Troncones is a Pacific fishing village in Guerrero state, approximately 45 minutes (41 km) north of Zihuatanejo’s ZIH airport. About 2,000 people live here. There are no chain hotels, no cruise ship docks, no golf carts. The paved road ends where the sand begins. Lo Sereno Casa de Playa, the only Michelin Key hotel on this stretch of coast, sits directly on that beach.

Key Takeaways

  • Troncones sits 41 km north of ZIH airport, about a 45-minute drive up Mex-200
  • La Saladita, 15 minutes north of the village, is widely regarded as one of Mexico’s best longboard waves
  • Sea turtles nest on Troncones beaches from July through November
  • Lo Sereno Casa de Playa is a Michelin Key, Design Hotels, and Tablet Hotels member, the only hotel in Troncones with all three designations
  • From Mexico City, the beach is roughly 2 hours door-to-door by air (AICM to ZIH + 45-minute transfer)

Where Is Troncones, Mexico?

Troncones sits on the Pacific coast of Guerrero state, 41 km north of Zihuatanejo International Airport (ZIH). Mexico’s INEGI census records a population of roughly 2,000 residents in the village proper (INEGI, 2020). The drive from the airport runs north along federal highway Mex-200, through low jungle, before a single turn-off takes you down to the water.

The geography is simple: one main street follows the beach for about two kilometers. Small restaurants face the sand. Fishing boats anchor a few hundred meters offshore. The village has no traffic lights, no shopping centers, no all-inclusive resort zone.

Troncones is not Zihuatanejo and it is not Ixtapa. Zihuatanejo is a port town of around 115,000 people, with a colonial center, a proper malecon, and dozens of restaurants (INEGI, 2020). Ixtapa is the purpose-built resort strip 10 km west of Zihuatanejo. Troncones is neither. It is a working fishing village that happens to have good surf, nesting sea turtles, and, as of the 2024 Michelin Guide, one of Mexico’s recognized hotels.

What Is Troncones Known For?

Troncones has four things that put it on the map: a world-class left-hand point break at La Saladita, sea turtle nesting beaches, a genuinely undeveloped coastline, and, since 2024, a Michelin Key hotel. Lo Sereno is a Michelin Key, adults-only boutique hotel in Troncones, Mexico. It’s the only hotel on this stretch of coast with that designation (Michelin Guide Mexico, 2024).

Guests who visit expecting a Riviera Maya experience leave disoriented by the quiet. There are no poolside DJs. At night, the only light is the stars and the Pacific. That is precisely what they come back for.

La Saladita is a left-hand point break about 15 minutes north of the village. Surfers have traveled to it from California, Brazil, and Australia for decades. The wave peels for hundreds of meters on a good swell, making it ideal for longboards and for beginners learning to trim.

Sea turtles are the other draw. Olive ridley and leatherback turtles nest on Troncones beaches from roughly July through November. Local conservation groups organize nighttime walks to witness releases. It is free, or close to it, and it happens within walking distance of the village center.

How to Get to Troncones, Mexico

The standard route is a flight to Zihuatanejo International Airport (IATA: ZIH), followed by a 41-km taxi or private transfer north along Mex-200. Aeromexico and Volaris both operate direct flights from Mexico City to ZIH, with flight times around 45 minutes (Aeromexico, 2026). Volaris lists the route year-round.

From Los Angeles, direct flights to ZIH are available seasonally, primarily November through April, with flight times around three hours. Outside that window, connections through Mexico City or Guadalajara add roughly 90 minutes.

From CDMX: A morning flight departing AICM or NAICM around 7:00 a.m. lands in Zihuatanejo before 9:00 a.m. With a pre-booked private transfer, a traveler from Colonia Condesa can be sitting on the beach by 11:00 a.m.

From ZIH airport to Troncones: The drive is 41 km on Mex-200 heading north. Official airport taxis charge a fixed rate; a private transfer booked through your hotel costs slightly more but confirms the price in advance. Rental cars from the airport are available, and Mex-200 is a well-maintained two-lane federal highway with clear signage.

