The attractions in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo are a mix of coastal life and modern . Many of the tourist places in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo allow visitors to be in direct contact with nature and admire the environment. In addition to this natural beauty, you can practice all sorts of water sports, sunset cruises, deep sea fishing, golf, bird watching and interesting pre Hispanic exhibitions and museums in majestic colonial buildings. However, what have made this place on the Mexican Pacific famous worldwide are undoubtedly its beautiful beaches with warm, clean and quiet waters.
Here are some of the main attractions in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo:

Handicraft Market
This is one of the main sites of interest in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, where you can find a wide variety of handicrafts from all over the state of Guerrero. Semi precious stones, acerina, granite painted in bright colors, shells, corals, conchs and, to a lesser extent, silver jewelry from Taxco, Olinala lacquer, ceramic and painted amate paper from the Central Valley area, can be found in Ixtapa.

Las Gatas Beach
It is a small  inlet protected from the waves by a 100-meter stone wall, reportedly built by one of the Tarascan caciques, so that he could swim freely without the sharks threatening him. Las Gatas is an excellent place for snorkeling and diving, due to a great number of corals and colored fish, that can be seen when diving in these waters.

Fishing
The Mexican Pacific coast has long been considered an excellent place for sport fishing, but the Mecca for fishing is undoubtedly Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. The adagio “it is a secret place for fishermen” is perfect for Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, which has been considered for many decades as one of the best three places in the world for sport fishing. This is where the chances of hooking the biggest fish in your life are the greatest.
Sail fish that weigh up to 80 kilos (an average of 35 to 45 kilos) are the favorite catch during most part of the year, as are black and blue marlins that weigh from 140 to 230 kilos, so get ready for some action!

Diving
Diving in the Pacific Ocean provides a great biodiversity of marine flora and fauna, as well as different species of the sea bottoms. In the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo area in Guerrero, México there are around 35 good diving spots (click here to see the map).

In the sea, the visibility and temperature under water vary constantly during the year, with visibility ranging from 15 ft. (5 meters) to 120 ft. (40 meters) and temperatures from 60º F (16º C) to 95º F (36º C).

The most common marine species in this area include: octopus, lobster, turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, sea horses, dolphins, whales, sea urchins, starfish, rays, conchs, corals, sea cucumbers, balloon fish, soles, morays, goldfish and stone fish, as well as a great variety of colored fish of the coral and tropical areas.  

Archaelogical Museum of the Costa Grande
This museum shows a panorama of the main historic events of the Costa Grande (from Acapulco to the mouth of Rio Balsas. Six rooms show the historic aspect, with several pieces of ceramics from different sites of the region, clay statues, obsidian instruments and ornaments and utensils made of conch and seashells, that show the evolution of the region and of the ancient province of Cihuatlán . There are also different aspects about the colonial time.

Ecotourism

The natural wealth of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo makes it the perfect place for ecotourism. It is ideal to practice mountain bike, ocean rafting to row to the Ixtapa island, and once there, snorkel leisurely. You can also practice easy mountaineering, rappeling and hiking. Horseback riding in an excellent way to discover the beaches and other picturesque areas.

Golf
Ixtapa has two fabulous golf courses, that make this tropical destination a paradise for golfers of all levels.
La Marina Golf Club, designed by Robert Van Hagge, opened its doors back in January 1994, to complete the multi-million project of La Marina in Ixtapa. The Palma Real Golf Course was designed by  Robert Trent Jr. In 1977, it was a key element in the FONATUR (National Fund for Tourism) master plan, which originally developed Ixtapa as a resort destination. The golf courses are located at the other end of the hotel s, where one can get on foot or by taxi (5 minutes). For those golfers staying in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa is only 10 minutes away.