My Trip to Playa Las Gatas
Alright, so I decided I needed a beach day, heard about this place called Playa Las Gatas near Zihuatanejo. People said it was calm, good for swimming. Sounded like my kind of thing.
Getting there was the first step. I walked down to the main pier in Zihua. Lots of boats there, guys asking if you need a ride. Found one heading to Las Gatas. It wasn’t expensive, paid the guy, and hopped on. It’s a short ride, maybe 10 minutes across the bay? You get a nice view of Zihua from the water as you pull away.
The boat pulls right up near the beach. You kinda have to hop off into the shallow water, so wear sandals or be ready to get your feet wet immediately. Stepped onto the sand. First thing I noticed? Super calm water. Like, almost no waves. It’s protected by a reef or something offshore, I guess. That’s why they say it’s good for snorkeling.
The beach itself isn’t huge, but it’s lined end-to-end with little restaurants. Like, dozens of them. They all have plastic tables and chairs set right out on the sand, under umbrellas or little thatched roofs. Found a spot that looked decent, grabbed a chair under an umbrella. Felt good to sit down.
- Ordered a drink right away, something cold.
- Looked at their menu, mostly seafood as you’d expect.
- Decided to rent some snorkel gear first. Lots of places rent it right there.
Got the mask and snorkel, walked into the water. It was warm and clear, especially near the rocks at the far end. Put the mask on, dipped my head in. Saw quite a few fish! Nothing massive, just schools of smaller colorful ones swimming around the rocks and the reef. Spent a good while just floating around, looking underwater. It was pretty relaxing.
Got out after a bit, feeling hungry. Went back to my chair, ordered some lunch. Had some fish tacos and guacamole. Pretty standard beach food, but it tasted great right there by the water. Just sat there eating, watching the boats come and go, people swimming.
The vibe was chill. Not too crowded when I went, though I hear it can get busy. Lots of families, couples. Mostly just people relaxing, swimming, eating. No loud music, just the sound of the water and people chatting.
Hung out for a few more hours. Swam a bit more, dried off in the sun. When I felt like I’d had enough beach time, I packed up my stuff. Paid my bill at the restaurant. Walked back down to where the water taxis pick people up. Didn’t have to wait long for a boat heading back to the Zihua pier.
Hopped back on the boat, took the short ride back across the bay. Got off at the pier, walked back through town. Overall, it was a really simple, easy beach day. If you want calm water and a place to just chill and swim near Zihua, Las Gatas is definitely worth checking out. Easy to get to, easy to spend the day.
