Getting to La Saladita — from Zihuatanejo airport and beyond

Templo Saladita · September 2026 · ~4 min read

La Saladita sits on the Guerrero coast in the municipality of La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca, about 45 minutes north of Zihuatanejo. Getting here is simpler than the remoteness suggests: one flight, one drive.

Fly into Zihuatanejo (ZIH)

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International is the airport you want. It takes direct flights from Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago and Mexico City, which means most North American travellers reach La Saladita with a single connection or none at all. It is a small airport — you will be outside within half an hour of landing.

Do not book into Acapulco. It is on the same coast, but it is roughly four hours southeast by road and there is no reason to add that drive.

The drive north

From ZIH the route runs north along the coast highway toward La Unión, then turns off for the beach. Budget about 45 minutes door to door. The road is paved the whole way, and the final stretch to the beach is the only part that feels rural.

Three ways to do it:

• Prearranged transfer. The simplest option, especially arriving after dark or with board bags. Arrange it before you fly so someone is waiting at arrivals.
• Taxi from the airport. Available on arrival without booking. Agree the fare before you get in, as is normal in Mexico.
• Rental car. Worth it if you intend to explore the coast, drive to Troncones, or shop for groceries in Zihuatanejo. Not necessary if you plan to surf, eat locally and stay put — most people who rent a car here end up leaving it parked.

Do you need a car once you are here?

Mostly no. La Saladita is walkable — the break, the beach restaurants and the accommodations are all within a few minutes on foot. A car matters if you want to range up and down the coast or do a big grocery run; otherwise it sits idle.

Arriving with boards

Board bags fit in a standard transfer vehicle or taxi, but say so when you book a transfer so they send something with room. If you would rather not fly with boards at all, board storage is available on site at Templo Saladita and many longboarders travelling here borrow or rent locally.

What the trip actually feels like

Land, clear customs, step outside into heat, drive north with the Pacific on your left for forty-five minutes, turn off the highway, and arrive somewhere the loudest thing is the point. That is the whole journey.