Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa & Taxco Video
Alexandra: Hello, I’m Alexandra Nunez, here inside the gorgeous church of Santa Prisca, in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Thank you for joining me in discovering some of the most glamorous cities of Pacific Mexico.
We’ll start by exploring the old town of Acapulco. We’ll relive its glamorous 1970's heyday. Then we’ll hop aboard a taxi boat to a secluded island, where a short hike will take us to the spot with the best view of the bay. We’ll explore the high-rise resort of Golden Acapulco, with its seven pristine beaches. Before venturing inland to the fabled silver city of Taxco. A bus speeding along the Pacific coast will take us to the traditional fishermen’s village of Zihuatanejo. And from there, we’ll drive to the modern resort of Ixtapa, and visit its wildlife preserve island. We’ll finish, in the purest Mexican tradition, on notes of guitar music beneath a romantic sunset.
The jewel in the crown of all Mexican resorts, Acapulco is famous worldwide for its line of white-sand beaches surrounded by luxurious high-rise hotels.
Alexandra: Yet, it all started right here, in this fort. Back in the 16th century, the king of Spain granted this settlement [off-camera] a monopoly to receive and unload the legendary Manila Galleons as they returned from Spain’s Asian colonies, loaded with pricey merchandise.
The city prospered rapidly thanks to this trade, but all this wealth attracted some uninvited guests - like Sir Francis Drake and his pirates, who sailed into [off-camera] the bay from the high seas, right there, raiding the city and its galleons many times.
In 1631, the Spanish built this fort, the first in America, to protect those precious galleons, and the city grew from here.
It may not be as grandiose as the town squares in the colonial cities of central Mexico, but nevertheless, it’s a good place for people watching, socializing, or sharing the Mexicans' adiction for talking the world over for hours at the plaza's benches and cafés.
Just across the street from the Central Plaza is the always-crowded beach of Tlacopanocha. Thanks to its calm water, this strand is popular with many middle-class Mexican families with kids.
Walking south from the beach takes us to the hilly peninsula on the western side of the bay. Aptly called “the peninsula of beaches,” it is flanked by a dotted line of white sands.
The most popular are the twin beaches of Caleta and Caletilla, right by the entrance to the bay, where the coarse sand borders near-transparent water. Most of the less expensive hotels in town are located around the Zocalo, so these beaches are popular with the more budget-conscious vacationers in town.
Continuing around the peninsula takes us uphill past some fancy neighborhoods, where many famous Mexican pop stars like Juan Gabriel have homes. Although the east side of Acapulco is where the big money is these days, the peninsula still has plenty of luster.
And if you want a chance to meet stars likes Juan Gabriel, Playa Angosta is your best bet, as the city's most famous residents sometimes venture here to enjoy the only unobstructed sunset view in Acapulco.
Closing the loop around the peninsula, we come to the cliffs of La Quebrada, famous around the world for their legendary divers, who plunge 130 feet into the turquoise-blue water below to show their courage, or perhaps impress a señiorita.
Although nowadays their aim may be to collect your $2, the show is still awesome!
Arrive early and watch the young apprentices training under the watchful eyes of their elders, while the crowd arrives by land and sea. Fans of Elvis Presley will want to watch the show from the restaurant in the Hotel El Mirador, like the King did in his cult movie, “Fun in Acapulco.”
Silence falls suddenly as the divers start climbing to the top to salute the crowd, and wisely, to pray at a small shrine. This young lad is doing his first public dive today, so he starts from halfway up.
While his more experienced peers start from higher up. The last diver leaps from the edge.
The trick to this dangerous exercise is to time his dive to an incoming wave so that there will be enough water in the gorge. He must also enter the water perfectly perpendicular to avoid breaking bones.
He also has to remember to adjust his swimsuit again before leaving the water and climbing back up through the crowd, which has already begun to drift away.
Crossing the neck of the peninsula takes us back through the Zocalo to the Marina of Acapulco.