From Ixtapa or Zihuatanejo center: The drive to Troncones is 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic at the Zihuatanejo junction. Taxis are available but not metered; agree on the price before you get in.

The road into the village is paved to the entrance. Beyond that, it becomes compacted dirt that connects beach properties and fishing access tracks.

Best Time to Visit Troncones

The dry season runs from November through May, with virtually no rainfall and consistent trade winds. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration records Troncones’ annual rainfall at approximately 1,100 mm, falling almost entirely between June and September (NOAA Climate Data, 2024). December through February brings the strongest Pacific swells and the best surf conditions.

Dry season (November through May): Clear skies, low humidity, sea temperatures around 26-28°C. This is peak season for surf, beach days, and visiting from the US or Canada. Hotels book out faster in December, January, and around Semana Santa.

Shoulder season (October and May through June): The hills turn green from the tail end of rains. The village is noticeably quieter. Rates are lower. The ocean is still warm. Experienced surfers often prefer late October or early November when swells are arriving but crowds have not.

Rainy season (July through September): Afternoon showers are the pattern, typically lasting one to two hours, then clearing. Mornings are usually sunny. The sea is warmest of the year at around 29-30°C. Turtle nesting peaks in August and September, which gives the season its own draw.

Turtle season (July through November): Olive ridley and leatherback turtles nest along this coast through early November. The releases are most frequent in August and September. Conservation groups in Troncones lead nighttime walks at no or minimal charge.

Is Troncones, Mexico Safe?

Troncones is a small fishing village with low reported crime relative to Guerrero state’s broader statistics. The US State Department’s Level 3 advisory for Guerrero (US Department of State, 2025) refers primarily to inland areas and highways in the eastern and northern parts of the state, not the coastal resort corridor that includes Troncones, Ixtapa, and Zihuatanejo.

The distinction matters. The advisory language covers Guerrero as a whole. The coastal strip from Zihuatanejo north to Troncones operates under different day-to-day conditions than, for instance, Chilpancingo or the Tierra Caliente region. SECTUR Mexico continues to promote Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo and the Guerrero coast as an active tourism zone (SECTUR, 2025).

Reasonable precautions apply here as they would in any unfamiliar destination. Don’t walk isolated beaches alone after dark. Use transfers recommended by your hotel rather than unmarked vehicles. Keep valuables out of sight. The village itself is walkable during the day without concern.

Lo Sereno can arrange private airport transfers through vetted drivers. That is the single most practical step a first-time visitor can take.

Things to Do in Troncones, Mexico

Troncones is not a destination with a long list of organized attractions. The activities are elemental.

Surf. Troncones has two distinct breaks. Troncones Point is a right-hand reef break on the north end of the main beach, working best December through April on medium to large swells. La Saladita, 15 minutes north, is one of the most consistent left-hand point breaks in Mexico, functional year-round and particularly good for longboards.

Turtle release ceremony. From July through November, olive ridley and leatherback turtles nest on the beach within walking distance of the village. Local conservation volunteers conduct nighttime walks and release events. First-time visitors consistently describe it as a defining memory of the trip.

Sport fishing. The boats leave at dawn. The catch depends on the season: roosterfish, mahi-mahi, snapper, and sailfish are common. Local captains offer half-day charters. The fishing is incidental to the village, not a packaged excursion, which means prices are reasonable.

Kayaking and paddleboarding. The calm southern end of Playa Troncones offers flat water in the morning before wind picks up. Equipment rental is available through a few local providers.

Yoga. Several spots in the village offer morning sessions. Lo Sereno has an outdoor yoga deck facing the Pacific; the schedule varies by season.

Walk the village. The entire town fits in an afternoon. The fish market, the small tianguis, the church, the beach palapa restaurants, the lookout points at either end of the beach. There is nothing performative about the walk. This is where people live.

