Se hva du kan gjøre og oppleve i Zihuatanejo

Taking a boat trip to Isla Ixtapa is one of the most popular daytime excursions for tourists. Isla Ixtapa is a beautiful island with amazing light gold sandy beaches and crystal clear water which makes it a perfect place for snorkeling. You can get there by taking a boat from the Zihuatanejo Municipal Pier or Playa Quieta Pier.

If one of your dreams is to swim with dolphins, it can become a reality by visiting Delfiniti Ixtapa. Six different programs allow visitors to interact with the majestic sea mammals to varying degrees, tailoring the experience to each person's needs and tastes.

This ultra modern sailing catamaran will take you on remarkable sailing, snorkeling, sunset and adventure tours to Ixtapa, around Zihuatanejo Bay and to nearby reefs. These tours allow you to explore beautiful places and experience some of the most perfect getaways on your vacation.

There is so much to see and explore ashore and below sea level in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo. Ixtapa Adventours is a company that provides a day full of fun where you can enjoy snorkeling along coral reefs, biking through lush jungles, kayaking in calm and warm ocean waters and admiring native plants, birds, fish and other exotic animals.

A small village called La Chole, located only 25 minutes away from Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, houses a fascinating archaeological site. Since the 1930's many artifacts have been found here, such as jewellery linked to many cultures, including the Tarascan, Aztec, Toltec and Olmec. You can also visit an onsite museum with many of these astonishing findings.

This golf club, designed by Robert Van Hagge and opened in 1994, offers 18 holes and is ranked by Golf Digest as one of Mexico's best courses. Marina Ixtapa Golf Club features all necessary facilities, such as a club house, two tennis courts, lockers, a restaurant, bar and a swimming pool.

Mexican food is a delight, and what better way is there to learn more about it than taking part in a cooking class like Patio Mexica? Here you will learn how to cook traditional Mexican food on the teacher’s patio. Monica, the teacher, speaks fluent English and Spanish and will show you how to prepare local dishes from scratch.

Discover the area's fascinating marine life and the hidden paradise that lies just beneath the ocean's surface by taking a diving or snorkeling tour. There are various tour companies offering daily tours and other water sports activities.

Every season is fishing season in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, and there are plenty of tour operators who provide fishing tours. Here you can experience a lifetime of fishing and catching large fish like the yellowfin tuna, blue marlin and trophy size dorado.

Pamper yourself with a spa treatment and unwind in a beautiful setting. At Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa you can enjoy massages, facials, soothing signature treatments and couples' treatments. This spa also features a full-service beauty salon offering hair treatments, waxing, manicure and pedicure services.

Parque Aventura in Ixtapa provides a mix of fun, physical challenges and pure adrenaline through activities like zip-lining, hanging and moving bridges and other fun games and challenges, and is a great option for a day of fun with the family.

Horseback riding on the beach is another way to explore the natural beauty of Zihuatanejo. You can either take a tour in the daytime which includes lunch at a restaurant or an afternoon tour where you get the chance to admire a stunning sunset on horseback.

Paseo del Pescador is a pleasant seaside promenade and features outdoor eateries and beautiful cobblestone streets. In the mornings, you can enjoy watching fishermen selling their early morning catches to local restaurants and families. This is a very relaxing spot which is highly appreciated by travelers and locals alike.

Playa la Ropa is the main beach for swimming and water sports. The beach is about a mile long and usually has mild waves making it perfect for swimmers and non-swimmers alike. Around the beach you can find several excellent restaurants ranging from simple old Mexican style to four and five star eateries.

If you would like to go snorkelling, Playa Las Gatas could be the ideal beach for you, whether you are a beginner or a bit more experienced. If you get hungry you can choose from over a dozen restaurants specializing in seafood.

This 15-mile long beach is hard to miss when flying above Zihuatanejo in the daytime. The beach has two names: Playa Blanca and Playa Larga. The southern end of Playa Blanca is also known as La Barra De Potosí which offers many local seafood restaurants.

Playa Contramar is a stunning place to go snorkelling. This is not a sandy beach, but is instead made up of surf-polished rocks. On this small beach the ambiance is tranquil and the water clear.

On this beach you can enjoy fun beach activities such as body- and boogie-boarding, surfing, snorkeling and kayaking. There are also some local dining spots in the area that offer mouth-watering dishes and live music.

Carmelita's Cafe is a much-loved family-run restaurant and cafe. After starting as a small coffee shop in the airport, they have recently expanded and moved to a new location, now serving fantastic traditional fare in downtown Zihuatanejo.

Rufo's Grill is a local favourite, offering mouthwatering grilled dishes based around meat, fish, shrimp, pork ribs, chicken or vegetables, among many other options, all in a rustic and elegant setting.

