Getting there & around

Getting there

By air. You fly into Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International (ZIH), which sits between the two towns. It handles seasonal direct flights from several US and Canadian cities in winter, plus domestic connections through Mexico City. From the airport to the Ixtapa hotel zone is roughly a 20 to 30 minute drive — approximate, traffic depending. Airport taxis and hotel shuttles are the standard way in; agree the fare or use the authorized taxi desk.

By bus. Long-distance buses run to Zihuatanejo’s terminal from Mexico City (a long haul, roughly 8 to 9 hours) and from Acapulco (around 4 to 5 hours), both approximate. From the Zihua terminal, it is a short local taxi or combi over to Ixtapa.

By car. The toll road down from Mexico City via Morelia and the coast is the usual driving route — a full day. Once at the coast, parking in Ixtapa is easy and plentiful, which is one thing the planned layout gets right.

Getting around

Ixtapa is built for it. The whole strip is one flat, walkable boulevard, so on foot you can cover the hotel zone and the beach easily.

• Combis (local minibuses) shuttle constantly between Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo for a few pesos — cheap, frequent, and the local way to bounce between the two. About 15 to 20 minutes each way.
• Taxis are everywhere and short hops are inexpensive; settle the price before you get in, as they are not metered.
• You do not need a rental car unless you plan day trips inland. For the strip itself, your feet and the combi are plenty.