Ixtapa/ Zihuatenejo : The Secret that other travelers want to keep from you.

I recently came back from my first trip to Ixtapa and Zihuatenjo on Mexico's Pacific coast and I must say that I was incredibly impressed. Everything I had ever heard about Ixtapa and Zihuatenejo was that it was a destination mostly inhabited by older and retired travelers who spent their winter months months there. By looking around the airplane, my hunch was right as the average age of the travelers was about 55.

En route to Ixtapa, I was seated next to a lovely couple who were headed there for their 31rst year. "We have been to other places before in Mexico, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, etc. but we always keep coming back here because it just feels like home. The people are so nice and we have friends here who we now call family."  I was intrigued by their passion for the destination and was excited to explore on my own.

I arrived at the Zihuatenejo airport and breezed through customs and immigration and before I knew it, I was outside waiting for my transfer to my hotel at Las Brisas Resort in Ixtapa. I couldn't believe how uncrowded the airport was. In comparison to other beach destinations where there's a flurry of people and long lines, my arrival into Zihuatenejo was effortless and quick.

As I checked into my hotel at Las Brisas, I looked around to check out the demographics of the guests staying at the hotel. There were many "senior citizens", most of whom seemed over 60 years old but there were also local Mexican families with children, as well as"other" families with young children. The vibe at the hotel was very relaxed. I'd set out to explore the private beach and found myself a beach chair under a palapa and set up shop between an older solo traveling woman,  an older couple and a young mother with her two daughters. I struck up  a conversation with the solo traveling woman who said she'd been coming there for over 15 years. She comes back every year because she simply loves it and feels safe here.

Las Brisas private beach

Through the course of my stay at Las Brisas, I spoke to several travelers, all of whom had been coming to the area for 20 to 30 years. I witnessed several moments between guests and hotel staff where hugs and banter between them indicated to me that they have known each other for a very long time. I met a couple on a boat en route to Playa las Gatas in Zihuatenjo who were from Minnesota. They'd been going there for 30 years. The gentleman, Jim, was a devout advocate of cleaning up the beach and the ocean that they visited daily. He would grab his garbage bag and head out and start cleaning up the beach. Others would express their gratitude for his efforts, local kids would look at him and model his efforts and he would in turn give them a big smile and a high five. He did this daily, for 30 years. His wife, Carol, introduced me to one of the local vendors and told me that they've been friends for over 15 years. A young girl walked by selling her wares, and Jim says, "I know her mother and I knew her when she was pregnant with her." Jim and Carol are typical travelers to the area who have invested their time and energy into creating a better environment, both socially and environmentally in a place that they call their second home.

Zihautenejo

99% of the "lifers", as I called them, who frequent the area,  would prefer to keep Ixtapa and Zihuatenejo a secret from the masses. They love the simple, uncrowded hotels, restaurants and streets. They embrace the authenticity of the destination and it's people and want to keep it to themselves, which I completely understand.

There are no parties going on here. There are no discos blasting music until 3 a.m. There are local spots that bring in local talent to play salsa music, but only until midnight. Zihuatenejo is a quiet fishing town that despite it's size, is booming with life. Travelers and locals intermingle on the streets, going about their business and enjoying the simple life that this little town offers. On the other side of the bay, Ixtapa is a bit more "modern" in that it is home to most of the bigger chain hotels but even still, it affords you the feeling of being away from it all and part of a culturally rich town.

I wasn't sure that I'd be able to appreciate a destination where mostly retirees frequented but the opposite became true to me. I appreciated it more. It was beautiful to see older couples and solo travelers embracing life. I watched them take walks on the beach together, laugh over dinner,  enjoy quiet moments watching the sunset as well as become filled with love as they embraced their Mexican family in the resorts and around town.

There wasn't loud music blasting everywhere I went. There was a definite sense of peace and tranquility in the air that left me feeling very renewed and refreshed. My interactions with other "lifer" travelers was inspiring. In this day and age, it's integral that we connect with people older than us for they have so much to offer us in terms of wisdom and aging gracefully.

     

Fish tacos al Pastor, simply the best!

 Don't get me wrong, Ixtapa and Zihautenejo is not just for retirees but it is definitely a hot spot for them. These two towns offer everything a traveler in search of uncrowded beaches, quite moments, good conversations, excellent food and surprising moments that allow for spontaneous friendships that could very well change your life.






Ixtapa and Zihuatenejo are special places not to be overlooked. These places are for travelers, not tourists. If you're looking for something deeper in your beach vacation, go here.

In the words of the 92 year old, wrinkled and bronzed from days or weeks in the sunshine, traveler I met in the airport. " I'm 92 years old. I love it here and I figure if when I go, I'll go looking healthy and tan and people will say, ' He had a good life.'"

Amen to that sir, amen to that.

Viva la Vida!