The authentic Mexican village of Zihuatanejo is a complement to the tranquil oceanfront of Ixtapa. Once a small, insignificant fishing village, Zihuatanejo has sustained rapid development since 1976. With the explosion in population from 4000 in 1976 to 500,000 today, the "pleasing pair" (Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo) are also developing some of the vibrancy of Puerto Vallarta, including excellent restaurants, fabulous shopping and electric night life. With Ixtapa's four-mile proximity to Zihuatanejo, the visitor is given a unique taste of both village life and modern Mexico.