Once a coconut plantation, Ixtapa is a refined beach resort with high-rise hotels, shopping centers, restaurants catering to tourists and a pulsing nightlife. Like the other side of a coin, Zihuatanejo retains much of the laid-back, Mexican charm of a sleepy fishing village, with its winding streets, market, boutique hotels, galleries, folk art shops, traditional town plaza and palapa-style seafood restaurants serving up the daily catch.
Many travelers declare Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo to be the best sports fishing destination in Mexico. Pacific sailfish, yellow fin tuna, mahi mahi and dorado are caught during most of the year, with black and blue marlin popular in the spring. You can also conquer the sea with a wide selection of watersports. Snorkel in Playa Las Gatas, the site of a coral reef with an underwater man-made barrier that, according to legend, was ordered by an ancient king to be created for a natural swimming pool.
Ixtapa appeals to those seeking adventure and outdoor recreation, like a tour to Isla Ixtapa, where seafood shacks sit next to stands renting snorkeling equipment. Barter for a souvenir from a wandering vendor, or venture under a beach canopy for a massage or hair-braiding session.
In Zihuatanejo, you can grab a great spot on the beach, or walk along the beach to spot sea turtles and fish. Experienced divers will delight in a network of caves, vertical walls, arches and tunnels at Los Morros de Potosi.