Things To Know About Zihuatanejo
Located northwest of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo is a fully developed tourist destination that lures tourists with its ability to maintain its small town, traditional vibe. It is in Mexico’s western state of Guerrero, and is the fourth largest city.
In its early years, Zihuatanejo was a sleepy village, but its location on the bay played in its favor as it developed into a vacation spot. During the 1970s, resorts were introduced to the area and development began. It now resembles places like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta in that it has since received many, many tourists each year.
The city and resort spread from the bay inward towards the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range. The downtown area is called ‘El Centro, ‘ sits north of the bay itself and is characterized by narrow brick roads and a significant Swiss and Italian ex-patriot community.
The city is centered on a basketball court and benches, rather than the typical plaza expected of most cities in Spanish-speaking countries. Festivals, performances and community events are held regularly here. This includes an annual fundraiser, the Annual Zihua Sail Fest, which consists of various musical, artistic, and culinary events, as well as boat shows and races and auctions. It showcases local artists and craft makers, and it is aimed at raising funds for children’s programs in the municipality.
The largest market, also known as the Mercado de Artesanias, contains many stalls filled with local crafts vendors. Here, customers can find locally made and organic products, native to the region, in more than two hundred fifty shops.
The Mercado de Artesanias is the largest market in the city. It contains more than two hundred fifty vendors, eager to sell locally made crafts and food products.
The city’s waterfront is home to a vibrant nightlife, which includes a wide variety discos, clubs and restaurants that have made it popular for visitors. As you move away from the water, you will move towards the mountains. Nestled in the Sierra Madre, lies a large park where visitors can participate in bird watching and other outdoor activities. An archaeological site, the Tierras Prietas, is inviting to many tourists, as are the more than four hundred twenty species of plants that call the park home.
In addition to tourism, fishing, timber and some livestock are sources of income for the native population. Timber covers a large portion of the area, and it is at risk as more and more people seek profit from the trees. Agriculture makes up a very small portion of the area’s economy as well. The service industry, however, remains quite strong.
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