zihuatanejo
Guerrero. Mexico.
Inspiration
“You know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific? They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory.” – Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption
Maybe you have seen the movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption”, maybe you have not. For those that have not, there is a scene where one of the characters, Andy Dufresne, is speaking to his friend Red about a village he dreams of living. He talks about escaping prison life and living out his days on the beach in Mexico. He is not dreaming about just any beach in any city in Mexico, he is dreaming about Zihuatanejo.
Why we picked It
When it came time to decide on where to go for our trip at the beginning of 2014, we kept landing on Mexico City. We have both always wanted to go there, so it seemed like the logical place for what would be our first trip alone, just the two of us. The more research we did into it, the more we realized that to do Mexico City the way we really want to, we would need to go for two weeks. Due to time constraints, we just were not able to do more than a week long trip, so we put Mexico City on the back-burner and started looking into another location. We knew we wanted to do Mexico and we knew we did not want to do something super touristy. Jeron is the primary trip researcher/planner, I am the emotional support. I trust his judgement and he has always planned amazing trips, so I never worry too much. The day Jeron told me he knew where we were going to go and I would love it, I was sure I would. He asked, “Do you remember in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ where Andy talks about the beach in Mexico? We’re going there.” To say I was thrilled would be a lie. I had not even heard of Zihuatanejo outside of the movie, and I hadn’t seen the movie in years. To be honest, I didn’t even think it was a real place. So we popped some popcorn, had a movie night and the excitement began.
What We Loved
We will always love Zihuatanejo and plan to go back. When people ask what we love about Zihua or why we would recommend it, we always tell them the same things. If you want beautiful beaches with little crowds, go to Zihua. If you want to get a feel for an authentic Mexican village, go to Zihua. If you want to take a dip in the warm ocean, go to Zihua. If you want the absolute best stuffed baked potato you will ever have in your life, go to Zihua. As I mentioned, we will go back. But this time we won’t stay in Ixtapa, we will stay in El Centro so we can be right in the mix of things. We will VRBO it and really get the Zihua feel. One thing we didn’t know about Ixtapa then and haven’t mentioned, is that it is resort central. Which is amazing if that is what you look for in a vacation. But for us, it was too far away from the place we loved and spent most of our time. We just did not know enough about the area when we planned this trip, but we loved our first solo vacation and had the time of our lives. The suite we had at the ‘Grand’ was one of the best rooms we have ever stayed in. We have nothing but great things to say about the resort, we just want to go back and do it a bit differently. That’s the great thing about traveling, there is no rule that says you can only visit a place once and then you’re done. If you visit somewhere and absolutely love it and feel like you did not get to experience everything that it has to offer, why not go back?
zihuatanejo Travel Tips
Here are a few tips we have picked up along the way that we would have loved to have when we first started out. Some of them are Zihuatanejo specific, others come in handy wherever you go. Some came easy, others we had to learn the hard way. Sometimes when traveling, the adventure starts with the booking.
The airport code for Zihuatanejo is ZIH
Knowing the airport code makes it much easier to search for package deals on travel sites.
book flights and resort together
If you are going to be booking an all-inclusive package, make sure you book flights and resort together. This will save you a ton of money. If you plan on renting a home, we like to use VRBO (Home Away is the App). Most of the time they do not have expensive security deposits and you can talk directly to the owners, which is nice. We tend to prefer this option over staying in a resort, and we have been fortunate enough to rent houses that have very attentive care-takers. Not only do they make the stay comfortable, their knowledge of the area is definitely a good asset to have.
The All-Inclusive Route
If you choose the all-inclusive route, expect to pay about $1,000 per person for a week at a moderately rated resort. That price includes airfare. You will pay about the same if you are going to be renting a home and booking your flights separately. However, when you rent a home you need to account for the cost of food and drink, it is not included in the cost of the rental as it is with the all-inclusive option.
Pre-Order Your Money
Always try order your money through your bank or credit union. The exchange rate is always better and you can familiarize yourself with the money. Also, if you pre-order your money, you don’t have to deal with the long lines for currency exchange at the airport or local banks. We like to use the XE App, it is very user friendly and has all of the conversion rates for currency wherever you travel.
Utilize Public Transportation
Whenever possible, try to utilize public transportation – buses, trains etc. This will save you a fortune and they are very punctual. If you want to take a cab, walk a short distance outside of your resort and flag one down, it shouldn’t take long for one to stop. We have noticed that the fares vary quite a bit when you don’t have the resort call you a cab, or hop into one of the cabs waiting out front. Don’t let the strange looks deter you, just keep walking…
Don't Be Afraid to Tell Venders, "No"
This was something that we struggled with on our first trip to Mexico. But when we got home, we realized that our 4 year old probably could live without the mirrachas that we guilt-purchased on the beach! Along the same lines, you don’t need to give money to everyone that asks for it. Yes, it is hard to say no, but there are other ways to help people that are in need. We like to order a meal to go at restaurants when we are done dining and give it to the homeless. Just one of the ways you can help. This is something you will have to use your own discretion with, just like anywhere you go.
Try to Give Back
Try to give back to the places you visit. Do some online research before traveling and find out what some of the local needs are. For example, we found that a school in Nicaragua was short on school supplies so we loaded our packs with notebooks, stickers, pencils etc. We also donated to the Bali Humane Society, a cause very dear to our hearts. Pay it forward – you are visitors in their home, give back rather than take.
Get out and Explore
All-inclusive resorts are fantastic. We have stayed in some of the most amazing resorts in the most amazing places. But please do yourself a favor and leave the resort at least once and explore the local area! We know of so many people that go to these beautiful and exotic places and never leave the resort. Yes, all-inclusive is designed to cater to your every need and who doesn’t love that? We are in no way bashing them, just suggesting that you get out and explore the area. Eat street food, go to the market, check out the local bars and immerse yourself in the area you are staying. As with anywhere you go, you obviously need to exercise caution, but if you keep a good head on your shoulders, you should not have any problems. This applies more-so to Zihuatanejo than some of the other Mexican cities we have travelled to. This is not Cancun and there is definitely potential for danger if you don’t keep your wits about you. There is a strong Policia presence, but that doesn’t guarantee safety. Don’t go places you don’t feel you should go and if you have a bad feeling about a situation or place, get yourself out quick. Better to be paranoid than unsafe.
MOre zihuatanejo…
About Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo, or Zihua as we call it, used to be a quiet fishing village up until recently, but fishing is still very much the culture of the city. Walking through the town square by the beach, mermaid statues are everywhere.
Public Transportation In Zihuatanejo
A short walk outside of the resort and down the road a bit to the bus stop, dropped the cost of the ride down to under $0.75 per person each way. The bus ride from Zihuatanejo to Playa La Ropa is under $0.50.
About Ixtapa Island
Our room also had a view of the small Ixtapa Island, which is beautiful at sundown. You can catch a small boat over to the island at fixed times during the day and have a meal in one of the restaurants and explore the island. While on the island, I had a lovely...
Azul Ixtapa Grand Resort
We booked an all-inclusive package at the Azul Ixtapa Grand, located on Linda Beach. There are actually two Azul Ixtapa hotels, one is just named ‘Azul Ixtapa’ and then the larger ‘Azul Ixtapa Grand’.
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