Зиуатанехо: Мексиканың Гуэрреро штатындағы қала

City in the Mexican state of Guerrero

Zihuatanejo (siwataˈnexo), and/or Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, is the fourth largest city in the Mexican state of Guerrero. It was known by 18th century English mariners as Chequetan and/or Seguataneo. Politically the city belongs to the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta in the western part of Guerrero, but both are commonly referred to as Zihuatanejo. It is on the Pacific Coast, about northwest of Acapulco. Zihuatanejo belongs to a section of the Mexican Pacific Coast known as the Costa Grande. This town has been developed as a tourist attraction along with the modern tourist resort of Ixtapa, away. However, Zihuatanejo has kept its traditional town feel. The town is located on a well protected bay which is popular with private boat owners during the winter months. The name Zihuatanejo has two possible origins. One origin might be from the Purépecha language meaning "water of the yellow mountain"; another possible origin might be from Nahuatl (Cihuacan) meaning "place of women." Cihuacan, or "place of women", refers to the western paradise of the Nahuatl universe, the home of the "goddess women". According to tradition, these women arose in the afternoon to lead the sun at dusk to the realm of the dead, Mictlan, to give a dim light to the dead. "De Azueta" is in honor of José Azueta, who died fighting a U. S. incursion into the country in Veracruz in 1914. Zihuatanejo's population jumped from 6,887 to 37,328 by the early 1990s. Cuitlatepan was conquered by the Aztecs under Ahuizotl in 1497. It was renamed Xihuacan and turned into a tributary province.

The Spanish arrived in the 1520s. The first Spaniard to arrive here is said to have been Gonzalo de Umbria, sent by Hernán Cortés to explore the area to see if there was any gold. The conquest caused the native peoples to mostly abandon the area, and it is not known where they went. Those left to provide tribute were known in the Mexican highlands for their cotton shawls and decorated conch shells. In the second half of the 16th century, the original Spanish shipyards at Zacatula burned. Unable to reconstruct them, new ones were built at Zihuatanejo. The surrounding haciendas occasionally used the bay as a port to ship wood and minerals. The bay was visited during the colonial period by many pirates. It was a rare phenomenon that subsided after the sharks dispersed. On 20 February 2009, a group of men in a pickup truck threw explosive devices at the installations of the Secretariat of Public Safety of the municipality of Zihuatanejo, resulting in five persons injured. The attack occurred at 7:45 pm near the municipal docks. At the time of the attack, the 56th Infantry Battalion had been stationed in Zihuatanejo, mostly to interdict the traffic in arms, drugs and stolen vehicles. The grenade attack on the security headquarters was followed by a highway ambush that killed four policemen.

The fishing town and resort of Zihuatanejo spreads out around the Bay of Zihuatanejo and inland toward the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains. Since the 1970s, it has been developed in conjunction with nearby Ixtapa, but conserving its traditional Mexican feel. The town also has a long standing community of Swiss and Italian immigrants. The heart of Zihuatanejo is the waterfront walkway Paseo del Pescador (Fisherman's Path), also called the malecón. It is lined with restaurants offering seafood and many other dishes, as well as a variety of stores selling rugs, arts and crafts and souvenirs, and a small shell market. In the evening, this area fills with people socializing. The gallery of Restaurant Coconuts has a collection of Works done by Guerrero native Nicolás de Jesús. Another festival is the Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival which is held in March; it is a week long event held at multiple locations every night, with a children's show as well as a free public show at the main plaza. The Zihua Guitar Fest brings guitarists from all over the world such as Canadian artist Adrian Raso, Los Angeles’ artist Omar Torrez, South Africa's Margarets Daughter, Nashville's Eric McFadden and Texas based Los Pistoleros to name a few. This festival prides itself in drawing tourism to the area which helps support the many small family owned businesses. This festival began in 2004 and has been a big hit for locals as well as tourists.

The port is mainly used by fishermen who arrive to the docks every morning with their catch, Yearly, on the first weekend of May, Zihuatanejo hosts the International Sailfish Tournament. The event brings hundreds of fishermen and boats into town in the hopes of winning one of the many prizes offered for largest sailfish, marlin and dorado.

Cruises often stop at Zihuatanejo, the city having become a major cruise stop and a major attraction for its beaches. The city is also famous for its catamaran tours, most popular and known is Picante Cruises, operating in both Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa bay where snorkeling, spinnaker flying, and sunset cruises are offered.

Zihuatanejo can be reached by air, bus and highway and has its own airport, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo International. Flights are available from Mexico City, several provincial cities, and various places in the United States and Canada. Airlines: Aeromexico, Interjet, Air Canada (seasonal), Alaska Airlines, American Airlines (seasonal), Delta Air Lines (seasonal), Sun Country Airlines (seasonal), United Airlines, WestJet. Charter Lines: Apple Vacations, Champion Air, Funjet Vacations, MLT Vacations, Ryan International, Sunwing Vacations, and others. Bus Lines: Autovias, Costa Line, Estrella de Oro, Estrella Blanca, La Linea Plus, Parhikuni, Primera Plus and Tap.