We hope your vacation here in Ixtapa will be one of your best. We have tried to make everything in the house as convenient and comfortable as possible. Given that Mexico is a foreign country for many of you, and this is your first stay in Casa Pelicanos, here are some helpful hints and suggestions that will help make your stay here a pleasant one.
LOCKS, KEYS AND PERSONAL SECURITY
You have been given two sets of keys for every door you need to access. One lower room and the closet under the stairs are locked and contain our personal possessions. Be sure to lock all doors when you leave the house. It is almost unheard of here for someone to break into an occupied house, however, an unlocked house is considered fair game for theft.
You will find a small safe in the master bedroom shelf unit. It is big enough for a laptop computer and several other small items. The safe should be unlocked when you arrive. You can set your own personal combination by following these steps:
Locate the red button on the back side of the door (it is on the edge of the back side of the keypad box that faces the safe when the door is open). Press and hold this red button until the amber light on the keypad stays lit and let go. Now enter from 3-7 digits of a number you will remember and then press the letter “B” on the lower right side of the keypad. This sets your personal combination. To lock or unlock the safe just enter your combination followed by the letter “A” on the lower left side of the keypad and turn the locking knob. Try out your new combination once or twice before actually locking the safe just to be sure you got it right. If the safe is locked when you arrive or if you have troubles opening it call our manager. BE SURE TO LEAVE THE SAFE OPEN WHEN YOU LEAVE BECAUSE WE WILL NOT KNOW YOUR COMBINATION!!!
The master bedroom closet can be locked by shutting the left hand door and inserting the bolt on the back of the door into the hole in the floor, then locking the right hand door with the key. Although we believe the maid to be trustworthy, we recommend that you do not leave money, jewelry or other valuables out when you are not in the house.
HONOR BAR
Feel free to indulge in anything you find in the dining room bar. All we ask is that you replace anything you consume with an equal or greater amount before leaving. (If this works we should have a good supply of booze when we retire!) If you are buying tequila get a brand we don’t already have so you can compare. You will find the better tequilas to be very unique and distinctive just like fine scotch or wine. We usually use the cheap stuff for mixing in Margaritas. A good place to buy Liquor for here or to take home is Wine and Spirit International, Calle Catalina Gonzalez #15, in Zihuatanejo. The store Tequila Por Favor sells many fine tequilas and even lets you sample them. They also sell local, hand-rolled cigars
WATER AND PLUMBING
Remember you are in Mexico so don’t drink the water! Actually, we have had the tap water analyzed by a lab in the states and found that it was safe to drink. We still don’t recommend that you drink it however since it comes from a holding tank on the roof and an underground cistern which are not sealed and could become contaminated. It is also possible that the city supply could become contaminated from time to time.
We will start you out with two large bottles of drinking water. Should you need more just take one of your empties to the store, which is just in from the main entrance to Pelicanos, and buy a new one for about 20 pesos. They also sell it from delivery trucks by driving up and down the streets, honking the horn and calling "¡AGUA!"
There is a water cooler that holds the water jug. When the jug is empty there will still be several quarts of water in the cooler but go ahead and replace the jug before it runs dry. To replace the jug first wash off the top of the new jug and remove the plastic cap. Quickly turn it up side down and set it in place in the top of the water cooler. (This is a little exciting but usually not much spills!) There are two switches on the back of the water cooler that turn on the chiller and heater elements. We leave the heater switch off since people seldom seem to need hot water here. If you do want hot water go ahead and turn the switch on. It takes about 10 minutes for the water to heat. Please turn it back off again when you are done to help us save energy. If the water from the blue tap doesn’t seem to be cold check to see that the blue switch is turned on and that the unit is plugged in.
The water heater is small and a long way from the showers. It will take awhile for you to get hot water there and if you stay in the shower too long you will run out. Most of the time the unheated water is warm enough for a cool shower due to the fact that it comes from a black plastic tank on top of the house.