Alexandra: With the city stretching along the coastline, the traffic on water is as heavy as on land. This taxi-boat follows the busiest route of all, to Roqueta Island - only a couple of miles from the main marina.
The water becomes amazingly clear as we approach the islet, turning the ride into a fish-watching exercise through the glass-bottomed boat.
The island's only two beaches are favorite spots of Mexican snorkelers and swimmers. Because the locals like to bring their whole family along and spend the whole day picnicking here, these beaches tend to be crowded.
Once a hideout of pirates, the dense forest covering the island is nowadays only visited mostly by tourists looking for some solitude. This trek leads to the only hard-wall construction on the island: a lighthouse overlooking Acapulco Bay.
Alexandra: That ends our visit to the historical side of the city, on the left behind me. Now, it’s time for us to explore Golden Acapulco and its long strip of towering hotels.
Moving around Golden Acapulco is a straightforward task: the entire resort stretches along both sides of the grand boulevard of Acapulco, known as “The Costera,” which runs from the Marina past the Fort all the way to Diamond Acapulco. The boulevard hugs the shores around the bay, so the closest beach is never far away.
To make things even simpler, frequent taxis and air-conditioned buses shuttle tourists back and forth along the avenue - including horse-drawn taxis for those who don’t mind paying more to go slower!
Playa Hamacas is the first beach on the way to Golden Acapulco from downtown. This narrow slice of sand, sandwiched between the bay and the Costera Boulevard, is home to what’s left of the local fishermen.
This man is probably a tourist; the locals usually fish with a net.
It’s hard to believe that only 50 years ago, this fleet was the main commercial activity in town. Of course, back then, Acapulco was still a pueblo, and it took a full day to drive to Mexico City. Even the fishermen’s pier has been overtaken by tourism, and was converted into a mid-range bar-restaurant.
Moving on eastward takes us to the resort that invariably shows up on postal cards.
Alexandra: It is on Hornitos Beach that Mexico first experimented with large-scale tourism. In the '50s, when Cancun was still just a forgotten backwater, a freeway was constructed to link Mexico City directly to Acapulco. The resulting influx of vacationers changed the landscape of the Bay forever.
And that experience shows. In a time-honored tradition, flocks of tourists spill out of the towering hotels throughout the day, to be efficiently ushered to a vacant palapa, while beach vendors provide drinks, food and serenades.
Just about everything that can be done on, under or above the water is done in Acapulco. On this side of the bay, para-sailing, banana-tubes and Jet Skis are particularly popular. The surf on the bay is too gentle for surfing, but makes for safe and pleasant swimming.
The hotels become more luxurious as we continue eastward to Condesa Beach, right in the center of the bay.
Thanks to the many bars overlooking the sea, this beach is a hot spot for singles.
Icacos Beach is the most eastern on the bay, located between the Naval Base and a popular amusement park. Because Jet Skis and banana-tubes rarely venture this far east, this area is a favorite spot for windsurfers, sail boaters and other more relaxed water sports.
Past the last beach, the Costera Boulevard starts an upward climb and enters Diamond Acapulco, a trendy part of town where some of Acapulco's wealthiest citizens have moved to over the past decade or so. This area is also home to the most expensive hotels, like the fabled Hotel Las Brisas.
The boulevard, now aptly called Scenic Drive, slopes for a few miles along the small Puerto Marques Bay, a seafood and picnicking retreat for Mexican families.
Behind Puerto Marquez is the eastern-most part of town, an area of lush vegetation and incomparable views stretching along the only open-ocean beach in the city.
Since the Old Bay of Golden Acapulco long ago ran out of space, all the newest construction in town is in this area, including a few championship golf courses.
Revolcadero, the main beach of Acapulco Diamante, has rolling open-ocean billows which the main bay lacks, making some surfing possible here. Swimming in this area can be quite challenging, though.
Alexandra: Yet most people come here for the beach itself: Revolcadero is the only place around suitable for beach sports, thanks to its vast expanses of compact white sand.
At night, the city becomes a partygoer's paradise, especially in Golden Acapulco where the restaurants and discos tend to overflow out onto the beach.
