IXTAPA

Only 4.3 miles separate resort towns Ixtapa and the equally charming Zihuatanejo, but these sisters couldn\'t be more different. Ixtapa, a former coconut plantation, is the more glamorous sibling, with a hotel zone of high-rises, all-inclusive resorts, and upscale shopping. Its proximity to two championship golf courses and the Magic World Aquatic Park completes its appeal. Down the road from its resorts, Zihuatanejo is the laid-back free spirit, a quaint fishing village with winding streets of galleries, folk art shops, and beachfront palapa-style restaurants—an excellent way to spend a free day.

The bright blue waters both towns are blessed with mark them clearly as equally alluring tourist and fishing destinations. Sailfish average 75 - 100 pounds; black marlin can be 1,100 pounds (the biggest recorded catch in the area); and snorkeler favorite Las Gatas Beach is named after the number of cat sharks residing off its shores. Experienced divers head to Los Morros de Potosi\'s granite-rock cave network, but those who want to enjoy the Pacific above it can find their bliss in a sailboat or on water skis.