Isla Ixtapa is an excellent day trip to consider if you’re in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. It’s a small island located a little north off the coast of Ixtapa. Although not huge, it has some beautiful beaches and fun restaurants.
The island features a narrow strip with beaches on both sides, Playa Verdadero and Playa Coral. The restaurants are situated between these two beaches, making it easy to get from one side to the other.
I was surprised how busy it was on the Tuesday when I went. Evidently there is some pretty good snorkeling at Playa Coral, but I was in the mood for chilling out and got a table in the 2nd row at Paraíso Escondido on Playa Verdadero. It was a little less crowded than some of the other restaurants and I had read some good reviews. The service was great, and the shrimp tacos were tasty. The turquoise, crystal clear water was perfect for swimming. I had a very nice afternoon there.
Getting to Isla Ixtapa
I went in the afternoon on a Tuesday. The water taxis that take you to the island depart from Playa Linda. From where I was staying at Monarca Ixtapa, the taxi fare to Playa Linda was 80 pesos each way. When I arrived, I took a quick detour to Cocodrilario Tamakún to see the crocodiles and other wildlife. Then, I walked over to the end of the pier where the water taxis were.
There were about 30 people waiting ahead of me. The taxi assistants solicit tips quite aggressively. It’s a quick trip to the island (5-10 minutes), and we made a quick pit stop at Playa Cuachalate before proceeding to the dock at Playa Verdadero. If my memory serves me right, the last taxi back was at 5:30 pm. I noticed a few places where one could stay overnight, which might be something fun to try in the future.
