Ixtapa Island: How to Enjoy a Perfect Day at Isla Ixtapa
- Updated: 09/28/2023
- Janice
We visited tiny and tropical Ixtapa Island on a day trip while staying at Club Med Ixtapa and loved it. Here are details on how to get there and what to do once you arrive.
Table Of Contents
About Ixtapa Island
Ixtapa Island is a small day-visit island just off Mexico’s Pacific coast near Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa in Guerrero state. Find it on a map directly across the water from the Azul Ixtapa Grand All Suites hotel.
Although it takes only a few short minutes to travel the mile or so to the island from the Mexican mainland via a water taxi, spending time there feels like you should have traveled a lot longer.
While on the island, enjoy a laid-back world with no cars or even roads, where every structure on the island is open-air and designed to maximize its lovely views over the water and the mainland’s Sierra Madre del Sur mountains.
Given fair weather, which the area enjoys in abundance from November through May, expect to find calm surf perfect for families at one of three golden sand beaches.
Enjoy snorkeling in clear waters at aptly named Coral Beach or walking along a short trail system connecting the beaches where you might spot rabbits and deer—rumored to be introduced on the island to film a movie and never removed.
And if you visit this Pacific gem, arrive hungry. The specialty is pescado a las brasas—grilled fish cooked over wood-fired stoves served whole—and it is delicious, especially when devoured after snorkeling. And with mouth-watering tortillas made fresh over the same stove and washed down with an ice-cold beer or a frothy pina colada, all while your toes are digging in soft sand and you are enjoying gentle breezes coming in over your Pacific Ocean views.
If it sounds heavenly, it is because it is. Check out a one-minute reel of our day-visit highlights below.
Several resorts in the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo area offer day trips to the island. However, getting to Ixtapa Island is straightforward, and you can do it on your own. By traveling independently, you can choose where to eat, the activities you want to do, or the amount of time you plan to stay.
Though if you are a traveler who prefers to stay in vacation mode and outsource day trip details and planning to someone else, check out this tour recommendation below.
Pro tip: For guests arriving from four or five-star resorts with all the modern amenities in mainland Mexico, you will not have these on Ixtapa Island. You may find facilities rustic, even at the most well-known establishments—though completely clean and operational.
How To Get There
The easiest and most convenient way to get to Ixtapa Island is by taking a water taxi from the Playa Linda pier.
Water taxis are speedboats that ferry passengers back and forth to Ixtapa Island from 8A to 5P daily. Expect to get wet entering your water taxi as you will need to wade a few feet into the water to board your boat.
To get to Playa Linda, take a bus and walk through the open-air commercial shopping stalls to make your way to the pier and ticket office. While in the area, take time to shop, get a snack, or even view the crocodiles, lizards, and birds at the Cocodrilario (crocodile reserve).
Alternatively, you can also take a taxi and request to be dropped off directly at the pier.
Round-trip water-taxi transfers cost 80 Pesos or about $3.70-3.85US per person.
Check out the helpful video I found that shows you what you can expect when catching a water taxi at Playa Linda.
You can also catch a ride to Ixtapa Island at the southern end of Playa Quieta, the beach just south of Playa Linda. Find Miguel, who owns several speedboats at this end of the beach, and ask him for a transfer.
Since we were staying at Club Med Ixtapa, which fronts Playa Quieta, this is what we did. We booked time with Miguel to teach our kids how to waterski then immediately followed it with transport to Ixtapa Island.
Although Miguel charged more, we paid $10US per person for round-trip transport—it was worth it. Leaving and returning to our own beach made the trip incredibly convenient.
Pro Tips:
It is best to head to Ixtapa Island early. Crowds hit peak levels by 12P. By arriving early, you will avoid long lines crossing over via water taxi, and you will get your choice of beach and restaurant location. Plus, you will enjoy more peaceful and better snorkeling—fish are most active in the morning.
To further avoid crowds—if your schedule allows for it—plan to visit Ixtapa Island during the week. The water taxi lines can get long in the high season, especially on weekends.
Knowing you will need to wade into the water to board your water taxi, plan what you will wear (e.g., swimsuit, cover-up, flip flops, etc.) and what you will bring with you. This entry may also affect family groups with babies and toddlers who use strollers. If you do not have access to an all-terrain stroller for beach use, you may want to consider going without one. And for groups with mobility requirements, be aware you might find a day trip to Ixtapa Island challenging given the water taxi entry and lack of paved pathways on the island.
Where to Go Once You Arrive
The water taxis to Ixtapa Island will drop you off at the pier on Playa Varadero. From here, you will step out onto a walkway, where you can easily make your way to any one of the three main beaches and many restaurants on the island.
The main beaches on the island include:
Playa Varadero. This beach is the main arrival and departure point for Ixtapa Island and offers several restaurant options along a wide sweep of water frontage busy with boat traffic.
Playa Coral. We chose to spend our day here. Enjoy snorkeling off this beach to view abundant corals and active marine life in clear waters without the boat traffic.
Playa Cuachalalate. This favorite beach, named for the tree that grows in the area, faces the Ixtapa hotel zone and offers several restaurants to settle in and enjoy the day.
Where To Stash Your Stuff & Where To Eat
As the restaurants on Ixtapa Island offer the only available beach seating, you will want to choose one place to situate yourself either for the whole day or for a few hours until you are ready to move on. And once you have a table, it is yours for as long as you like.