Water and ice is usually safe to drink in the restaurants in town. Use caution however when away from town or anyplace you accessed by water taxi. When there, insist on bottled water (brought to your table with the seal unbroken), soda or beer and no ice.
For reasons that I don’t completely understand, the plumbing in Mexico is not able to handle toilet paper. Whenever you see a wastebasket next to the toilet (as in Casa Pelicanos), you are expected to dispose of all toilet paper and sanitary products there, not flush them. Failure to do so may result in a plugged toilet and/or an unpleasant sewer backup into the house. The person who comes to fix the problem will not understand how you could be so dumb!
GARBAGE
The maid will take out the garbage when she cleans, but if you want to get rid of it sooner there are barrels for trash at the end of the cul-de-sac to the right. You will find plastic bags for liners under the sink.
AIR CONDITIONERS AND FANS
The house is equipped with two "mini- split" air conditioners and two wall units. There are also ceiling fans in most rooms. The Mini Split units can be controlled by the remote control units mounted on the walls. The controls are in Spanish, but there is a copy of the operation manual on the living room table. I have also put little stickers on the remotes telling you what the various functions are. Don't worry about the buttons inside the flip-door, they are for setting up automatic timers and I can't even figure out how to work them. You will find a conversion chart inside the flip door from Celsius to Fahrenheit. We find that leaving the units set to about 25 or 26 (77-78.8F) keeps the house quite comfortable. During the winter we usually shut them off and open the windows for sleeping as it cools down quite nicely after the sun sets.
Although many things in Mexico are cheaper than in the USA, electricity is not one of them! Electricity is our biggest expense and we ask you to help us keep our rent at a reasonable level by not using the air conditioners more than is necessary. Besides that, didn't you come here to be hot? You'll have plenty time to be cold when you go back home! Please be sure all the doors and windows are shut tightly when operating the air conditioners and turn them off or to a low setting when leaving the house for more than four hours. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Ceiling fan controls for the two upstairs bedrooms are mounted near the floor on the side of the bed.
There are light switches that control the bedside lamps on the sides of the beds as well.
LIGHTING THE STOVE AND OVEN
The kitchen range stove burners have an electric spark igniter. Just
turn on the burner you want and press the button on front with the zigzag
line on it. This will light the burner. If it doesn’t work for
some reason you can also just use a match.
To light the oven you will need to open the oven door, turn on the oven gas and hold a match or lighter in the hole in the floor of the oven near the front. If it doesn’t light right away shut off the gas and wait a few minutes before trying again.
Remember, Mexico is on the metric system so the oven temps are in Celsius! Good luck with that!
TELEPHONE
There are cordless phones in the living room and in the master bedroom for your use. Local calls are free, but direct dial long distance calls to the US are very expensive. Any long distance charges will be billed to your credit card. We recommend using your own phone card for all long distance calls, or buy a phone card and use it at a phone booth since we do not get a very good rate from the house phone. We have a cell phone with a local number that you can rent and use while you are here. The cell phone rental is $25 per week plus minutes.
The phone number of the house is 553 2373. To call it from the US you must dial 011 52 755 553 2373. To phone home to the US from Mexico you must dial 001 followed by the area code and phone number.
INTERNET
We have added a high speed internet connection with wireless modem to the house. If you bring your laptop you should be able to access the internet right from the house. If you have connection problems just call our manager. If you only want to check your e-mail once in awhile, you can do so at the Internet Café in Ixtapa or at several places in Zihuatanejo. Zihua is much cheaper. An Internet store just opened right in the Pelicanos neighborhood! Just wander around the shops in the center of the neighborhood and find it. They are only open in the evening, however.