At Tentaciones you can enjoy sophisticated fresh, local seafood specialties and Asian fusion cuisine. With a beautiful location on a mountaintop, the restaurant offers breathtaking views over the bay. The impeccable service provided here makes the whole dining experience delightful.

Ristorante Il Mare is a cosy and romantic restaurant, with an ideal location on a cliff at "La Madera" beach overlooking the beautiful waters and beaches of Zihuatanejo Bay. When dining at this restaurant you can enjoy modern Italian and Greek cuisine.

This highly recommended restaurant features more than 140 delicious dishes with unique Mexican flavours, and is ideally located in the city centre of Zihuatanejo. Los Braseros is a good value restaurant you can visit for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

When dining at this restaurant you will be dining in the oldest building in Zihuatanejo, located in the historic centre. Coconuts serves a unique mixture of gourmet Mexican and international dishes prepared with fresh and seasonal ingredients. They also host live music and dancing, and screen a lot of major sporting events, making it a great place for drinks on game night.

At La Perla Restaurant you can tickle your taste buds with Mexican dishes prepared with fresh local ingredients. On the menu you will find traditional local cuisine, such as grilled red snapper served with garlic and fresh tortillas, spicy Pacific lobster, octopus, jumbo and medium size shrimp and scallops, to name a few.

Claimed to be one of the best restaurants in Zihuatanejo, Bistro del Mar Restaurant offers typical Mexican food in an elegant atmosphere next to the sea. The menu offers everything from pizza to meat and fish dishes which are all cooked with the best ingredients.

This inexpensive restaurant, situated on the Ixtapa Boulevard right across from the Emporio Hotel, is a popular place among locals and tourists alike. The friendly staff serve mouth-watering dishes in a vibrant atmosphere, including succulent BBQ ribs or authentic Mexican dishes like chiles rellenos, enchiladas, chicken mole and homemade ground beef chili, only to name a few.

Starting as a pizzeria in the mid 1980's, Cafe Marina has evolved into a beloved Zihuatanejo restaurant and cafe, offering great pizza and local dishes, as well as smaller snacks and great coffee with an unbeatable view of the marina.

Carmelita's Cafe is a much-loved family-run restaurant and cafe. After starting as a small coffee shop in the airport, they have recently expanded and moved to a new location, now serving fantastic traditional fare in downtown Zihuatanejo.

Panaderia Del Buen Gusto ('Good Taste Bakery') offers a wide variety of bread and sweet pastries, but their speciality is definitely cakes. There is no seating area, so in order to enjoy the bakery's delicious creations, you'll have to order them to go.

Located right in the middle of Zihuatanejo, Mi Tacita de Cafe has pleasant outdoor seating on a small square. They offer small meals and snacks, such as both sweet and savory crepes, as well as high-quality coffee drinks.

Café Caracol is another small and cosy cafe in the centre of Zihuatanejo. Besides serving high-quality, organic coffee from the Guerrero region, Caracol also sells organic and locally-produced honey and vanilla.

As the name might suggests, Cuattro Cycle is a bicycle-themed modern and sleek cafe and tea house with a location in Zihuatanejo and another in Ixtapa. They only serve coffee produced in Mexico, and their offering also includes a remarkable variety of teas, as well as some creative and delicious cold drinks.

Café del Ferrocarril is the perfect place to stop for breakfast and a coffee on your way to the beach in Ixtapa. The omelettes come highly recommended, and the cafe is said to have the best frappes and cold coffee drinks in the area.

Starting as a pizzeria in the mid 1980's, Cafe Marina has evolved into a beloved Zihuatanejo restaurant and cafe, offering great pizza and local dishes, as well as smaller snacks and great coffee with an unbeatable view of the marina.

When dining at this restaurant you will be dining in the oldest building in Zihuatanejo, located in the historic centre. Coconuts serves a unique mixture of gourmet Mexican and international dishes prepared with fresh and seasonal ingredients. They also host live music and dancing, and screen a lot of major sporting events, making it a great place for drinks on game night.

This inexpensive restaurant, situated on the Ixtapa Boulevard right across from the Emporio Hotel, is a popular place among locals and tourists alike. The friendly staff serve mouth-watering dishes in a vibrant atmosphere, including succulent BBQ ribs or authentic Mexican dishes like chiles rellenos, enchiladas, chicken mole and homemade ground beef chili, only to name a few.

This is a popular local bar that offers ice cold draft beer and mixed drinks. They have live bands playing regularly, as well as dancing, and they screen major sporting events (they're especially fond of American football).

If you feel like dancing while in Zihuatanejo, head over to Bandido´s Restaurant Bar. Here you can dance salsa to a live band, drink a cold beer, mingle with the locals in or just relax on the outdoor patio.

Senor Frog's is a very entertaining nightclub, bar and restaurant, where shared tables, tasty drinks and good music create a fantastic ambiance. This venue has a laid back mood where you can chat up with friends and dance to mixed music until well into the night.

