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Destination: Spring Break Grows Up
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A resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Ixtapa has everything needed for a fun week (and we don't mean tequila slammers)
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BY MARIBETH MELLIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAYMOND PATRICK
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Chatting on Playa el Palmar; the beach at Las Brisas Ixtapa; Capella Ixtapa's Las Rocas restaurant.
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It’s easy to see how Ixtapa became a stellar Mexican beach resort with a world-class marina and two 18-hole golf courses. Simply turn your back on the cappuccino-colored sands and gaze at the gorgeous setting: endless coconut palms and the forested Sierra Madre del Sur as a backdrop. No wonder that back in the 1970s, Mexico’s tourism developers envisioned a modern beach resort here amid the coconut plantations. Pairing it with an adjacent fishing town, they created a two-tiered destination called Ixtapa–Zihuatanejo (pronounced eeks-TAH-pah see-wah-tah-NEH-ho).
Zihuatanejo gained fame in 1994 when Tim Robbins whispered its name in the film The Shawshank Redemption. Ixtapa, however, remains something of a secret—even though it’s now a major resort town. It still feels hidden, natural and down-home Mexican.
Ixtapa’s hotels and timeshare resorts line the two-mile-long Playa el Palmar, but they’re not crammed together. Sportswear boutiques, cafés and restaurants are clustered in small malls, and vendors sell all kinds of silver jewelry, hand-painted pottery and serapes from their stalls in a mercado de artesanías near the hotels. You can walk to nearly everything or bike along several trails. The five-mile paved path from Playa el Palmar takes you past golf fairways to the marina and on to Parque Aztlán, a shaded nature reserve that’s home to butterflies, migrating birds and a few crocodiles.
While Ixtapa has all the benefits of its flashier counterparts, it doesn’t have the crowds, traffic or noise. Here, spring break—a frenzied time at larger beach resorts—is devoted to sun, fun and simple pleasures. Sure, there’s a water park for kids, a Señor Frog’s for the party set and a zipline for added thrills. A handful of discos offer lively nightlife; check out the Christine Club at the Krystal Ixtapa. But there’s no need to rush about in a frenzy, race to the pool at dawn to claim a lounge chair or stand in line for a tour bus. Instead you can approach spring break like a pampered adult. Sleep late, take your time finding a secluded spot on the beach and flag down a waiter bearing piña coladas (virgin or spiked) in coconut shells. And when wanderlust strikes, take part in one of these low-key activities to add to your fun.
ISLAND ESCAPE
Humpback whales and manta rays swim off the shores of Isla Ixtapa, a 10-minute boat ride from mainland Ixtapa’s Playa Linda. Along the path that leads to the ferry pier, fishermen clean octopuses and oysters, and artisans display handcrafted galleons modeled on the Spanish merchant ships that sailed to Mexico in the 1500s.
Simple lanchas, some with shade coverings, ferry beachgoers to the small island, whose only full-time inhabitants are rabbits and deer. Workers arrive and depart by boat as well, setting up shop each morning in palapas on the sand. The lanchas stop at Cuachalalate and Varadero beaches, where vendors offer rental kayaks, cold limonada and seashell necklaces and the water is calm and clear—perfect for swimming or floating on an inflated raft. Red and blue awnings delineate various seafood spots, all serving ceviche (with a thick cocktail sauce) and tiritas, thin strips of lime-marinated sea bass, snapper or other white fish. Of course, there’s always super-fresh guacamole with tortilla chips, as well as juicy pineapples stuffed with shrimp and cheese. Playa Coral, reached by a 10-minute walk to the island’s windward side, is the best spot for snorkeling; here angelfish swarm around the coral fingers.
