Zihuatanejo (see wah tah NAY ho) is located in the municipality of José Azueta (aka Zihuatanejo de Azueta) in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico about 240 km (approx. 144 miles) northwest of Acapulco. The modern tourist resort of Ixtapa (eeks TAH pah) is only 5 km away.
Zihuatanejo is the seat of government for the municipality and the principal community in the region. Ixtapa is a government-planned tourist resort that was begun in the early 1970s and constructed on what was once a coconut plantation and mangrove estuary. The approximate population of Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa is 50,000 inhabitants (source: INEGI).
Zihuatanejo is the dream "getaway" talked about in the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" although the scene in the movie that supposedly takes place there was shot elsewhere. This is an old-world Mexican fishing village nestled around a small bay dotted with beautiful protected beaches and no high rises. (source: zihua.net)
Zihuatanejo has the old-fashioned charm of traditional Mexican culture. It is a town that sprang up from a handful of families who were mostly fishermen. Fishing continues to be a way of life for a large number of families, and the increasing popularity of the area as a sportfishing destination has given new impetus to their livelihood. (source: zihuatanejo.net)
Travel & Tourism
Zihuatanejo can be reached by land, sea and air and has its own airport. There are direct flights from Mexico City.
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