school dance competition, which is a genuinely local way to spend an evening rather than a show staged for visitors.

No fixed season calendar is published, so ask at your lodging or check locally on the day. Build the amphitheater into a Saturday evening after dinner in the center, and treat it as a bonus rather than the anchor of your trip.

Spend a few hours on Playa Principal, Playa Madera or Playa Ropa

The town beaches are places to walk and swim, not a ranking. Playa Principal is the municipal beach in town, Playa La Madera is another in-town beach, and Playa La Ropa is the long bay beach at the end of the malecón.

Because these beaches sit close to the center, you can sample one in the morning and another in the afternoon without a car. If you are already staying downtown, they are easy add-ons to a walking day, and you can plot them on the same Zihuatanejo map you used for the center.

Kayaks are available on Playa Ropa if you want time on the water rather than in it. Ask at the beach about current rental terms rather than assuming a price, and check the water conditions with whoever rents you the boat.

Day trip: the surf towns of Troncones and La Saladita

Troncones and La Saladita are the two surf towns with the most infrastructure near Zihuatanejo. They sit along the Guerrero coastline toward Michoacán, and there are quieter beaches between them for travelers willing to explore.

Give either one a full day rather than a half. The appeal is the pace and the water, so a rushed visit defeats the point. Arrange your transport in advance, since this is not a walkable extension of town.

Day trip: Isla Ixtapa and the boat from the municipal dock

Boats to Isla Ixtapa leave from the municipal dock, and you hire one there rather than booking far ahead. The trip gives you views back across the Ixtapa Zihuatanejo area as well as time on the island.

Treat it as a half-day and confirm the return time with your boatman before you set off. Because you are hiring at the dock, prices are negotiated on the spot; ask what the fare covers before you agree.

Day trip: Playa Linda in Ixtapa for surf or crocodiles

Playa Linda, on the Ixtapa side, is known for both surfing and crocodiles. A crocodile sanctuary there is one of the area's draws for travelers who want something beyond the beach.

Decide which of the two you actually want, because they pull in opposite directions. Surfers should go for the waves; everyone else can make the sanctuary the reason for the trip.

Day trip: Petatlán and its ruins

Petatlán is the out-of-town day trip, a town travelers list alongside a visit to its ruins. It works as a few-hour excursion rather than a full day, which makes it a good fit for a morning when the beach is not the plan.

Sort out transport before you go, since Petatlán is outside the walkable center and the ruins are not in town. Ask locally about access and hours rather than assuming a fixed schedule.

Getting to Zihuatanejo: flights versus the overnight bus

Flights are the simpler option. Zihuatanejo has an accessible airport, and the town is a short flight from major Mexican cities including Guadalajara and Mexico City.

The bus is cheaper but slower: an overnight bus from Guadalajara or CDMX works if you are comfortable with public transit and speak Spanish. If neither applies, book the flight and spend the saved hours on the malecón.

How much time Zihuatanejo needs and how to order your day

One well-ordered day covers the town itself. Start with the colonial center and the main Mercado for lunch, walk the malecón out to Playa La Ropa and the Parthenon in the afternoon, and finish with dinner in the center or an evening at the amphitheater.

Add a second day for a boat trip, whether to Playa Las Gatas or Isla Ixtapa, and a third if you want Troncones, La Saladita or Petatlán. Keep the bike rental on a separate morning, since the ride toward Ixtapa takes real time and energy.

If you are weighing Pacific beach towns for a longer trip, the same logic applies elsewhere on the coast, including the things to do in Cabo San Lucas. Zihuatanejo's advantage is that the center, the malecón and the beaches sit within walking distance of one another.

Build your Zihuatanejo day around the malecón

Order the trip around the water. Markets and Mercado food in the morning, the malecón walk to Playa La Ropa in the afternoon, and a boat to Playa Las Gatas or Isla Ixtapa on a second day covers the town without a car.

Leave the bike ride and the surf towns for when you have extra time, and ask at the dock about current boat fares before you commit a day to them.