Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo’s proximity to each other makes the two always go together in seasoned travelers’ lists. Huatulco, on the other hand, is Oaxaca’s answer to Guerrero’s Ixtapa. Yet another one of Mexico’s many tourist-planned complexes.
What Is the Difference Between Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo?
Zihuatanejo is a small beach town that offers an interesting, calmer, and laid back experience and much more authentic town life. Zihuatanejo prides itself on its beautiful swimmable beaches that are gentler, perfect for a mellow beach scene.
While Ixtapa is much livelier, and comparably safer because of its tourism. Ixtapa is a government-planned, purposely built resort city that attracts tourists to the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo area, at the western coasts of Guerrero state.
Is It Better to Stay in Ixtapa or Zihuatanejo?
With cheaper hotels, Zihuatanejo might be ideal for those looking for a budget experience, with proximity to culture and authenticity. For those who don’t mind pricier hotels and touristy city life, Ixtapa is the best bet.
While both have differences, Ixtapa tends to be safer than Zihuatanejo, in terms of crime, while Zihuatanejo has better swimmable beaches. If you want to experience everything that both places can offer, it’s best to stay in either one and take a short taxi ride in between.
The common denominator is, both these places are jewels of Guerrero, and they’re cheaper than, say, Cabo, or Mazatlan – both Pacific Mexico’s hotspots.
Where Should I Stay in Ixtapa or Zihuatanejo?
Zihuatanejo is lined with boutique hotels that represent authenticity and culture, and they tend to be cheaper. However, Ixtapa offers a much wider array of selections of hotels and resort to stay in, from budget to luxury.
Which Is Better – Ixtapa or Huatulco?
It largely depends on what kind of experience you want to have, and the flavor you’re going for. While both are nestled at the pacific side of Mexico, at the western coasts, Ixtapa and Huatulco have their differences that may be appealing to some, and off-putting to others.
Ixtapa a government-planned resort city is a mix of lovely resorts, lined along a stretch of beach that front the entire town over the pacific. Ixtapa’s best features have to be the many beaches outside of the hotel zone that you can visit, many of which are in the neighboring town of Zihuatanejo.
Huatulco, or Huatulco Bay, on the other hand, is another tourist development in Mexico, this time in the state of Oaxaca on the Pacific coasts of Mexico, south of Ixtapa. Huatulco is probably one of Mexico’s best-kept secrets, with a charming city, full of culture, thanks to the state Oaxaca being a cultural hub, and its nine amazing bays that give Huatulco an interesting twist.