Zihuatanejo Gateway
The Guerrero zone starts at Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Airport (ZIH), a small airport about 15 minutes from Zihuatanejo centro. This is the logistics page for the arrival: where to sleep, where to eat, who drives, how to reach Troncones and points north, and where to find a surf shop.
Getting There
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport (ZIH) is a small, easy gateway for the Guerrero zone, with bags to the curb fast. The zone page lists United nonstops from Chicago O'Hare and Houston, American from Dallas-Fort Worth (plus Phoenix from roughly April to August), Alaska from San Francisco from April 2026, and Air Canada from Canada. Most of the US connects over DFW, ORD, IAH or PHX, and connecting through Mexico City on Aeroméxico or Volaris is often cheaper but adds immigration and recheck time. Winter is peak frequency and summer schedules thin out (all reported, unverified, and schedules shift seasonally).
No visa is needed for tourism on a US or EU passport. You fill in a paper Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM) handed out in flight or at a counter before the immigration line, the officer sets the number of days (180 is the ceiling) and staples the exit half into your passport, and you hand that half back when you fly out. The MXN 983 fee is built into your airline ticket, so there is nothing to pay at the airport (reported on the Mexico entry page). Rules depend on your passport, so check the official source before you book. The full list is in Getting Into Mexico.
Getting Out of the Airport
- Airport transfers: only authorized ground transport (Transporte Terrestre) can pick up on airport property, and shared shuttles to Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa run roughly 200 MXN per person. The zone page says walking about 1,000 feet past airport property to the street taxis saves a few hundred pesos (reported, unverified).
- Drive times from the airport: Zihuatanejo centro about 15 minutes, Ixtapa 20 to 25, Troncones 45 to 60, and the villages to the north 70 to 80 (reported).
- Troncones and points north: a private transfer or a rental car, since no shared shuttle runs there from the airport (reported).
- Daylight only: the zone page's one hard rule is no night driving on Highway 200 (reported).
- Advisories: the zone page reports a US State Department Level 4 rating for Guerrero at the state level, while the UK and Canadian advisories explicitly except Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa when reached by air. Read its Good to Know section before you plan (reported).
Other Gateways for This Zone
- Zihuatanejo (ZIH): the zone's gateway (this page).
- Mexico City (MEX): a connecting point on Aeroméxico or Volaris, often cheaper than a US nonstop (reported on the zone page).
- Colima & Michoacán: the zone to the north can also be reached from Zihuatanejo by driving or taking a bus through Lázaro Cárdenas (reported on the Colima & Michoacán zone page). See the Manzanillo Gateway for the other approach.
For the full route notes, see the Guerrero Getting There section.
Stays
Zihuatanejo
- Hotel Casa de la Palma Bed & BreakfastZihuatanejo Bed and breakfast with a solid rating from over 550 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.4 from about 560 reviews. Google Maps listing
- La Quinta de Don AndrésZihuatanejo Hotel with a top rating from over 300 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.7 from about 330 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Villas MercedesZihuatanejo Hotel with a solid rating from over 300 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.4 from about 310 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Casa La PlayaZihuatanejo Hostel with a high rating, though from under 30 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.5 from 24 reviews. Google Maps listing
Near the Airport
- Hotel Villas Punta BlancaZihuatanejo Hotel close to the airport with a rating of 4 from nearly 300 reviews. About 1 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4 from about 290 reviews. Google Maps listing
- BM Zihua Casa de HuéspedesEl Coacoyul Guest house with a high rating from over 200 reviews. About 4 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.5 from about 220 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Hotel MarbellaZihuatanejo Hotel near the airport with a lower rating, from over 500 reviews, so read recent reviews. About 4 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 3.9 from about 520 reviews. Google Maps listing
Airport-area ratings run lower than in the town, so read recent reviews.