Our restaurant of choice was Lili Cipriani—with access to both Playa Varadero and Playa Coral, this restaurant stretched across the land bridge that connects both beaches has a perfect location. Plus, Miguel’s wife worked there, so we wanted to go with his recommendation. We were not disappointed.
Staff from Lili met us at the pier and brought us to the restaurant at a shaded table that looked out over Coral Beach. We left our bags, assured that they would be safe (they were), got suited up in our snorkel equipment, also rented from Lili, and headed out to explore the reef.
After snorkeling, we enjoyed cold drinks—multiple Cokes for the kids, beers, and a refreshing and oversize piña colada for myself, followed by a grilled seafood feast paired with fresh salsas and guacamole. We could not get enough of Lili’s homemade tortillas cooked over their wood-fired stove. They were the best we have ever eaten.
The island is full of other restaurants and snorkel rental options. Walk around until you find one you like, or go with one of the popular spots below:
- Lili Cipriani. Our favorite, with frontage on Playa Varadero and Playa Coral.
- Restaurante Tres Sirenas. On Playa Cuachalalate.
- Restaurant Paraiso Escondido. On Playa Varadero.
What to Do on Ixtapa Island
On Ixtapa Island, you can opt to enjoy one of several activities, including snorkeling, walking around the island, swimming, relaxing, eating, or getting a massage.
The best snorkeling is at Playa Coral. We enjoyed good visibility and were pleased to see far more coral and fish than expected. For comparison, especially for readers who have been to Hawaii, I found conditions here during a December visit far better than those at well-known and stunning Hanauma Bay in Oahu.
Visitors rent snorkel equipment from any restaurant on Playa Coral. We found the rental operation at Lili Cipriani easy to navigate and convenient. The staff was helpful, many of whom spoke English, and we could pay with a credit card. We spent approximately $20US per person on snorkel rental equipment for the day.
To explore the reef, you have the option to snorkel independently or go with a guide which your restaurant can provide for an additional fee. Reef guides lead small groups that hold onto a floating boogie board around the reef, pointing out hiding places and the prettiest spots. Our kids were not up for a group activity, and since they are good swimmers, we skipped the guided option. And instead, we explored the reef independently at our own pace.
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After snorkeling, we enjoyed a delicious lunch. And if we stayed longer—our teens were eager to back to the resort to spend time with new friends—we would have walked off our big meal following the paths around the island where we might have seen rabbits and deer.
Or we could have doubled down on our relaxation and booked an inexpensive open-air massage also available at Lili Cipriani for approximately $20US per hour.
Our options were many on Isla Ixtapa, our relaxation and enjoyment—guaranteed.
Recommended Tours
If you prefer to outsource your day trips, book a visit to Ixtapa Island either through your resort, if you are staying at one, or with Viator below.
The Ixtapa Island Day Tour bookable on Viator is an affordable 5-hour activity that includes pickup from your hotel or resort in Ixtapa or Zihuatenajeo and round-trip transport to and from Ixtapa Island.
A preset lunch menu and one drink, as well as a stop at reptile reserve on Playa Linda, a guided walk (10 minutes) to the three beaches around the island, are also included. Expect to pay separately for snorkeling (~$20US per person).
Related Reading
For families traveling to Mexico, and particularly the Ixtapa area, check out my related articles below to help you get the information you need to plan your best visit.
Or view my “Mexico: The Best Books to Read Before a Trip” Bookshop.org booklist shared above.
Additional Trip Planning Resources
To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below.
Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here.
Google Hotels. Use its “Where to stay” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.
Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.
Viator, Get Your Guide, & Airbnb Experiences. Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.
Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps. Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list.
AllTrails. Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.
Guide Along. 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour.
Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here. My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com.
Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks, and my free customizable travel itinerary template, downloadable in four file formats.
About the author: Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog, Gather and Go Travel. Check out her bio, learn how she became a blogger, and discover how to work with her. Sign up for her monthly Discovery Newsletter to get her latest travel recommendations and how-to’s.
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Welcome to Gather and Go Travel, a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, an experienced traveler to over 50 countries and a travel writer, book lover, and blogger. Learn more about me, read our story, and how to work with me.
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4 Responses
Hi Jax, unfortunately I do not have his personal contact info. I wish I did! However, I was easily able to walk down the beach and set an available time with him for transfers (and waterskiing) once we were there in person. Good luck and have a wonderful trip!
Can I get Miguel’s contact to book him please?
Hi Heather, I’m so glad you found this article helpful, and have a great time at Club Med! Club Med sits right on Playa Quieta which is only about 1/2 mi long. At the southernmost end, you’ll see the Club Med watersports (e.g., kayaks, sailboats, etc.). And just past them, you will see Miguel and his boats. You won’t miss them. Miguel has two or three boats. I just went up and talked to him about booking an hour-long waterskiing (I am nearly certain we paid $100US for an hour, though this included teaching both of my kids who have never been) for the next day along with the transfers to Ixtapa Island. I, unfortunately, do not speak Spanish, though, fortunately, Miguel speaks English so it was easy to work everything out. Also, Miguel let us pay for the waterskiing and the boat transfers with a credit card b/c we didn’t have cash, the staff at Lili Cipriani added his charges to our bill at the restaurant. I hope this helps!
This is a perfect review with tons of helpful information. We’ll be heading to Clubmed in a couple of months. My big question is… how do I find Miguel? He sounds fantastic! And how much did you pay for waterskiing? My daughter and I love it. Thanks again for all of the help!