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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Troncones
Playa Troncones
Go for 3 nights if you want a quiet surf-and-hammock beach; skip it if you need nightlife, shops or a town centre — there is none.
Troncones is a 5 km strip of beach village about 32 km northwest of Zihuatanejo, on the Pacific coast of Guerrero. There is no town centre, no bank and little nightlife: days are surf, snorkel, yoga and long walks, nights are early. Come for 2–4 nights as a slow counterpoint to Ixtapa or Zihuatanejo, not as a sightseeing base.
- Country
- Mexico
- Local name
- Playa Troncones
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season, smaller winter swell)
- Avoid
- Jun–Oct (rain, heat, big south swell); Sep is peak hurricane season
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid M$1,200–2,500 excl. bed · High M$2,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | M$40–70 |
| Beach seafood plate (shrimp, fish) | M$180–350 |
| Beer: bottle at a beach restaurant / six-pack at a shop | M$50–80 / M$120–180 |
| Colectivo ride | M$5 |
| Surfboard or SUP rental, one day | M$300–600 |
| Yoga class | M$150–250 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | M$200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ZIH · Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International
- About 40–50 min by road; taxi roughly US$30 — agree the fare before you get in
Typical fares
- ZIH airport → Troncones, taxi
- about US$30; agree the fare first
- Zihuatanejo → Troncones, combi + colectivo
- a few dollars total
- Colectivo along the beach road
- about M$5 per person
Get around
Walk: most of the beach strip is within 20–30 min on foot. Colectivos run along the beach road and to the highway for about M$5 per person. Bring cash — few places take cards.
See and do
Known for
- Troncones Point left-hand surf break
- 5 km of near-empty beach
- Snorkelling off the point
- Yoga and surf retreats
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Zihuatanejo | Taxi or combi to the highway, then onward to town | About 40–60 min |
| Ixtapa | Taxi via the coastal road | About 45–60 min |
| Acapulco | Car or bus via the coastal highway | 3.5–4.5 h |
Sleep
- Troncones beach road (Av. Principal)
- The main strip: most restaurants, small hotels and rentals sit on or beside the sand.
- Troncones Point
- 3 km north of the T junction; the surf break, hostel and snorkel access.1.9 mi north of the T junction; the surf break, hostel and snorkel access.
- Manzanillo Bay / Majahua
- North end, quieter, a few beachfront B&Bs and palapa restaurants; colectivo or long walk to the rest.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| Do you take cards? | ¿Aceptan tarjeta?ah-SEP-tan tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the ATM? | ¿Dónde hay un cajero?DON-deh eye oon kah-HEH-roh |
| Is it safe to swim here? | ¿Es seguro nadar aquí?es seh-GOO-roh nah-DAR ah-KEE |
| Help! | ¡Ayuda!ah-YOO-dah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Strong riptides; never swim alone and keep children supervised — this is open Pacific coast.
- Troncones Point is a rock-and-coral bottom break for confident surfers, not beginners.
- No bank or ATM in the village: bring pesos from Zihuatanejo or Ixtapa.
- Roads flood and services thin out in the June–October rainy season.
- Check your travel insurance covers Guerrero and any surf or ATV activity.
Quiet and low-crime by Guerrero standards, but the real risks are the ocean and the isolation: strong riptides, no lifeguards, no ATM and patchy phone signal. Keep valuables out of sight and don't walk the highway at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Troncones yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Troncones Point left-hand surf break
- 5 km of near-empty beach
- Snorkelling off the point
- Yoga and surf retreats
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Mexico — Guerrero: www.visitmexico.com/en/guerrero
- Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo airport (ZIH): www.aeropuertodeixtapazihuatanejo.com/
- Wikivoyage: Troncones, revision 5242427 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242427
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
TronconesPlaya Troncones
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulate in Troncones or Zihuatanejo; the nearest US consular agency is in Acapulco, and most other countries handle Guerrero from their embassy in Mexico City.
Cash is king: bring pesos, as ATMs are in Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa, not the village.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/troncones). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.