WATER PARK FOR ADULTS
Powerful jets and pounding waterfalls are just part of the thalassotherapy experience at Loma del Mar, a resort beside the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.–designed Palma Real Golf Course. Said to soothe ailments with seawater and marine minerals, thalassotherapy is popular in France but lesser known in North America. Take a walk on the reflexology path, whose pebbles are thought to relieve tension. Or sit in a chair built into the saltwater pool and let the jets and bubbles massage your neck. The treatment also involves soaking in a saltwater hot tub and then experiencing the sauna, steam and cold showers. Finally, you can rub crushed ice over your body, which is said to improve circulation. Nonguests can come for the treatment or indulge in the spa’s massages, facials and wraps, then spend the day lounging around the hotel’s main pool, which is also outfitted with jets and faucets. Calle Fragatas Lote F-17; 866-496-1082; lomadelmar.com; sessions start at $45* for 30 minutes
SPA SENSATIONS
Treatments at El Capricho Spa in the elegant Capella Ixtapa are more mainstream but far from ordinary. First there’s the resort’s gorgeous setting, on a rugged hillside so steep that guests ride a funicular from their suites to the pool. Windows in the spa’s treatment rooms offer amazing views of the sea, though it’s hard to keep your eyes open during a serenity massage or mango wrap. You don’t have to be a guest of the resort to use the spa, but most visitors tend to hang around, taking a dip in the cliff-side pool and enjoying a snifter of Clase Azul tequila and perhaps some jicama-wrapped tempura shrimp tacos at the Terrace Bar. capellahotels.com; massages start at $130 for 50 minutes
On Playa el Palmar, Emporio Ixtapa’s serene Oriental Spa offers shiatsu, Thai and Ayurvedic massages, plus facials and wraps. Treatments start at $52 for 50 minutes. emporiohotels.com
IN THE COUNTRY
Ixtapa’s beaches and resorts are great fun, but exploring the countryside along Highway 200, the coastal route that runs south to Guatemala, is worth a trip. Tour companies lead daylong expeditions, taking in rural villages, a scenic lagoon, a religious pilgrimage site and a recently excavated archeological site, and there’s ample time for a lunch of grilled fish and chilled cervezas on the sand.
After you drive south past busy Zihuatanejo, the landscape opens up. Wild green mountains tower above fields of sesame and palm plantations. Side roads lead to rural villages seemingly untouched by modern advances—save for the satellite dishes atop green and yellow houses. In some communities, families use clay to form artisanal roof and floor tiles that are then baked over coconut-husk fires. Uniformed children walk to cinderblock schools while ladies gather under a bridge to wash laundry in the river. All along the way, people wave at cars passing by, as if visitors were exotic curiosities.
About 50 minutes south of Ixtapa, a small sign points the way to La Soledad de Maciel. Since 2007, archeologists have been excavating the site, which is believed to have been inhabited for thousands of years. Though it was discovered by farmers in the 1930s, the work has progressed slowly. But so far the remains of an enormous ball court have been uncovered, as well as a pyramid base, petroglyphs and artifacts from a number of pre-Columbian civilizations. The working site and a small museum, two miles west off Highway 200, opened to the public in 2011.
A few miles south on Highway 200 is the town of Petatlán, the commercial center for ranchers and farmers from the mountains and coast. At the simple Santuario de Padre Jesús de Petatlán by the main square, a 17th-century statue of Jesus bearing a cross is said to have performed countless miracles for believers. The town swells during Semana Santa (the week before Easter) as some 30,000 pilgrims arrive to commemorate Christ’s passion. A market beside the church serves townsfolk and ranchers, while tourists head for the row of small stands and shops facing the church where vendors sell gold jewelry at below-market prices.
On the drive back north, stop for a lunch of pescado a la talla (grilled fish with chile-mayonnaise glaze) at Barra de Potosí, a fishing village on the banks of four-mile-long Laguna Potosí. Seafood stands and blue-and-white pangas await tourists along the lagoon’s shoreline, and surfers ride the mighty waves just to the north at Playa Larga. Tour companies: Transportacion Turistica Rivera, 22 Plaza Ixpamar Local, pacorivera22@hotmail.com, 52-755-557-0482; Ixtapa Holidays, 800-784-5409, ixtapa-holidays.com. Day trips from $65 per person
ON THE TOWN
It may be laid-back and casual, but Ixtapa’s no slouch when it comes to restaurants. Torches flicker around the patios at Villa de la Selva, a bananas-flambé kind of place where locals come to celebrate birthdays. On an adjacent hill, La Pampa serves Argentinean steaks with chimichurri sauce.
Plaza Marina Ixtapa is home to several great spots. Beccofino specializes in Mediterranean fare, and its bar attracts expat yachties. Fisher’s offers inexpensive lobster tacos. The second-story Che Mangiamo has reasonably priced wood-oven pizzas. Amiable waiters and live or DJ’d music keep the scene going long after most places have shut down. Right next door, El Fogoncito feeds the late-night crowd tacos al pastor—pork roasted with pineapple. The café’s other claim to fame is its gringas, flour-tortilla tacos stuffed with meat and cheese. What better way to celebrate Spring Break in true Mexican style?
