Playa Municipal, also known as Playa Principal, stretches along the downtown waterfront of Zihuatanejo from the Municipal Pier to the canal. It's the town's working beach and its social heart.
Every evening the local fishing fleet heads out from here. They return at dawn, and the beach transforms into an open-air fish market. Impromptu kitchens set up to feed the fishermen, mothers sell the catch, and restaurant buyers pick through the best of it. It's one of the most authentic scenes on this stretch of coast.
The zocalo sits near the midpoint of the beach. On Sunday evenings it hosts a weekly fiesta with music, dancing, and street food. At the pier end you'll find the Naval Base; at the canal end, the small Museo Arqueologico. Seafood restaurants line the beachfront — La Sirena Gorda and El Arbolito are local favourites.