The local people claim it is safe to walk anywhere in town, day or night. However, we feel safer taking a cab between Pelicanos and downtown after dark. Cab fares are set by the Government and in general are quite reasonable. To call a cab to the house dial 554 3311. The dispatcher may not speak English so this is a good time to try out your Spanish. Say something like “Un taxi por favor a Pelícanos (pay-LEE-kah-nos) uno, calle (KAI-yay) Albatros, (al-BAH-tros) numero catorce (kah-TOR-say)” If you say it well the dispatcher will say “Momentito” and in a small moment will give you a number. That number is the number of the cab that is going to pick you up. If you say it badly you will hear the dispatcher talking into her radio and asking who wants to pick up a Gringo in Pelicanos. They usually arrive within five minutes. The fares are subject to change, and they add 5 pesos to the fare when you call from a phone for a taxi, but here is what they were during our last visit:
From the house to anywhere in Ixtapa should be 30 pesos, 40 for the Marina, 80 for Playa Linda.
Fares to Zihuatanejo are 55 pesos; add 25 for La Ropa beach. Playa Larga from the house will be about 200 pesos. It is 170 pesos from the house to the airport, but 350 from the airport to the house (go figure!). All fares go up by 50% after midnight. Tipping cab drivers is optional.
Water taxi from Playa Linda to Ixtapa Island costs 35 pesos round trip. (Don't lose your ticket!) It's 30 pesos from Zihuatanejo Marina to Las Gatas beach and back.
If you want to go to La Laguna at Barra de Potosí for bird watching you need to hire a cab for half a day or more. We liked Mario Hernandez at 044 755 124 5875. A better idea is to contact Brian Roach and have him bring you there for a Kayak tour. That way you are guaranteed a ride home as well! (See "Fun things to do" below)
Bus anywhere is about 5 pesos and a wonderful adventure. You should try it!
GROCERIES AND SUPPLIES
The easy thing to do is go to La Comercial Mexicana in Zihua and buy your weekly supplies. They are like a Super Target and have just about everything. Another similar store is Bodega that is actually owned by Wal-Mart. We have mixed feelings about these stores since they have put many of the small, locally owned shops out of business. We try to shop at the Mexican market and local merchants whenever we can, but confess that we do often take the easy way out and enjoy the convenience, cleanliness and air-conditioning of the big box stores. They also have ATM machines. At least give the bag boy a 5 peso tip!
FLORA AND FAUNA
Although we have never seen them, they say scorpions are a problem in Mexico. The worst ones are the little transparent ones, which are hard to see, and easily stepped on. Therefore we recommend that you always wear shoes or thongs in and around the house. We have not had a problem with the famous Mexican cockroach either, but they can fly in at any time. Please tell our rental agent if you see any. In spite of our routine spraying, it is not uncommon to see ants and other small but harmless bugs in and around the house.
One of our most interesting critters is the Gecko, or "Cuija" (KWEE-ha) in Spanish. If you see one in the house please do not kill it as they are considered to be good luck. They are only interested in eating some of the less desirable bugs and seem to confine themselves to the walls and windows. We have never seen one on the floor or bed. You may also hear them chirping when it is quiet at night.
Once in awhile you might see a large iguana sunning itself on the roof or patio or a frog in the patio. There are small crocodiles in the canal behind the house, but they can’t get out!
HOW TO SPEND MONEY
Just kidding, you don’t need any help here. We have found it best to use our cash debit cards once in Mexico to get pesos out of an ATM. You will get the best exchange rate that way and also you don’t have to mess with traveler’s checks. It pays to have several different bankcards since on any given day and any given ATM one may work and not the other. If you can’t get money, just try another card or another machine until something works. You can also get cash from the bank using a credit card.
You can spend dollars in most places, but you will not get as good an exchange rate. Credit cards are also accepted at most restaurants, hotels and some shops. Be sure to notify your credit card company that you will be traveling in Mexico or they may shut your card off.
PROBLEMS?
Feel free to call our rental agent, Belén Escareno. She can be reached by cellular phone by dialing (locally first dial 044) 755-556-1631, or at home at 553-1127. Or you can call us collect here in the States by dialing 001-651-639-0182 (evenings and weekends) or 612 840 7861 (days).
