Beaches of Zihuatanejo

Beaches of Zihuatanejo

SWIMMER'S GUIDE

ORIENTATION OF PROPERTIES BY BEACH LANDMARKS

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PLAYA LA MADERA

View of La Madera Beach taken in 1996 from a lot I have for sale. Our bay is one big swimming pool. From here you can:

A. Swim over to La Ropa in twenty minutes, (not seen, but left),

B. Las Gatas in one hour (beach at top left,)

C. Make a tour around the many boats that anchor here in high season in 15-30 minutes, or even around a Cruise ship --45 minutes-- where looking up is a surreal experience.

D. You can swim around the right side and into Puerto Mio Hotel in 50 minutes. E. Or just into town in 15 minutes. Estimates based on my times, just sidestroking along.

Palapas on La Madera Beach at my lot for sale

Restaurant at Playa Madera, Suites Paraiso is the blue column far right, Club Madera at right

This esplanade was buit in 1995. If you look on top of the tile seated area you will see Club Madera. My version of the story: I sometimes hitchhike around town, and was given a ride by the subdirector of FIBAZI at that time. He told me the federal government was trying to improve the appearance of downtown and put in a paved 'boardwalk' but that the people didn't want this change, especially they didn't want huge old trees cut down, trees where for years the fisherman met daily to divide up their catch, etc...a tradition...(although others said the trees were rotten). I told him my colonia, La Madera, didn't have sidewalks or paved roads in places and wouldn't it be nice to have an esplanade connecting the three subbays between Madera and downtown, as it was then impossible to walk along the beach to town, as it was not all beach--there were rocky areas in between. He said if I could get a petition signed by the property owners in my colonia FIBAZI would do these things. The petition was delivered the next day. I took it round for signing and the esplanade soon followed, as did paving and sidewalks on Calle Eva de Semano Lopez Mateos.

The original esplanade fell right down as the FIBAZI engineer ignored the people who told him without rebar reinforcement the first big wave would knock it down, and guess what?... The second time they did it right.

Playa Madera from Quinto Don Andres looking north towards town. There are six public entrances to Madera.

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2. PLAYA LA ROPA

La Ropa has many entrances along its 3/4 mile length

The road right after down past Casa Cuiltlateca and and Villa Roca

The midpoint entrance: passing Lance's at Cascada, landmarked by a dolphin statue, with Villas San Sebastian on the mountainside, Villa Luz on the oceanside, passing Hotel Villas del Sol and Hotel Villas Mexicana and condos Villas de Las Palmas and entering along a row of craft stalls.

Third entrance takes you to entries of La Perla Restaurant. A Fourth entrance takes you to Restaurants El Marlin and Gitanos. The end of the road to La Ropa passes the entrance to Villa ZanibarRossy's Hotel ends in a small parking lot, a taxi stand, La Gaviota and Rossy's Resturant. At this point a dirt road leads to Casa Anapuala. To swim from Rossy's Restaurant, the two story building visible on the sand, back to Madera is 45 minutes. To swim over to Las Gatas is 25 minutes.

Above the promontory that separates Madera (middle of photo) from La Ropa. This is the north end of La Ropa, with fun snorkeling at the rocks. Villa Roca and Casa Que Canta are visible and at top of hill the "Parthenon."

Again, gentle surf, and a great sunset coming along at La Ropa Beach.

Now you see why La Ropa is famous. Arrive from any Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa rental in minutes by cab, or walk.

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3. PLAYA LAS GATAS

If you don't want to swim over, swim once you are at Las Gatas, the bluest water we have. Boats leave continually from the town pier. Restaurants line the beach which is about a 20 minute walk end to end.

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4. ZIHUATANEJO CENTRO BEACH, "PLAYA PRINCIPAL"

Town beach. Archeological museum, at far end the pier.

The pier right at bottom right of photo. Casa Cortijo and Wolfgangs are about 9 o'clock in this view.

Fishermen at Playa Principal

The beach at Hotel Puerto Mio. Casa Rigolletti to it's left. If you swim 45 or more minutes a day at your gym, you can swim from the town beach where you see the pier, out around the promonotory and into this cove. There is another beach a km.north accessable only by boat with a tiny restaurant.

Questions? Email Leigh Roth at zihua@lmi.net