Christine Club is a huge world-class disco and nightclub with a great stage and dance floor, located at the Hotel Krystal in Ixtapa. It is wildly popular with both locals and tourists, and is one of your best bets for a memorable night out.

Café Caracol is another small and cosy cafe in the centre of Zihuatanejo. Besides serving high-quality, organic coffee from the Guerrero region, Caracol also sells organic and locally-produced honey and vanilla.

Zihuatanejo is in essence a fishing town, and the daily fish market is a sight to behold. Fishermen gather on the beach and display their catches and the beach becomes a raucous affair with plenty of haggling and the absolute freshest fish available.

Zihuatanejo's central market isn't very large, but it's packed tight with stalls selling everything from produce to knick knacks. It is a buzzing centre of commerce and life in the city, and is definitely worth visiting for a bit of local flavour.

Zihuatanejo's crafts market, located on Cinco de Mayo Avenue, has numerous stalls showcasing local arts and crafts in the form of rugs, pottery, wood carvings and much more. It is perhaps the best place in town to shop for souvenirs to take back home.

The area of Casa Marina, near the harbour, is home to several small shops that offer some other examples of traditional Mexican crafts and products, such as hammocks, rugs, art and some home decor items.

Lupita's is a unique boutique that showcases beautiful, bright and colourful women's apparel from Mexico and the surrounding region. Pieces include handmade items from Oaxaca, Yucatán, and even neighbouring Guatemala.

Located in Ixtapa, La Fuente is a small but colourful boutique with a fantastic selection of clothing for women and good options when it comes to housewares and other assorted items (often good as gifts to take back home).

Zihuatenajo is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico. From Zihuatanejo International Airport you can reach Mexico City, Houston and Los Angeles with non-stop flights. The airport is located 19 kilometers southeast of the city. You can easily reach the city by taxi or van services by buying your ticket at the taxi kiosk. The rates depend on your final destination and the number of passengers. You can pay with cash or credit card. Taxi and van services operate between 6am-9pm. Auto Transporte de Zihuatanejo +52 755 554 3298 Enlace Terrestre Aeroportuario +52 755 553 6313 Transporte Turístico Aeropuerto de Zihuatanejo +52 755 554 7914 There are several car rental companies represented at the airport. Europcar +52 755 553 7158 www.europcar.com.mx Hertz +52 755 554 2952 www.avasamexico.com.mx

Nearly every commercial airline flying into Mexico now includes the Tourism Tax (known as DNI – Derecho No Inmigrante) in the price of each flight ticket. Request an itemised receipt from your tour agent or airline, where the DNI charge is normally listed, and present it at check-in and/or immigration in order to avoid double payment. If, however, your airfare does not include this tax, or if you’ve been travelling by land, the tax will need to be paid separately. If you’re leaving Mexico by air, the easiest way to pay this tax will be at the check-in counter for your departing flight/the airport immigration office. Note that the tax can only be paid in cash, in USD, Mexican pesos or Sterling. The exact fee is subject to change; at the time of writing, it amounts to just under $30 per person. If you are departing by land, you are still required to pay this tax, which can also be done at a bank. Note that those arriving by land and departing from Mexico within 7 days are exempt from paying the fee. The DNI tax is not to be confused with the Mexican Airport Departure Tax, which will be automatically included with any flight ticket purchase, and will also appear on the itemised receipt. Make sure to hold on to any receipts, slips or documents issued to you by Mexican immigration authorities throughout the entire trip.

Visa exemption applies to citizens of all EU countries, most countries in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and more. Both tourists and business visitors from these countries may stay in Mexico for up to 180 days. For Russian, Turkish and Ukrainian passport holders, electronic authorisation (SAE) is required, which then grants travellers from these countries the right of a single entry followed by a stay of up to 30 days. Please consult an official source/consulate in your home country for the latest information on visa requirements. When travelling to Mexico, you will need to fill out a Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM), which is essentially a visitor’s permit for Mexico. All travellers are encouraged to do so online prior to travel, and present the printed out document upon entering the country.

In Zihuatanejo you can easily walk around or use the public buses called “micros”. The buses operate regularly in the city and between the city and Ixtapa, often stopping at many of the beaches along the way.

Taxis in Zihuatanejo are easy to use and can be hailed just about everywhere. You can also reserve a taxi for sightseeing. Make a habit of asking how much the taxi driver charges before getting in the car. APAAZ Taxis +52 554 3680 UTAAZ Taxis: +52 755 554 39 00

Post offices are the safest and fastest places for dropping off post cards. Hotels can also help with sending post cards. Post Office:

It is easy to find pharmacies in Zihuatanejo. They are generally open from 8am-9pm and you can easily spot the red, blue and white signs. "Farmacias Similares" has four branches in Zihuatanejo, including one at:

Country code: +52 Area code: 755

120 V, 60 Hz