Zihuatanejo, Mexico
It’s hard not to fall in love with this place
The village of Zihuatanejo embraces the bay with arms covered in tropical green, as if protecting this azure jewel from the open ocean beyond.
The water is generally calm and warm. A refreshing sea breeze makes a day at the beach a pleasant pastime. This municipality of less than 125,000 on Mexico’s Pacific coast still retains its fishing village feel.
Recently it has become more of a blip on the tourist radar. A recent article in the New York Times has contributed to that. Every year more and more tourist “snowbirds” arrive from northern parts fleeing the cold and hectic life of those climes. Others, myself included, have become permanent residents due to the slower pace and lower cost of living in this paradisical spot.
If you are looking for a place with an active nightlife and a variety of cultural activities like symphony, opera, theater, museums, and fine shopping, you will not find it here. Elegant dining is mostly seafood (it is a fishing village) not prime beef or Michelin star. For that kind of activity, you can take a flight to Mexico City (one hour) or a bus or car to Morelia (four hours).
Recently the municipal government has completed several projects making Zihua more tourist friendly. I confess to having a bit of a “close the gate after me” syndrome. I’d rather not see too many more people here or too much more tourist development. I don’t want it to become like Puerto Vallarta or Acapulco and I fear it’s at a tipping point.
I want to keep it like this!
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