Cheap flights to Ixtapa

Ixtapa is usually mentioned in the same breath as neighbouring town Zihuatanejo. The towns are just 6km apart in the state of Guerrero, southern Mexico. Where Ixtapa is a purpose-built resort, established in the 1970s by the Mexican government, Zihuatanejo is an old fishing village.

Ixtapa is a more immediate vacation destination – luxurious hotels line the Playa El Palmar, there are two magnificent golf courses, a modern marina and high-class boutiques. Savvy travellers who book cheap flights to Ixtapa will be able to sample the best of both towns.

Playa El Palmar is called the “Ixtapa Hotel Zone” as most of the town’s hotels are located here. It’s a beautiful spot, its wide crescent shore excellent for surfing and, at its southern end, swimming. Playa Quieta is located about a ten-minute car ride from the Hotel Zone. It’s quieter and calmer than Playa El Palmar. Playa Linda is further along the coast again, a fine-sand beach just made for swimming. From here, Isla Ixtapa is a ten-minute boat ride away. The tiny island has four beaches and is perfect for swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving or just sunning.

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Ixtapa climate

This part of Mexico has a semi-tropical climate. There are about 300 sunny days per year. Temperatures hover between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius (75-82 degrees Fahrenheit). The rainy season extends from mid May through September/October. Generally, rain falls in the evenings or at night allowing visitors to sun or sight-see as planned. The warmest months are April and May. December and January have milder temperatures.

Getting around Ixtapa

If, after you get off your cheap flights to Ixtapa, you plan on exploring the coastal region, rental car offers maximum independence. However, if you plan to stay close to Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, taking taxis or public buses is a better, and cheaper, option.

What is good to know if travelling to Ixtapa?

• Almost everything in Ixtapa lies along Paseo Ixtapa, the boulevard which runs parallel to Playa del Palmar, the hotel-lined main beach.
• The Delfiniti Ixtapa dolphinarium offers visitors the chance to get up close with bottlenose dolphins through a variety of interactive programs – a 45-minute swim, a 20-minute play-and-swim session, a program for children aged 3-7 years and mom-and-baby bonding with a dolphin.
• Ixtapa is paradise for bird watchers. Throughout Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, more than 320 species have been recorded, one third of all birdlife in Mexico.
• In the Southern Sierra Madre mountain range, visitors can rappel, zip-line, raft and hike at two adventure parks.
• Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is a great place to go fishing. Rated as one of the best places in the world for sports fishing, enthusiasts take cheap flights to Ixtapa to test themselves against the deep sea creatures. The Pacific sailfish is the most abundant species in these waters and is available year-round. Blue and black marlin swim through this area between January and July. Dorado or mahi-mahi and yellowfin tuna are also visitors.