Surfing in Troncones

La Saladita is the wave that put Troncones on the global surf map. Surf forecaster Surfline has consistently rated it among Mexico’s top longboard waves, citing its length, consistency, and relatively forgiving entry (Surfline, 2025). On a good northwest swell, the wave peels for 300 meters or more, giving a rider multiple sections to work.

Troncones Point is the village’s local break. It’s a right-hand reef break on the northern end of the main beach, working on medium swells between December and April. Entry is over rocks; it is not a beginner wave. Experienced shortboarders and mid-lengths work it well. When a large swell hits, it produces some of the more serious surf on this coast.

Beginners do well at La Saladita, particularly on small to medium days. The wave is forgiving, the water is warm, and local instructors offer lessons. Intermediate surfers can ride either break. Advanced surfers gravitate toward Troncones Point or paddle out to the outer sections at La Saladita on bigger swells.

Local surf instructors based in the village offer lessons, boards, and guided sessions at La Saladita. Rates compare favorably to any resort surf school. December through April brings the strongest swells; La Saladita has consistent small surf year-round.

Where to Eat in Troncones

La Terraza at Lo Sereno is the most-discussed restaurant on this stretch of beach. The fishing boat docks approximately 200 meters from the table. Bread is baked on-site. Vegetables come from the village. Nothing arrives by air. The menu changes based on what the boats brought in and what the garden produced that week.

Based on guest reviews on Booking.com and Design Hotels, La Terraza is the most frequently cited reason guests extend their stay at Lo Sereno by a night.

Troncones is not a food destination in the sense of having a dense, competitive restaurant scene. There are perhaps eight to twelve places to eat in the village on any given day. Most face the beach. Most serve what the boats brought in.

Beyond La Terraza, the palapa restaurants along the main beach serve grilled fish, ceviche, and cold Pacificos at plastic tables with sand underfoot. El Burro Borracho and Café del Mar are two that regular visitors mention repeatedly, both serving seafood cooked simply and competently.

A small village market and scattered fruit stands operate daily. For groceries beyond basics, the nearest supermarket is in Zihuatanejo, about 40 minutes south.

The scarcity of restaurants is a feature, not a complaint. This is a place where dinner at 7:00 p.m. means walking forty meters to a table under a palapa, ordering the whole fish, and watching the tide come in.

Where to Stay in Troncones

Lo Sereno Casa de Playa is the reference point for accommodation on this beach. Lo Sereno is a 10-suite, adults-only hotel located directly on Troncones Beach. It is a member of Design Hotels and Tablet Hotels, and holds a Michelin Key awarded in the 2024 Michelin Guide Mexico. That makes it the only hotel in Troncones with all three of those designations.

The 10 suites are not identical. Each is different. Reclaimed wood, woven palm, raw linen, hand-fired clay. Those materials were chosen because they age well on a beach, not because they photograph well in a lookbook. After 10 years of operation, they have all aged correctly.

At the center of the property stands a 100-year-old ceiba tree. The architects drew the hotel around it, not the other way. The rooms, the pool, the palapa, the yoga deck: all of them orient around that tree.

Lo Sereno is adults-only. No guests under 18. The guests who choose it tend to arrive from Los Angeles, New York, and Mexico City. Many return annually. The hotel holds a 4.9 out of 5 on Booking.com after a decade of operation (Booking.com, 2026).

At night, the only light is the stars and the Pacific. Zero light pollution. The loudest sound is the surf approximately 200 meters away.

For travelers on tighter budgets, a small number of guesthouses and B&Bs operate in the village, renting rooms by the night at significantly lower rates. They don’t have pools or restaurants. They have the same beach.

Troncones vs. Zihuatanejo

Both towns sit on the same stretch of Guerrero coast, 41 km apart. They serve different travelers.

Troncones: population ~2,000, fishing village, no chain hotels, one Michelin Key property, 8–12 informal restaurants, two world-class surf breaks, active turtle nesting July–November, essentially no nightlife, 45 minutes from ZIH airport.

