Z ihuatanejo lies some 280 miles south of Mexico City, on the country’s Pacific ‘Golden Coast’ overlooking a picturesque bay, and backed by the peaks of the Sierra Madre mountains.

Today this sleepy former fishing village is an attractive little resort of great character. The fishermen still dock their daily catch, and the produce market hums with activity, but it is now Zihuatanejo’s tempting shops and restaurants, its restored cobblestone streets, waterfront walkways and bright, animated mood that draws the modern holiday visitor.

And though the town’s main beach is not really for swimmers, within 10 minutes’ drive lies the superb Playa la Ropa, setting of our two recommended Zihuatanejo hotels, and a beach of gentle waves and white sand, from which there are unforgettable views of the bay and town.