Just don’t arrive too early at a party! In Mexico, the real fun never starts before midnight, and rarely ends before sunrise.
Acapulco isn’t the best place for handicraft shopping, in spite of what souvenir-store owners along the Costera would like you to believe. Serious shoppers board a long-distance bus and travel four hours inland through the Sierra Madre to Taxco.
The old silver-mining city of Taxco is a busy hillside town bustling with VW taxis, street merchants and shoppers from Mexico City and beyond.
Hordes of tourists arrive here daily, attracted by the city's gorgeous colonial architecture and narrow cobbled streets, which make it one of the most picturesque places in Mexico.
Yet, for centuries it was the region's wealth of silver that attracted foreigners. The first mine in the region opened in 1524, in what is Taxco's central plaza today, by the direct order of Hernan Cortes, who had discovered that the Aztecs of this region had been using silver coins for centuries.
Nowadays, the silver mines are mostly a thing of the past. But the centuries-old tradition of making handmade silver jewelry is as vibrant as ever, with the city consuming some two tons of silver each day.
The downtown streets are lined with hundreds of shops selling an amazing variety of silver handicrafts. If you are short on time, you'll find plenty of choices simply by walking around the church. The street on the north side of the church has several upscale silver shops, catering mostly to foreign buyers. That’s where you'll find the most awesome works of art.
The street on the southern side boasts more modest shops. The items are less refined here, and the premises have a flea market feel, but you can find some unbelievable bargains in these shops. This handmade, pure silver ring, for example, sells for just two US dollars.
The colorful central plaza, facing the church, is the focal point of Taxco’s social scene.
This small square is quite busy throughout the day, so shoppers gleefully retreat to the upper floors of one of the many bars and restaurants surrounding the plaza, where they can sip a relaxing Mexican lemon-grass tea and study the complex carvings of the church façade.
The pink baroque Church of Santa Prisca dominates the plaza, and provides a stunning example of the uniquely Mexican architectural style known as Churrigueresque, found throughout the colonial centers of Mexico.
Inside, the main altarpiece is a complicated structure, symbolizing the foundations of the Catholic Church. It starts with statues of distinguished Popes at the bottom, and continues with busts of the Evangelists, including the Patroness of the church, Santa Prisca. Finally, at the top, the altar depicts the twelve apostles and Saint Peter.
In the center stands the heart of Christ surrounded by the Archangel Gabriel and cherubs. From the highest point of the altar, God himself is looking down on his church.
Don Jose de la Borda, the most enlightened silver baron of Taxco, financed the construction of the church, and he spared no expense – this elegant pipe organ was brought from Germany by mule, back in the eighteenth century!
By the altar of the Immaculate Conception, you'll often see scholars scrutinizing the paintings showing a pregnant Virgin. The Catholic Church explicitly forbade anyone to depict an expectant Mary, and the Spaniards, not famous for their sense of humor in matters of religion, jailed this painter for doing just that.
Of more historical significance is the only chapel of the church.
Alexandra: Built two centuries after the arrival of the conquistadores, this chapel was the first holy place in New Spain where Indians were allowed to pray side by side with Spaniards.
Don Jose de la Borda, who ordered the chapel's construction as a condition of financing the church, has been revered by indigenous communities ever since.
Another local idol is Miguel Cabrera, an 18th century painter of Zapotec origin whose dreamy Bible-story paintings decorate the sacristy.
But Taxco is more than a bustling downtown. This aerial cable car leads to the top of the tallest hill overlooking the city.
Alexandra: This quiet neighborhood is where today's wealthy silver merchants come to rest at the most luxurious hotel in town, enjoying a stunning view of the whole city below.
After grabbing a few Pan Dulces for the road, we board another luxury bus back to the Pacific coast, with our cases full of handcrafted silver.
The freeway north from Acapulco hugs the shoreline most of the way, through great swathes of palm-dotted savannah. After crossing a few plantations of coconuts - a versatile tree used by Mexicans for everything from basketry to candies - our journey ends at the small town of Zihuatanejo, a well-known paradise for sport fishing, whose beaches sprawl around a beautiful bay.