Zihuatanejo: population ~115,000, port town with colonial center, multiple hotel categories, 50+ restaurants, modest beach break, bars and music on Paseo del Pescador, 20 minutes from ZIH airport.

Choose Troncones to disappear. Choose Zihuatanejo to eat widely and explore a working Mexican port town. Many travelers do three nights in one and two in the other.

The Beaches of Troncones

Playa Troncones is the main village beach, running roughly two kilometers north to south. The southern end has calmer water suitable for swimming. The northern end, closer to Troncones Point, picks up more energy from incoming swells. No vendor lines, no umbrella-rental operations. Locals fish from the sand. Pelicans work the break. Water temperature runs from about 26°C in the cool season to 29–30°C in August and September.

Troncones Point is the reef break at the north end of the beach. Rocky entry, best for experienced surfers on medium-sized swells. When it’s working, it draws the better surfers in the village and is a good watch point even for non-surfers.

La Saladita sits about 15 km north of the village, a 15-minute drive up Mex-200. A separate beach, quieter than Troncones proper, with a handful of small restaurants behind the tree line. Surfline (2025) calls the left-hand point break here one of Mexico’s premier longboard waves. Even on flat days, the beach itself is worth the drive.

A Perfect Weekend in Troncones from Mexico City

Friday: Take a 7:00 a.m. flight from AICM. Arrive in Zihuatanejo before 9:00 a.m. The transfer to the hotel is 45 minutes along Mex-200. Check in at Lo Sereno. Coffee under the ceiba. Afternoon: water, hammock, nothing else.

Saturday: Wake at dawn if the surf is running. Troncones Point is a 10-minute walk north. Non-surfers: paddleboard rental at the south end of the beach before the wind picks up. By afternoon, the light on the water turns amber. At dusk, a turtle conservation group leads a walk to the nesting beach. Dinner at La Terraza: order whatever the boat brought in.

Sunday: Early coffee. The ceiba tree, one hundred years old, is in no hurry. Neither is the beach. The return flight leaves at midday. The beach will still be here when you’re ready to come back.

Total travel time from Mexico City: one 45-minute flight, one 45-minute transfer. From Colonia Condesa to beach: under two hours.

FAQ

Is Troncones, Mexico safe for tourists? Troncones is a small fishing village with low day-to-day crime. The US State Department’s Level 3 advisory for Guerrero (2025) targets inland regions, not the coastal corridor. Standard precautions apply: use hotel-recommended transfers, avoid isolated beaches at night, keep valuables out of sight.

What airport do you fly into for Troncones? Zihuatanejo International Airport (IATA: ZIH), 41 km south of Troncones. Aeromexico and Volaris operate direct flights from Mexico City year-round (~45 minutes). Seasonal direct flights from Los Angeles run November through April.

How far is Troncones from Zihuatanejo? 41 km north, approximately 45 minutes by car along Mex-200. From the Zihuatanejo town center, 30 to 40 minutes.

Is Troncones good for surfing? Yes. Troncones Point is a right-hand reef break best December–April. La Saladita, 15 minutes north, is rated by Surfline (2025) among Mexico’s best longboard waves, consistent year-round, suitable for all levels.

Are there adults-only hotels in Troncones? Yes. Lo Sereno is a Michelin Key, adults-only boutique hotel — the only adults-only property on this beach. 10 suites, member of Design Hotels and Tablet Hotels, 4.9/5 on Booking.com (2026). No guests under 18.

Troncones in Short

Troncones is a fishing village with a world-class surf break, nesting sea turtles, and one of the more considered small hotels on Mexico’s Pacific coast. Forty-five minutes from ZIH airport. Dry season November through May. La Saladita works year-round.

What it doesn’t have is what makes it work: no resort strip, no chain hotels, no organized beach entertainment, no traffic noise after 9 p.m.

At night, the only light is the stars and the Pacific. That fact describes the entire experience more accurately than any list of amenities.

If you’re traveling from Mexico City: the beach is less than two hours from your door. The ceiba tree at Lo Sereno has been there for a hundred years. It will be there next weekend too.