Playa Las Gatas
Spend a day at Playa Las Gatas, a very special beach on Zihuatanejo Bay.
Las Gatas beach is not accessible by road and is the home only of small seafood restaurants and water sports providers for the rental of floats, scuba diving and snorkeling equipment. The protected waters are excellent for children with almost no wave action inside the reef.
Rumored to be the playground of ancient Tarascan royalty, legend has it that the Las Gatas man-made reef was created to provide a safe place to swim for an Indian princess. For centuries the breakwater has effectively sheltered swimmers at Las Gatas and also has provided a perfect environment for the growth of marine coral, which in turn has attracted tropical fish and underwater life that is so much enjoyed by visitors to this beach.
Playa las Gatas was named for the small, harmless cat shark. There are no sharks at Las Gatas today — they were all sold to the Japanese for shark fin soup.
Getting There
It is accessible only by water taxi from the Municipal Pier or by doing a bit of scaling over the shoreline rocks and a poorly defined path that runs between La Ropa and Las Gatas, and that is best taken only by the sure-footed and more adventurous. The walking path is only just a 15 or 20 minute walk over the rocks from the end of La Ropa beach along the shore of the bay — but again beware that this path does require a bit of scaling over a couple of rock bluffs, and can vary in difficulty according to the height of the tide and waves along the shore, so tackle the path only with sturdy footwear, sure footing and a good sense of balance.
The water taxis run all day from the Municipal Pier in downtown Zihuatanejo. Round trip is about $5 US. Be sure to check the schedule, the last taxi home is posted as being at about 5:00 pm. A number of organized tours are available, check at your hotel desk or with a local travel agent.
Activities
Las Gatas is the most popular snorkeling beach in Zihuatanejo. Snorkel and scuba gear is available for rent on the beach at Carlo Scuba, along with PADI instruction and certification. Banana boat rides, massages and even fishing charters can be found here. Swim out carefully along the man-made breakwater to see the colorful tropical fish, but PLEASE do not touch the fragile coral. Snorkeling is finest along the outside of the reef but be careful of the wave action out there — don’t get yourself scraped by the coral or stuck by painful sea urchin spines.
A large statue of El Rey de Reyes (Christ, King of Kings) was sunk into the waters of the bay just outside of the breakwater reef. The statue is bronze and measures about 6 meters tall. Snorkelers and divers venturing outside the confines of the reef can view it (the water is usually clear enough to glimpse at least the top of the statue from the surface).
Surfing is popular at the far end of the beach near the rocks at the mouth of the bay, although the waves are not always suitable for the sport. There is also a walking path to the lighthouse on the point of the bay, enjoy the natural beauty as you head for a wonderful view of the Pacific Ocean.
Food and Lodging
There are a dozen small, palapa roofed seafood restaurants along Las Gatas beach. Sample the fresh fish, lobster and octopus caught fresh daily by the Las Gatas fishing fleet.
For many years Las Gatas Beach Club functioned as an ecological hideaway on the far end of the beach near the point, offering bungalows and restaurant service. The installations can now be hired for private and special events.