EAT
BECCOFINO
Seafood served in a nautical setting with an overwater deck. Plaza Marina Ixtapa; 52-755-553-1770; dinner for two, $60
CHE MANGIAMO
Pizzas, pastas and steak at a spot overlooking the marina. Plaza Marina Ixtapa; 52-755-114-0362; dinner for two, $35
FISHER'S
Sublime seafood at low prices in a coffee-shop setting by the marina. Plaza Marina Ixtapa; 52-755-553-0420; dinner for two, $35
EL FOGONCITO
Tacos to die for, plus huge parilladas (grilled-meat platters). Plaza Marina Ixtapa; 52-755-553-3228; dinner for two, $15
LA PAMPA
Empanadas with an ocean view. Fragatas Lote F17, Sec. Hotelera II; 52-755-555-0460; dinner for two, $100
RESTAURANT-BAR IXTAPA
Ceviche and fresh chips with guacamole on an Isla Ixtapa beach. Playa Cuachalalate, Isla Ixtapa; no phone; lunch for two, $10
SEÑOR FROG'S
Decent BBQ ribs, dancing and lots of tequila. La Puerta Mall, Paseo de Ixtapa; 52-755-553-2282; dinner for two, $40
VILLA DE LA SELVA
Excellent shrimp in tamarind sauce, apricot-glazed salmon and snapper with hollandaise. Paseo de la Roca; 52-755-553-0262; dinner for two, $90
*Prices have been converted to U.S. dollars, and do not include drinks, tax or tip.
STAY
RCI affiliated resorts in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo include:
PARK ROYAL IXTAPA A116
Near the beach, restaurants and entertainment. Lote 5-A Blvd. Ixtapa, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo
Member Review:
“This resort is fantastic. The staff is always friendly and very helpful. The food is excellent.”
PACÍFICA CLUB 0965
Enjoy fishing, waterskiing and sailing on Ixtapa Bay. Paseo de la Colina, Colonia Vista Hermosa, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo
Member Reviews:
“The beach, the food, the staff are all just incredible.”
“Spectacular location.”
PACÍFICA SANDS 2454
The three Pacífica resorts host Latin, Mexican and casino-inspired theme nights. Paseo de la Colina, Colonia Vista Hermosa, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo
Member Reviews:
“The resort is within walking distance of town and has a fantastic beach.”
“The location is superb, with amazing sunsets!”
PACÍFICA GOLF 1734
Authentic Mexican cuisine in the resort’s restaurant, El Faro. Paseo de la Colina, Colonia Vista Hermosa, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo
Member Review:
“The staff went out of its way to really make us feel welcome.”
RAINTREE'S VILLA VERA PUERTO MÍO ZIHUATANEJO 6333
Boutique hotel with sweeping views and lush gardens. 5 Paseo del Morro, Playa del Almacén, Zihuatanejo
Member Review:
“Attentive staff, great view of the bay, clean, quiet, easy access to town.”
For complete member reviews (as member reviews have been condensed) and additional resort listings, visit RCI.com or call 800-338-7777 (Weeks) or 877-968-7476 (Points). Club Members, please call your specific Club or RCI telephone number.
Non-RCI affiliated resorts:
LAS BRISAS IXTAPA
The 416 bright rooms and suites open to hammocks swinging on sea-view terraces. Perfect beach, plus four pools. Playa Vista Hermosa; 866-221-2961; brisashotelonline.com; doubles from $205 per night
CAPELLA IXTAPA RESORT & SPA
The 59 suites are set on a steep hillside; each has a terrace with an infinity plunge pool. The restaurants are excellent, the spa sublime. Paseo Playa Linda; 877-296-8889; capellahotels.com; doubles from $275 per night
LA VILLA ZIHUATANEJO
There are just seven rooms at this intimate, adobe-walled property overlooking Zihuatanejo Bay. Blvd. Playa La Ropa; 408-997-2214; lavillazihuatanejo.com; doubles from $185 per night
PRESIDENTE INTERCONTINENTAL IXTAPA RESORT
An all-inclusive plan makes this 420-room property on Playa el Palmar a good choice. Blvd. Ixtapa; 877-834-3613; ichotelsgroup.com; doubles from $224 per night, all-inclusive
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: Spring 2012
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