Getting to the Pacific Coast of Mexico

Hi all,

I've bought airfare into Mexico City. I arrive next Tuesday.

I'd like to use this trip (15 days) to explore Michoacan.

My rough idea was to start at the coast, work my way up through the state
towards Morelia and then spend the week of March 19-23 based in Morelia
running a bunch of day trips to the surrounding areas like Patzcuaro, Lake
Cuitzeo or Zacapu and then studying Spanish a couple hours a day in the
afternoon/evening, then bus back to Mexico City for the last few days before
my flight home.

My concern right now is how to get to the coast - and also where on the
coast I should start.

I wouldn't mind a day or two at the beach so I was thinking
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo since that's not too far from Michoacan but it seems that
the bus ride from DF is really, really long.

Is there anywhere with a decent beach that's not too far from Mexico City
(by bus) - let's say 6 hours max - that's also relatively close to
Michoacan?

Also, does anyone know what the situation with budget airlines is in Mexico?
I know there's an airport that serves Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. Does anyone know
where I could go to find a cheap flight there from Mexico City? What range
is a good airfare? 100 USD? Less? More?

Thanks!

Richard

"Richard" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I've bought airfare into Mexico City. I arrive next Tuesday.

I'd like to use this trip (15 days) to explore Michoacan.

My rough idea was to start at the coast, work my way up through the state
towards Morelia and then spend the week of March 19-23 based in Morelia
running a bunch of day trips to the surrounding areas like Patzcuaro, Lake
Cuitzeo or Zacapu and then studying Spanish a couple hours a day in the
afternoon/evening, then bus back to Mexico City for the last few days
before
my flight home.

My concern right now is how to get to the coast - and also where on the
coast I should start.

I wouldn't mind a day or two at the beach so I was thinking
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo since that's not too far from Michoacan but it seems
that
the bus ride from DF is really, really long.

Is there anywhere with a decent beach that's not too far from Mexico City
(by bus) - let's say 6 hours max - that's also relatively close to
Michoacan?

Also, does anyone know what the situation with budget airlines is in
Mexico?
I know there's an airport that serves Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. Does anyone know
where I could go to find a cheap flight there from Mexico City? What range
is a good airfare? 100 USD? Less? More?

Thanks!

Richard

There is a bus right at the airport that will take you to Acapulco, from
where you can take several buses to get to Ixtapa then to La Mira, then
north to Uruapan, Morelia then back to the DF.

Should be fun!

Richard wrote:
Hi all,

I've bought airfare into Mexico City. I arrive next Tuesday.

I'd like to use this trip (15 days) to explore Michoacan.

My rough idea was to start at the coast, work my way up through the state
towards Morelia and then spend the week of March 19-23 based in Morelia
running a bunch of day trips to the surrounding areas like Patzcuaro, Lake
Cuitzeo or Zacapu and then studying Spanish a couple hours a day in the
afternoon/evening, then bus back to Mexico City for the last few days before
my flight home.

My concern right now is how to get to the coast - and also where on the
coast I should start.

I wouldn't mind a day or two at the beach so I was thinking
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo since that's not too far from Michoacan but it seems that
the bus ride from DF is really, really long.

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are very mucho gringo, Zihuatanejo perhaps less
so. I thought the water quality in the bay of Zihuatanejo to be less
than desirable. Outside of these tourist ghettos, there are some
amazing places. Barra de Potosi just about 15 miles south from
Zihuatanejo is a dream. Troncones the other direction is pretty good.
The entire coastline has 100's of miles of deserted beaches.

Is there anywhere with a decent beach that's not too far from Mexico City
(by bus) - let's say 6 hours max - that's also relatively close to
Michoacan?

Also, does anyone know what the situation with budget airlines is in Mexico?
I know there's an airport that serves Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. Does anyone know
where I could go to find a cheap flight there from Mexico City? What range
is a good airfare? 100 USD? Less? More?

There's a new startup called Avolar http://www.avolar.com.mx/ which is
billed as a budget airline. I just looked at their website and they look
really cheap, 253 Pesos from Guadalajara to Oaxaca, wow! However, they
don't seem to fly to DF.
Otherwise you have Aero Littoral, Magnicharters, and the two big ones -
Aero Mexico and Mexicana. I believe Aero California went bust or had its
license suspended or something. The AMX/MEX fares were not particularly
expensive, IIRC. Just had a look, ZIH to MEX midweek with Mexicana is $71.

T.

Thanks!

Richard