Where to Eat
Zihuatanejo Seafood
- Pescados y Mariscos El GaboZihuatanejo Seafood restaurant with a high rating from nearly 2,000 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.4 from about 2,000 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Mariscos El Tiburón de la CostaZihuatanejo Seafood restaurant with a high rating from nearly 1,000 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.5 from about 960 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Restaurante MaderasZihuatanejo Seafood restaurant with a top rating from nearly 700 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.7 from about 670 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Lety's RestaurantZihuatanejo Seafood restaurant with a top rating from 300 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.6 from about 300 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Zihua BayZihuatanejo Seafood restaurant with a top rating from over 100 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.8 from about 120 reviews. Google Maps listing
Bakeries
- Panecitos Don FerZihuatanejo Bakery with a top rating, though from only a dozen reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 5 from 11 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Ariel PanaderíaZihuatanejo Bakery with a high rating, though from only a dozen reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.6 from 12 reviews. Google Maps listing
Transport Companies
Taxis and Tours
- Servicios Turísticos Alto ZihuaIxtapa Local taxi service at the airport with a top rating from over 20 reviews. About 1 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 5 from 21 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Sitio de Taxis IxtapaIxtapa Taxi stand with a solid rating from over 50 reviews. About 16 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.2 from 52 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Tours Ixtapa-ZihuatanejoIxtapa Local tour company with a top rating from over 20 reviews. About 16 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 5 from 23 reviews. Google Maps listing
The zone page says only authorized ground transport can pick up on airport property, shared shuttles to Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa run roughly 200 MXN per person, and Troncones and points north need a private transfer or a rental car (all reported, unverified).
Car Rental
- Jonny Ca$h Car RentalZihuatanejo Local car rental at the airport with a top rating from over 1,000 reviews. About 1 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 5 from about 1,100 reviews. Google Maps listing
- OBACAR Car RentalZihuatanejo Local car rental at the airport with a top rating from nearly 300 reviews. About 1 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 5 from about 300 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Ixtapa Car RentalZihuatanejo Local car rental near the airport with a top rating from nearly 60 reviews. About 1 km from Zihuatanejo Airport in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 5 from 58 reviews. Google Maps listing
International rental brands are left out. Mexican liability auto insurance is mandatory for drivers, and no night driving on Highway 200 (reported).
Board & Luggage Storage
Every luggage-storage listing we found in Zihuatanejo belongs to a network, which we leave out. Ask your hotel first.
Surf Shops and Board Repair
- Silver Surf ShopZihuatanejo Surf shop with a high rating from over 50 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.5 from 53 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Anfibios Surf & SkateZihuatanejo Surf and skate shop with a high rating from 70 reviews. About 1 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 4.5 from 70 reviews. Google Maps listing
- Reparaciones de Tablas de SurfZihuatanejo Board repair listing with a single review, so confirm by message before you go. About 2 km from central Zihuatanejo in a straight line. Unverified. Google rating 5 from 1 reviews. Google Maps listing
Getting Out to the Zones
Guerrero: see Getting There. Keep road movement to daylight and skip long-distance overland driving on Highway 200 toward Acapulco or into the interior (reported).
Questions People Actually Ask.
Which airport do I fly into for Guerrero?
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International (ZIH) is the gateway, a small airport with US nonstops that shift seasonally (reported, unverified, on the zone page).
Do I need a visa for Mexico?
Not for tourism on a US or EU passport. You complete a paper FMM, and the MXN 983 fee is built into your airline ticket. Check the official source for your passport (reported on the Mexico entry page).
How do I get from the airport to Troncones?
There is no shared shuttle. The zone page says to book a private transfer or rent a car, and that the drive takes about 45 to 60 minutes (reported).
Is Guerrero safe to travel in?
The zone page reports a US State Department Level 4 rating for the state, while the UK and Canadian advisories except Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa when reached by air. Its one hard rule is no night driving on Highway 200 (reported).
Disclosure & How This Page Works.
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Every listing was researched in 2026 and has not yet been verified in person. Prices, hours, and policies change; treat them as strong starting points and confirm directly with the business. And per the No-Reveal Code: you will find no surf spots on this page, ever.