| | |  Travel & Outdoors 
Off the Beaten Track: Zihuatanejo, Mexico
 Nicholas Casey - WSJ.com
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January 15, 2010
| | Full of life and beautiful scenery, Zihuatanejo (pronounced zee-watt-a-NEH-ho) has retained its charm as a small, sleepy fishing village. (pocruises.com) | |
Mexico City-based reporter Nicholas Casey on what to do, where to eat and where to stay in this laid-back beach town.
What to do: For those looking for a getaway along Mexico's beaches—but not the commercial bustle of Cancun or Puerto Vallarta—Zihuatanejo offers a charming alternative. Once just a sleepy village on Mexico's Pacific coast, the town now also boasts an array of cozy inns and delicious restaurants all overlooking a picturesque bay where fishermen still cast their nets every morning. Take a stroll down Paseo del Pescador ("Fisherman's Promenade") near Playa Municipal and check out the catch of the day. In the afternoon, grab a water taxi to Playa Las Gatas and enjoy a cold Mexican beer while watching the surf. Or hire a fisherman to take you to Playa Manzanillo, a secluded, rocky beach with views of nearby islands and a craggy reef that's good for snorkeling.
Where to eat: Come prepared for seafood. Lety's Casa de Camarones de Coco (near the corner of Anguilas Street and De La Noria) is a classic hole-in-the-wall with an array of plates under $10, including its namesake coconut shrimp. For refined dining, try Kau-Kan Restaurant, with its romantic rooftop vistas overlooking the bay and a menu that includes exotic dishes like sting ray in black butter and sauteed baby octopus (Escenica La Ropa Rd.; Tel. 011-52-755-554-8446). Or enjoy a tasty tamarind margarita at the excellent bar of Bistro del Mar located footsteps from the sand. The bistro also has a wide selection of coffees and desserts (Playa La Madera; Tel. 011-52-755-554-2142).
Where to stay: Hotel Brisas del Mar is a colorful inn where ferns and vines crawl along the walls that connect its spacious rooms, each one with a hammock and a nice view of the bay (rooms from $100; Tel. 011-52-755-554-2142; www.hotelbrisasdelmar.com). The newer Amuleto hotel offers a range of elaborate suites, some with private swimming pools (rooms from $100; Tel. 213-280-1037 or 011-52 755-544-6222; www.amuleto.net). Those on a budget might try Posada Citlali, a small hotel built around a courtyard near the center of town (rooms from $30; Tel. 011-52-755-554-2043).
Write to Nicholas Casey at nicholas.casey(at)wsj.com |
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