Downtown Zihuatanejo has retained its original fishing-village charm, thanks to its sleepy, sun-drenched streets lined with small seafood restaurants and colorful shops.
The small craft market is worth a visit, especially for the selection of hand-painted, fantasy-design ceramics, an art form characteristic of Zihuatanejo.
The wide variety of pottery in local craft markets stems from pre-Hispanic times, when Zihuatanejo was home to a matriarchal society, the Tarascans - the only tribe in the region that stood up to the Aztec empire at the peak of its expansion!
The only downtown beach is largely empty of tourists, and is home to the local fishing fleet which, like Acapulco's, does not burst with energy.
To experience the most traditional side of the city, and mingle with fishermen, drop by the small market right on the beach, where those willing to do a bit of bargaining can find some of the best deals.
Alexandra: Playa Las Gatas, por favor…
Ticket Vendor: 20 Pesos.
In Zihuatanejo, the only place really buzzing with activity is the main pier, where boats scramble all day long to board tourists for deep-sea fishing excursions, or to taxi sunbathers to one of the outer beaches.
From the pier, we board the first taxi boat leaving for Playa Las Gatas, a secluded beach on the opposite side of the bay.
The 10-minute ride takes us by three long stretches of white sands, home to most of the high-end hotels and gazebo restaurants.
Boat Driver: Es en este lugar donde el barco naufrago...
As we pass by the busiest stretch, called Playa Las Ropas, or "the clothes beach,” our driver explains that it got its name when a 16th century Manila Galleon bound for Acapulco spilled its load of fine Chinese silks onto this beach, after having been scuttled by the pirates who once called Zihuatanejo home.
This beach, Playa Las Gatas, was used as a royal bathing-pool by the Tarascan Indians, way back when they founded Zihuatanejo 500 years ago.
These stones are what’s left of a breakwater the Tarascan king built to protect the pool from the ocean surf. The coral reef that grew up around the breakwater, along with the pristine water of the bay, brings joy to today's snorkelers.
This area, which can only be reached by boat, is also home to a few trendy ecotourism habitations.
Only five miles north through lush tropical vegetation is the luxury high-rise resort of Ixtapa, whose modern flavor contrasts sharply with the traditional charm of Zihuatanejo.
Ixtapa was built from the ground up as a deluxe resort in the 1970’s, on what used to be an old coconut plantation. Developers intended it to be the west-coast equivalent of Cancun.
The planners seem to have forgotten to include a proper downtown in their design, and so the marina became the heart of the city. Its regular visitors include alligators with bellies as big as washtubs, as well as golfers from the two nearby championship golf courses.
Most of the town stretches along a 5-mile-long boulevard, from the main beach, Playa del Palmar, past the Marina, all the way to Playa Linda, the favorite spot for surfers.
From there, regular boats take visitors to Ixtapa Island, an eco-tourism jewel only half a mile away.
Boat Driver 2: (speaking Spanish)...
Our driver explains with pride that he must take everyone back before sunset, so that the islet can be cleaned completely every evening.
Boats arrive at the only beach on the island with much construction on it, called Cuachalalate after a type of medicinal tree that only grows here. Sunbathers often spend the whole day picnicking on its remarkably soft sand.
But what makes this island such a worthwhile destination is the unique vegetation and pristine landscapes you’ll find inland.
The smaller, quieter beaches are great for snorkeling and wildlife watching - but watch out! Sunburns are all too common after a few hours hunting for colorful fishes among the rocks. Be sure to pack your sunscreen!
The island is also home to a stunning diversity of orchids, acacia trees and cactuses.
For a romantic end to our visit to Ixtapa, we’ll take the cableway from the main beach to this nearby hill overlooking the bay, and enjoy the sunset from one of the city’s most famous restaurants.
Alexandra: Since in Mexico everything must end with a note of guitar, I’ll leave you here until our next trip… Adios!