The Mexican City Of Zihuatanejo
Located northwest of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo is a fully developed tourist destination that lures tourists with its ability to maintain its small town, traditional vibe. It is in Mexico\’s western state of Guerrero, and is the fourth largest city.
In its early years, Zihuatanejo was a sleepy village, but its location on the bay played in its favor as it developed into a vacation spot. During the 1970s, resorts were introduced to the area and development began. It now resembles places like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta in that it has since received many, many tourists each year.
Close to the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range, the city contains a large resort and is home to a considerable group of immigrants originating in Switzerland and Italy. \’El Centro, \’ the downtown, is just north of the bay and is known for its quaintness.
There is a tree-lined pathway bordering the beach and connects the fishing pier with the archaeological museum. This is a popular area as it boasts restaurants, shops and a marketplace, as well as a flourishing nightlife.
Zihuatanego does not contain a plaza, like most of its Mexican counterparts; instead, a basketball court sits at the center of town. This serves as a venue for community events such as concerts and art shows. Each year, the town hosts a festival to raise money for educational programs aimed at disadvantaged youth of the region called the Zihua Sail Fest. It takes place over five days and includes parties, concerts, races and auctions that attract people and boats from far away. In 2009, the festival raised more than six hundred forty thousand pesos.
The city contains a large crafts market, called the Mercado de Artesanias, and is made up of more than two hundred fifty small shops. Most of these crafts that are sold are locally produced from natural resources native to the area and the sea.
With the nearby mountains, there are plenty of outdoor activities to explore. A very large public park features hundreds of plant species that attract plant enthusiasts. There also exists an archaeological site, called the Tierras Prietas, as well as the typical outdoor activities like hiking, walking and camping.
Since the 1970s, tourism has established itself as the city\’s strongest industry. Fishing, however, was a popular source of income before then, and it is still the go-to job for many of the locals. Other industries include timber, livestock, and growing crops such as coffee, beans, sesame seed, corn and others.
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