Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo on the Pacific coast of Mexico is a glorious travel destination with an illustrious history.
Long before Columbus sailed to the Americas, archeological evidence suggests this area was already inhabited by many tribes of Olmec, Toltec and Tarascan indians. The name Zihuatanejo comes from the Náhuatl word “Cihuatlán” which means, land of women. This area once formed part of the province of Cuitlatecapan with Cihuatlán as its capital, the Cuitlatecs were located all along the Coast of Guerrero.
The Spanish later modified the name to the present, Zihuatanejo. It was a port for Chinese vessels making the first voyages to explore the north coast of Pacific Mexico. In 1527, an expedition traveled from here to the Philippines, discovering the Moluccas Islands in the process. This expedition was regarded as only the second voyage from America to the Far East.
Up until the 17th century, Zihuatanejo Bay was a refuge from storms for travelers, seamen, and adventurers. It was also a hideout for pirates in search of treasure from the Chinese vessels arriving from Manila, carrying Oriental riches to New Spain. Many of the local beaches get their names from this time period. Playa La Ropa, clothes beach, was so named after a Spanish galleon coming from the Philippines was wrecked in front of the bay and its cargo of silks washed up on this beach. Playa Madera, wood beach, got its name from the timber that was exported from the shipyard here.
At the turn of the 20th century Zihuatanejo served as a port of arrival on shipping lanes from Acapulco as well as supplying precious hardwoods, coconut oil, shellfish and fish to ports around the world. At the end of the 1940´s with the worldwide rise in tourism, Zihuatanejo re-emerged and became a vacation hideaway. Many colorful stories exist about the international celebrities who vacationed here during this time period, notably the American Beat Writers of the 50’s who passed through frequently. In the 60´s construction began on the federal highway from Acapulco, connecting Zihuatanejo, previously accessable only by air or sea, to the rest of Mexico. At the beginning of the 70’s the Federal Government’s FONATUR chose the area north of Zihuatanejo to develop a world class tourist destination, Ixtapa. The name, Ixtapa, also from the Náhuatl dialect means the “white place”, named for the white beaches and the white rocky islands just offshore. Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is a corner of the Mexican Riviera that has been thrilling travelers with its beauty for centuries and remains a wondrous place on the majestic Pacific, home to white beaches, blue waters and glorious vistas.
For more information on early Zihuatanejo history, check out the Archeological Museum next to the canal on Municipal Beach.
-December 1999