FUN THINGS TO DO
This is a list of fun things we have done here, and highly recommend but in no particular order. Please add your notes and suggestions for other fun things to do.
1. Take the bus to Zihuatanejo and find the tourist market. Shop your way down the street and then have a drink at "Bandidos" across the street from the market at the end nearest the beach. They have the cleanest bathroom in town, so be sure to use it!
2. Go for a run. From Pelícanos take a left and follow the road to the tourist market. Cross the main street and turn left again. Enter the beach at the "Acceso Público" (If the sign is missing just turn right after passing the Barceló Ixtapa Hotel and Beach Resort). Turn right on the beach and run along the beach until you get to Carlos'n'Charlie's. Leave the beach via the public access there. Turn right when you get to the main road and find your way home. (less than 5K)
If you want to run farther just go right past Carlos'n'Charlie's to the end of the beach and back. You could also run the trail to Playa Linda (See #15)
3. Go fishing. Show up at the Zihuatanejo Marina at dawn. You can hire a private small boat for about $150 dollars for 2 or three people for 4 hours. (Deep-sea fishing boats leave at the same time.) Tackle and bait are included, bring water and a snack.
Ask the captain to troll towards Ixtapa Island. Catch some Bonito or Mackerel or Yellowfin Tuna.
When your time is up ask the captain to bring you and your catch to the island where they will clean some of your fish and prepare your shore lunch while you sit under an umbrella with a bucket of beer. The captain will clean the rest of your catch while you relax (be sure to have the restaurant cook him some fish and bring him a couple beers too)
Give a couple fish to the captain for his family.
You can also arrange a fishing trip with the travel agent near the Fontain Hotel. We do NOT recommend giving any money to the beach salesmen for a fishing trip or any other service scheduled to take place the next day. You may never see them or your money again.
4. Go deep sea fishing. Zihuatanejo is considered to be the Sailfish capital of the world and many trophy fish are caught here weekly. Go to the Municipal Pier in Zihuatanejo the day before and make arrangements with one of the captains for a trip the next day. There are different rates for different boats. One Captain recommended by one of our guests is Gabriel Torres of the Elva II. His number is 554-3261.
Most of the captains now encourage catch and release to preserve the fishery. You can have your fish photographed and measured on the boat, released, and an exact replica created and shipped home to you in the US for mounting over your fireplace.
We do NOT recommend giving any money to the beach salesmen for a fishing trip or any other service scheduled to take place the next day. You may never see them or your money again.
5. Make your own scavenger hunt. Choose an unusual household item like a light bulb for the living room fan (small bulb size, 40 W) or a potato peeler. Try to figure out what you call it in Spanish and try and find where they are sold. (HINT: take the bus to Zihuatanejo and get off at "Centro" which is near the store called Elektra. Find the Mexican market (El Mercado Mexicano), a large indoor mall. Now you are shopping like a Mexican, not like a tourist)
6. Go to Señor Frogs and drink more than is normal for you. Stay until after midnight and then dance on top of your table. Take a cab home.
7. Take a nap in the hammock while the maid cleans the house. Contemplate the fact that while you are not Bill Gates, you are far richer than most of the people in the world. Give the maid a tip.
8. Visit Ixtapa Island. Rent equipment there and go snorkeling. Eat some fresh seafood. Figure out how to flush the toilet.
9. The night before you leave Mexico, put on your best clothes and have dinner at "El Faro". Ask for a table on the patio. Arrive in time for cocktails as the sun sets. Applaud.
10. If you want to get out of the heat for a meal go to Bogart's. It's one of the few totally indoor restaurants in town and has a very special "Casablanca" atmosphere. Order the Caesar Salad for two and Steak Diane which are prepared beside your table. Try a flaming coffee for desert.
11. Spend the afternoon at "Rossy's" (pronounced the same as "Rosie's") restaurant on La Ropa Beach. Try their whole red snapper, calamari or the fish taco. Play in the ocean then go upstairs and take a siesta in a hammock. La Perla and La Gaviota are also excellent.
