Is Zihuatanejo safe? What to know before a stay downtown

Zihuatanejo is one of the places in Guerrero that visitors keep coming back to. Canada's regional travel advisory for Guerrero state specifically excludes Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa. About 5,000 foreigners live here for at least part of the year, according to International Living, and thousands of Canadian and American retirees spend every winter in town. Long-term visitors say petty theft is the most common problem, and the usual city precautions cover it.

What the travel advisories say

Government advisories are written by state and change over time, so read the current version before you book and again before you fly. For Canadians, the page is travel.gc.ca/destinations/mexico. The point that matters for this trip: the regional advisory for Guerrero does not include Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa. Long-time visitors on the forums point this out when newcomers ask.

If you are American, check the State Department's page for Mexico, which is also organised by state. Whatever your passport, register your trip with your government's traveller service so they can reach you.

What people who spend the winter here report

The forum threads that come up every year, "Safety in Zihua" and "Zihuatanejo current safety" on TripAdvisor and the Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa message board, say much the same thing:

• Walking around the city in daylight is not an issue.
• Petty theft is the most common concern: bags left on the beach, phones on café tables.
• After dark, stay in the well-lit areas of Centro.

The numbers point the same way. Canadian visitors used to stay two or three months; by March 2026 the mayor said many were staying about five. The airport handled a record 733,616 passengers in 2025. Guests at Hotel Valle mention the same thing in their reviews: one described the place as very safe and pleasant, close to the market, the pier and the combi stops.

Practical tips for Centro

Walking

• At night, keep to lit streets with people on them: the waterfront, the streets around the market and the main shopping streets.
• Carry only the cash you need for the day. Leave passports in the apartment.
• On the beach, take only what you would not mind losing, and don't leave a bag alone while you swim.

Money

• Use ATMs inside bank branches, in the daytime.
• Keep a card and some cash in the apartment, separate from what you carry.

Getting around

• Agree the taxi fare before you get in. A taxi from Centro to La Ropa is about 40 pesos.
• Combis (shared vans) to Ixtapa leave from stops a few blocks from Hotel Valle.

Weather is part of it too

• May to October is hot and humid; in July it reaches 36 °C. Drink water and avoid the midday sun.
• From June to October, storms can cut power and internet for hours. If you work online, keep a Telcel or AT&T data plan as a backup.

Staying at Hotel Valle

Hotel Valle is a family-run building at Vicente Guerrero 33, in the middle of Centro, next to the municipal market and 200 m from Playa Principal. The family has run it since 1976. If you are worried about noise at night rather than safety, ask for one of the inside-facing apartments, B1 to B5.