This week’s dream: The friendly, creative energy of Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo advertises itself as the Ciudad de Todos, and that promise starts with music, said M.L. Lyke in The Washington Post. Mexico’s “City of All” welcomes visitors and newcomers from all over, and “music is everywhere here, all qualities, all kinds, including romantic bolero ballads, traditional flamenco and rhythmic salsa, DJ hip-hop, and pop.” Once a sleepy fishing town, Zihua, as it’s known for short, has ballooned to a population of more than 125,000 since the 1980s. Yet unlike nearby Ixtapa, a government-developed high-rise resort town, Zihua feels like a community with deep roots, losing none of its warmth as it grows into “a lively city of artisan shops and galleries, sophisticated eateries, five-star hotels, and bountiful live entertainment.”
It all begins at the water, and particularly at Playa la Ropa, “a long, strollable stretch of sand regularly rated one of Mexico’s finest beaches.” Mariachi bands and balladeers in sombreros wander past, playing for small donations, and you might even find a master musician offering free guitar lessons under the shade of a palm tree. Yet “beach life is just one slice of this fascinating town.” Strolling a winding waterfront walkway nearer to downtown, I see fishermen’s skiffs pulled onto shore, hear troubadours singing at nearby restaurants, and am hit with “the briny funk” of catches brought in that morning. Narrow cobblestone streets lead away from the harbor toward the city’s Sierra Madre mountain backdrop. Goods for sale include Oaxacan pottery, paintings by contemporary Zihuan artists, and mezcal produced by a young local female entrepreneur.
By day’s end, I’m back at Playa la Ropa, enjoying a perfect margarita and “the sweetest of sunset hours” at the innovative restaurant Triton. The food is fabulous, the sky bright orange, and, as waves splash just steps away, a musician known as Juanito Zihua is lifting his lovely voice above “a waterfall of guitar notes.” I can’t leave town, though, without returning to El Pirata, another beachfront restaurant that hosts salsa dancing each Sunday. There, as a masterful band plays, I watch an expert middleaged dancer choose a partner, guide her steps, and dip her almost to the floor as the music ends. “It’s the perfect Zihua finale.” At the Thompson, a five-star hotel on
Playa la Ropa (bit.ly/thompsonzihuatanejo), doubles start at $300.