12. Get up an hour before dawn and get a cab to "La Laguna" at Barra de Potosí for birdwatching. (Either rent a car or arrange for a taxi driver to wait for you until you are ready to come back. See "TAXI PLEASE" above) You will be taken on a boat ride in the lagoon where you will see a lot of exotic birds. Or arrange for a kayak tour through Zoe Kayak Tours operated by Brian Roach, phone 553-0496, email address zoe5@aol.com or see www.zoekayaktours.com. Brian will pick you up and return you to the house. He provides the kayaks and snacks and knows the names of all the local birds and plants.
13. Find out where the Mexican Fiesta is in Ixtapa and go there! This is kind of touristy but so worth it. For about $35 you will get a fabulous buffet of typical Mexican food, beer and margaritas, plus a great show featuring typical Mexican dances, rope twirling, cock fighting (don’t worry- nobody gets hurt) and even Mariachis! We have paid this much to see just a similar show in Mexico City, or for a similar buffet elsewhere. To get both for this price is a real bargain and a night you will long remember. Who knows, you might even win a bottle of tequila in the butt shaking contest like I did!
14. Go to Playa Larga for the day. Go to Club de Playa "El Güero". Big surf, nice sand, good food and much more relaxed than the beaches close to town. Don't wander too far from the restaurant areas, however. In the past there were some robberies on the extreme north end of the beach. The restaurants are very safe.
15. Take a hike along the nature trail to Playa Linda. Take a right on the street that runs past Villas Pelícanos. Go about two blocks until the road hits a tee and cross the busy street. There you find a red sidewalk. Follow it northeast-to the right- about 8 kilometers to Playa Linda. Take a water taxi to Ixtapa Island, or turn around and walk home again. Watch for caimans (a small, usually non-agressive crocodile) in the swampy areas below the trail! It's best to do this early in the morning before it gets too hot. There are taxis and buses available at Playa Linda to take home if you wish.
16. OK, I know I am talking a lot about food here, but honestly, eating is one of our favorite things to do and we practice it every day- sometimes more than once! In the state of Guerrero it is customary to eat a dish called “Pozole” on Thursdays. Many restaurants serve this special soup, but one of the best is “Tamales y Atoles ANY” (pronounced like Annie) in Zihuatanejo or their new restaurant in Ixtapa. If you want to go to the Zihua restaurant for Pozole on Thursday night you can also see a show similar to the one at the Mexican Fiesta- see #13. You should call the day before to make sure the show is on and to make a reservation if you want to see the show since they do sell out. Their number is 554-7373.
17. Rent a car or hook up with a bus tour from one of the hotels and visit Petatlán for the day. It is about half an hour from Zihuatanejo on the road to Acapulco. It is a more typical, small Mexican town with a famous church, la Iglesia del Padre Jesús de Petatlán. There is a famous saint in this church, which is said to grant miracles. There is a gold market across the street from the church. There is a travel agency near the Fontán Hotel in Ixtapa that can tell you about the tour. Call 044 755 100 8806 and ask for Claudia.
18. About ten minutes before you get to Petatlán look to your right for the sign to La Soledad de Maciel, also known as "La Chole". It is an area of archaeological ruins. It is informally operated by the landowners who will give you a guided tour of the ruins, a small museum, caves, what may be the world’s largest cactus, and a panoramic view of the area from on top of an ancient peak. Just follow the bad road about a mile to a washed out bridge, go to the left about another half mile to a small group of houses and ask where to find Chico. You should tip him about 50 pesos per person for his services. He will also sell you some of his homemade cigars if you are interested. Chico speaks very little English however, so you should have a translator in your group.
19. Go to the Krystal NH Hotel in Ixtapa for breakfast or lunch. You can sit in their ocean side restaurant or under a palapa on the beach with your toes in the sand. As long as you are ordering food and drinks you are welcome to sit there and even use their pool!
