Troncones
Encyclopedia
Troncones is a relatively undeveloped, uncrowded beach village located about 20 miles (32.2 km) north west of Zihuatanejo
on the coast of the state of Guerrero
. It is located in the municipality of La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca
and has a population of about 593 people (2005 census). Hammock
s and palm trees are in most yards, chickens roam the streets and loud nightlife is limited to very few weekly events, making for quiet nights. Some local hotels and restaurants offer special events such as Movie Nights and Dance Parties, mostly during the Oct-May high season. On Sundays, El Burro Boracho has shows of Mexican folkdance.
Troncones has not been well-known until only recently. It was “discovered” by a North American sports fisherman who bought land here and convinced some of his compatriots to do the same. These property owners set up private homes or small hotels and guesthouses. Over the last 20 years, the population has grown as the local ejido benefits from increased tourism income, while maintaining a small-town aesthetic, in stark contrast to the high-rise hotels of nearby Ixtapa
. On the 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of beach, exist these houses, a few restaurants, a couple of grocery stores, and a growing number of eco-hostels, campgrounds, and surf schools. Even in the high season in the winter and spring it is possible to walk along the beach and not run into anyone.
The major surfing area is called Troncones Point, where Troncones Beach meets Manzanillo Bay just to the north. Waves tend to be smaller in the winter, as the Point needs a southern swell to break well, and it is recommended for confident surfers because it is a rock bottom with some coral. Many hotels offer surfing classes. There is only one surf shop, but several of the hotels have basic equipment for ding repair, waxing, fin replacement, and other emergencies. There is also a professional surfboard shaper in town who offers repair services. There are many breaks and few surfers, especially in the low season of June - October when the swell is from the south and the breaks at Troncones Point and El Rancho can hit 25 feet (7.6 m). Breaks in Troncones tend to be gentler in the "shoulder seasons" of spring and fall, and some spots are better suited to long boarders. Near the beach are two sea caves called Troncones and Majahua as well as a waterfall called Cascadas Artesianas. Sportsfishing trips to the open ocean are available as well.
In 2008, two surfers were attacked and killed by sharks in the waters off Troncones and nearby Zihuatanejo. They were the first fatal shark attack
s in these waters in thirty years. Bull shark
s gathered in large numbers for unknown reasons. Two surfers were killed and a third was injured. The attacks occurred during a three-week period causing a “Jaws-like mania”
and the construction of lifeguard towers and the establishment of a shark patrol for the beaches of Zihuatanejo and north. It was a rare phenomenon that subsided after the sharks dispersed.
Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo or Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, is the fourth-largest city in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Politically the city belongs to the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta in the western part of Guerrero, but both are commonly referred to as Zihuatanejo...
on the coast of the state of Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
. It is located in the municipality of La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca
La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca
La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca is one of the 81 municipalities of Guerrero, in south-western Mexico. The municipal seat lies at La Unión. The municipality covers an area of 1,142 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 25,230....
and has a population of about 593 people (2005 census). Hammock
Hammock
A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts....
s and palm trees are in most yards, chickens roam the streets and loud nightlife is limited to very few weekly events, making for quiet nights. Some local hotels and restaurants offer special events such as Movie Nights and Dance Parties, mostly during the Oct-May high season. On Sundays, El Burro Boracho has shows of Mexican folkdance.
Troncones has not been well-known until only recently. It was “discovered” by a North American sports fisherman who bought land here and convinced some of his compatriots to do the same. These property owners set up private homes or small hotels and guesthouses. Over the last 20 years, the population has grown as the local ejido benefits from increased tourism income, while maintaining a small-town aesthetic, in stark contrast to the high-rise hotels of nearby Ixtapa
Ixtapa
Ixtapa is a beach resort in the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta, in the Mexican state of Guerrero. It is located to the northwest of the municipal seat, Zihuatanejo, and some northwest of Acapulco....
. On the 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of beach, exist these houses, a few restaurants, a couple of grocery stores, and a growing number of eco-hostels, campgrounds, and surf schools. Even in the high season in the winter and spring it is possible to walk along the beach and not run into anyone.
In 2008, two surfers were attacked and killed by sharks in the waters off Troncones and nearby Zihuatanejo. They were the first fatal shark attack
Shark attack
A shark attack is an attack on a human by a shark. Every year around 60 shark attacks are reported worldwide, although death is quite unusual. Despite the relative rarity of shark attacks, the fear of sharks is a common phenomenon, having been fueled by the occasional instances of serial attacks,...
s in these waters in thirty years. Bull shark
Bull shark
The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, also known as Zambezi shark or unofficially known as Zambi in Africa and Nicaragua shark in Nicaragua, is a shark common worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers...
s gathered in large numbers for unknown reasons. Two surfers were killed and a third was injured. The attacks occurred during a three-week period causing a “Jaws-like mania”
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
and the construction of lifeguard towers and the establishment of a shark patrol for the beaches of Zihuatanejo and north. It was a rare phenomenon that subsided after the sharks dispersed.