Zihuatanejo

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Crossed by the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range and the mighty Potosi River winding through the state of Guerrero, lies one of the most important seaports and tourist destinations on the Mexican Pacific coast. Made famous by “The Shawshank Redemption,” where Tim Robbins’ character Andy Dufresne escapes prison and heads straight to his dream paradise, Zihuatanejo (pronounced zeewha-tan-ay-hoe” and often shortened to “Zihua”)…forever putting this once sleepy fishing village on the tourist map.

In the 19th century, this small town was a favorite port of the Spanish explorers as they returned from the shipping routes of Asia. The region was introduced to the coconut palm tree that was brought over from the Philippines, and was considered a top producer in that region of Mexico for years into the future.

Zihua was almost untouched for another century, but in the mid-1970s the Mexican Department of Tourism (FONATUR) created a luxury resort masterpiece, just 10 minutes up the coast. Ixtapa includes the beach of Playa El Palmar, two 18-hole championship golf courses at either end of the beach, and a string of luxury resort hotels and condominiums for year-round living (or lucrative rental opportunities).