Ixtapa

Customs / Culture
Ixtapa has only been a tourist resort since 1970, before this is was a mangrove estuary and a coconut plantation. The resort in Ixtapa was developed by the architects Enrique and Agustín Landa Verdugo. A part of the modern culture of the city is that the Mexican telenovela “Marimar” was filmed in Ixtapa in 1994. Ixtapa is not a very old city, therefore the history and culture is quite modern, nevertheless the natives who lived there during the time Ixtapa was only known to be a coconut plantation left their marks.
It is custom for people to go fishing in this town due to the location at the coast.

Traditions
One of the main traditions is to celebrate the founding of the municipality and to celebrate the Mexican wine during March which has turned into a yearly world-known festival.

Religion
Most of the people in Ixtapa are Christians and Roman Catholics.

Airports / Car rental
When travelling to Ixtapa you can reach the area via air, highway and bus. Ixtapa has its own airport “Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo International” which receives domestic and international flights coming in and out on a daily basis. It is also possible to fly to a nearby located airport and travel from there to Ixtapa. On arrival it is possible to rent a car at the airport.

Public transport
When in Ixtapa it is possible to travel via bus, car or simply by walking. Everything lies nearby therefore it would not be worth renting a car unless you desire to travel outside of the area. There are also many bus lines some focused especially on tourists, therefore when travelling further than walking distance these buses will get you to most locations. Some of these Bus lines include: Autovias, Estrella do Oro, Primera Plus, Tap, Via Plus and many more.

Taxis / Infrastructure
Taxis can be found at the airport or can be ordered on location at the hotel resort. In Mexico it is generally not recommended to take local taxis without ordering them, however due to Ixtapa being mainly a touristic area it is somewhat safer there. However it is still recommendable to hire taxis.

Events / Lifestyle
Ixtapa is a lively and exciting area where there are a lot of events which occur throughout the year which also speaks for the locals’ lifestyle. Amongst these are:
- During the end of September there are national surfing games.
- The World Tourism day on September 27th
- Anniversary of “Alvaro Saavedra y Ceron” on October 31st
- Celebration of the day of the dead on November 1st and 2nd
- The Unlimited Fun Festival which occurs from January to April
- The Sail festival which occurs in February
- The world famous Carnival festival which occurs in March
There are a lot more events occurring, however it is best to go to the city center on arrival an pick up an events calendar in order to see absolutely everything that is on during the time of your stay.

Culinary Specialities
The local food in Ixtapa consists of the traditional Mexican cuisine which includes tacos, burritos, fajitas, guacamole and various sauces. Due to its coastal location seafood has become quite the specialty in the area. Some local specialties include the seafood casserole, shrimp in mustard sauce, the crayfish in garlic sauce, and many fish, meat and fresh vegetable dishes.

Sights
As the resort is more a beach type resort the primary things to see are the beaches and unique islands. These include the Playa Las Gatas which is a very calm beach which is perfect to relax at. The Play La Ropa which is known to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Ixtapa. To see a little of the history one can go to the “Museum and Cultural Centre” in Ixtapa. Following these sights there is plenty to do in Ixtapa this includes going diving, hiking, playing golf, camping, fishing, sailing, surfing, extreme sports and much more depending on personal preferences.