Our day in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa

[judyf]

Friday 4/14/06-Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo

 

Our port time today was 7am to last tender was 1:30pm, short time in a port especially after a 12 midnight port day the day before. I wish it was a little later in the day and we could have stayed longer at the beach. For a cruise the times are what all the cruise lines do, arrive early and leave early. It's a cruise thing.

 

We were up and ready early and went down to get tender tickets as they call you by number for a tender. As soon as we got our tickets and we were headed to the buffet to grab a little breakfast we hear an announcement saying for the next 15 minutes from 7:45 to 8am anyone can get on a tender without a ticket. We decided to skip breakfast and head for a tender. We get right on and we are off.

 

I had been e-mailing a lady from the US that's living in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. She was great I told her what we wanted to do and the time we had in port and she gave me great ideas and money saving tips. I took her advise and we had a great day. Gotten love all the message boards they are the best form of information no matter what kind of vacation you're on.

 

We went to La Ropa Beach on the other side of the bay. She told me to walk to the basketball court a block or so away from where we got off the tender and get a cab to Villas Mexicanna. It was great!!! The cab cost us $3.00 to get there and we tipped good. I think we made a mistake here more on that when we go back to the ship. We passed the fishing village/market area on the way to the BB court. There were venders selling things along the way. We looked a little as we walked by, it was early and no one was there. It was so hot, I couldn't wait to get to the water. We find the area with the cabs and I tell him Villas Mexicanna and we're off. It was a longer ride then I thought it would be. It was nice, we got to see a lot of the locals as we went there. It took maybe 15 minutes I think. I can't remember for sure.

 

We walk through to the beach area and there's a restaurant right there that had great reviews on the Ixtapa message board. It was Dona Prudencia and it was good. A tourist that wasn't staying at that villa was leaving as we were coming and she told us it was the best in the area, she goes there almost every day.

 

After breakfast we head out to find a massage. As you walk out of the lobby area of the Villas Mexicanna the restaurant is a little to your right and then if you go to your left there's an area not far at all where they have the massage tables set up. We got two lounge chairs near the massage tables one in the sun for me and another in the shade for my mother.

 

My mother has never had a massage and was ready to back out I talked her into it and she was so happy I did. We were the first customers, and it's a good thing too. We got a massage that was over an hour long for $20.00. This was better then any massage I've ever had including the one I had on the CCL Fantasy my first cruise. This was the one and only time I had a massage on a ship. I didn't enjoy it due to the high pressure they give you to buy their products while you're getting the massage, just not relaxing. I go to our local spas 2-3 times per year. I've tried 3 different ones in our area and must say this was the best one I've ever had and for only $20.00. We gave them a really good tip.

 

After the massage I talk my mother into getting her first pedicure it was only $15.00. She had to wait about 30 minutes due to we didn't book it at the same time as the massage. When we were done there was a couple there that was staying there and they told us this was their 5th time there this week.

 

As my mother was getting her pedicure I go and play in the water. It was nice there lots of locals and not all that many tourists. There were a few but many more locals. I got a banana boat ride for $5.00, in Cabo they wanted $10.00 I had to wait a few minutes due to there had to be more then one going. The guy went to a family that was near by and most likely they were waiting for a larger group too and I joined them. It was 5 of us I think and there was still room for 2-3 more. It was so much fun. We went way out close to the ship, I couldn't understand what the family was saying exactly but I could tell they were impressed with the ship. We saw flying fish jumping in the water. Then we went way out to the other end of the bay. It was my first time and I would love to do it again.

 

My mother is still getting her toes done, I relax in the sun a little working on the vacation tan, which I never really got this cruise. Everybody at work is joking with me about where's my tan. I tell them I must of left it in Mexico and I got to go back to get it!

 

Unfortunately it's time to get closer to the tenders. We go to get a cab, they call them for us at the front desk but there were two right out front. We get in the cab and the driver tells us $10.00. We question the price cause we only paid $3.00 to get there. We knew it would be a little more due to going back to the pier instead of the BB court. He tells us $10.00, $5.00 per person. I think it should have been $3.00 pp going and the way he told us we thought it was for the two of us. Good thing we tipped good! He never said a word. Must likely he thought we didn't tip good. LOL

 

We get dropped off right across the street from the tenders we have a little time so we look around the shops right there and get a shot glass and some T-shirts and the best margarita I ever had for I think it was only $2.00 or something close to that. I can't remember the name of the place and for some reason I didn't take a picture but if you walk off the tender and go straight instead of a left or right on the road you will walk right into the place.

 

We go to get in the long tender line that went very quick and I see to our right someone has a big fish, they caught fishing so of course I go to take a picture of it.

 

We had a wonderful day in Zihuatanejo. This is one location I would go back too. One of the things I like about cruising is I get to check out all the different locations for a short day to see if we would like to go there and use our timeshare week. This is a definitely yes. We never made it to Ixtapa but would like to if we return. I'm including a great site I found with good info in case anyone is interested.

 

http://www.zihua.net/

 

 

Here's a link to the pictures. I also posted the Star pictures if interested.

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/549886722cSImPj

[melika091900]

Hey judy

how was the water at la ropa??? it looked kinda rough in the pics... was anyone snorkeling there ????? thanks for the info,, we are looking for a great beach to take our 5 year old when we are there in NOV>>

from the pics it looks perfect... just wondering about the safety of the water..

thanks Judy....

melissa

can you also take a taxi just from where you get off the tender??? how far is the place you had to walk to to get the taxi the BB courts?>>>

thanks

[judyf]

Hi Melissa,

 

The water wasn't bad at all some waves that many kids were playing in. The walk was easy, my mother did it and she doesn't like to walk.

 

Check out the meaage board on the link I provided and my posts where I got all the info our there. I'm going to open it and try to find it for you. I either use the same as judyf or autumnsam on meassahe boards.

 

http://www.zihuatanejo-ixtapa.com/messageboard/

 

http://www.zihuatanejo-ixtapa.com/messageboard/messages/16987.html

 

It's under day in Ixtapa/zihuatanejo the date was 3/21/06-3/22/06 all the info I got was from this message board. The directions are including in my responses.

 

Hope this helps.

[lovemexico]

judy iam really enjoying this please keep up the great work and thanks so much for taking the time to share this with us.

[judyf]

Your welcome. I learn so much from researching on this board that I love to be able to post our experience for others I just love to read all of the reviews before our cruise too. I wish more people post on the prot section of the board. Plus I keep them as a reminder of our vacation too.

[Fblack]

Stay away from snorkel tours to Las Gatos beach in Z. I just got back and three friends got very ill after they went into the water. They said there were dead chickens in the water and lots of junk.