20. Still hungry? Go to Kau-Kan overlooking the harbor in Zihuatanejo. The food and the service are second to none as is the view. Try the sting ray- a rare and most tasty dish that is their specialty.
21. Go to El Canto de las Sirenas in Zihua. José Luis Cobo López is the owner and preforms romantic music on the guitar that made my wife’s heart go pitty pat. Not too many tourists here- mostly Mexicans.
22. At about 11 PM go to Bandidos near the Zihua tourist market. A salsa band plays there most nights that is just fantastic. The band leader- Israel- has studied music in Cuba and it shows! Ladies- if your husband won’t dance with you just ask one of the waiters!
23. Best tacos: Los Bigotes in Ixtapa.
24. Life’s a beach! We seldom go to the same beach twice. Try to see them all during your stay! Playa El Palmar in Ixtapa and Playa La Ropa in Zihua have a variety of alternative forms of entertainment. In case you get bored with swimming, tanning and working your way to the bottom of that bucket of ice-cold beer you can always rent a jet ski, ride the banana boat, go parasailing, get a massage (one hour for about $25!) or even jump out of a perfectly good airplane and parachute down to Ixtapa's beach for a mere $240. We watched the skydivers one afternoon and decided to get 10 massages instead. You can rent snorkeling equipment at Ixtapa Island, Las Gatas and La Ropa.
25. Pamper yourself with a day pass to one of Ixtapa's fine hotels. These cost from $35-$65 per person per day, but include all you can eat and drink. The travel agent near the Fontan Hotel can arrange this for you. Call (044)755-100-8806.
26. Ride a bike. We have two bikes we can rent to you for $50 each per week. You can bike to Playa Linda (see # 15) or anywhere else in Ixtapa.
27. Have a moonlight dinner at Elvira's or Paty's restaurant on La Ropa Beach. As we sat and ate the tide was coming in. By the time we were done the water was literally lapping at our feet! The balmy night air, the sound of the ocean, excellent food and service, the candlelight in your lover’s eyes and you have a memory to take home with you!
28. Get a Massage. Rates vary and are negotiable but are usually around $25 for a one hour massage. One of the best is Ricardo or Sandra of Sanricks Massage. Ricardo can usually be found near the restaurant next to the water taxi dock on Ixtapa Islands coral beach. His wife, Sandra has a stand on Las Gatas and is a chiropractor as well.
29. Go sand skiing! When I start missing the snow and really want to attract a crowd I just grab my cross country skis, my Speedo and head to the beach. It doesn’t work too well, but it does work! The trick is to find the slippery sand between the soaked stuff and the dry stuff. I have the skis, poles and size 11 NNN boots. Just ask our manager to give them to you. If you need a different size boot bring your own.
30. “Jueves Pozolero” In the State of Guerrero it is traditional to eat a dish called Pozole on Thursday. It is a soup made with chicken, or pork and the large kernel white corn they grow here. It is served with a tray of things you can add to your bowl to customize it as you like. They serve this dish in many places on Thursday, but one of the best is Casa Vieja in Zihua. While you are there ask them if they will be making Barbacoa de Chiva anytime soon (often on Sunday) this is another local specialty- slow cooked goat. I was amazed at how good it was. Ask Ricardo the waiter to show you how they cook it.
31. El Picante Catamaran has daytime snorkeling trips where they bring you to a secluded coral beach to snorkel off the boat, swim or collect shells. On the return they run their 2400 square foot spinnaker all the way to La Ropa beach where they put you into a harness and fly you from the bottom of it. Lunch and drinks are included.
In the evenings they have a sunset cruise where you get a nice view of the lights of both Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, drinks and snacks. Call 554-2694 for details.
32. Check at Sunset Grill & Sports Bar on the beach in Zihuatanejo (next to the museum) to see when Juanito Zihua is playing. He is a local guitar player that plays a combination of traditional Mexican and pop music. The ladies agree that he comes in a nice package as well!
33. Feel free to e-mail me your own suggestions to add to this list!