Location: 23°13′N, 106°25′ W, on the Pacific Coast of Mexico
IATA destination code: MZT
Known as the “Pearl of the Pacific”
The main tourist destination in Sinaloa is Mazatlan (“place of the deer”), a popular beach resort on the southern coast of the state, at nearly the same latitude as the tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It is one of Mexico’s major Pacific Coast commercial seaports.
Mazatlan is accessed by land via Mexican Federal highway 15/15D that runs north-south along the coastline. It is serviced by the Gral. Rafael Buelna International Airport, with national and international concourses, that is the point of entry for a great number of tourists, principally from the U.S. and Canada. Direct flights arrive from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Denver, Houston and other northern cities as well as from a number of points in Mexico. A car ferry connects Mazatlan to the city of La Paz in Baja Sur.
The downtown core of Mazatlan is centered around Plazuela Machado. Along the plaza’s periphery are found a number of restaurants and shops, and the plaza itself often hosts open arts and crafts exhibits and sales. An important landmark is the recently restored Angela Peralta Theater that houses an art school, a concert hall at which the Machado Orchestra and the Sinfonica de Sinaloa (Sinaloa Symphony Orchestra) play on a regular basis, a dance conservatory and a number of art galleries.
Mazatlan offers the visitor many beaches, among which are found Playa Olas Altas, Playa Norte, Playa Sabalos, Playa Gaviotas, Playa Venados, Playa Cerritos, Playa Brujas, Marmol and Playa Camaron. Beach activities, available mainly along the northern beaches, include body boarding, banana boat rides, catamaran rentals, diving and snorkeling, parasailing and surfing. Mazatlan’s shrimp fleet is Mexico’s largest, and digging into piles of freshly cooked shrimp is one of the culinary joys of the region.
For the sailor and boater, Mazatlan has excellent marinas offering slip rental and boat maintenance
* Marina El Cid: At El Cid Resort, Av. Camaron Sabalo, P.O. 913, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, 82110, approx. 11 km north of the port. Offers full facilities including provisions store, laundry, fuel dock, pumpout, port clearance service, tennis court, message center, golf course, tours and other resort amenities and services. Tel: +52 (669) 914-1311
* Marina Mazatlan: Blvd. Marina Mazatlan, Int. Paseo de la Isla s/n, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, 82100. Tel: +52 (669) 669-2936 VHF Offers full facilities including fuel dock, port clearance service, laundry, pump-out, message center and security.
Carnaval in Mazatlan
Since 1898 – over 100 years! – Mazatlan has been host to the colorful and exciting Mazatlan Carnaval, one of the largest in the world, with parades, pageants, music, dance, elaborately decorated floats and costumes, and days of fun and frolicking for one and all. Mazatlan’s Carnival now includes a number of additional cultural activities such as poetry readings, literary awards, culinary shows and contests, and activities for the appreciation of the arts in general.
Mazatlan Aquarium
Taking a visit to Mazatlan’s aquarium is a fun experience for both young and old, with 51 fish tanks housing more than 250 species of fish, both marine and fresh water varieties, a sea lion show, a large tank where you can watch the divers feed and interact with denizens of such as sharks and rays, botanical gardens with parrots and other birdlife, crocodiles and turtles.
Visit the official Mazatlan Aquarium website.
Other activities and suggestions:
Sport Fishing
With both temperate and tropical water influences, Mazatlan is a popular destination for inshore and offshore sport fishermen. The world-class fishing action here is truly a fisherman’s dream providing regular catches of tuna, sailfish, and blue, black and striped marlin. Freshwater enthusiasts have the opportunity to enjoy excellent fresh black bass fishing at nearby El Salto lake.
Eco-Tourism options
Take a climb up the Cerro del Creston to the lighthouse at the top and gain incredible views of the Pacific Ocean and Mazatlan. Both rock-climbing and tide pool tours are available from local tour providers. This 157 meter hill is located just south of the port.
Take a boating tour to Las Tres Islas ecological reserve. This island reserve is 3 km. off the coast and consists of the islands of Pajaros, Venados and Lobos, all three of which abound in local flora and fauna, making them a fine birdwatcher’s haven. Isla Venados has beach areas where small aquatic transports or catamarans can land to enjoy the generally calm waters, wildlife and diving opportunities.
Enjoy golfing on one of Mazatlan’s golf courses:
- The El Cid Golf & Country Club – 27 holes – designed by Lee Treviño
- Estrella Del Mar Golf Course – an 18-hole championship course, designed by the Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Take a sunset walk along the malecon (boardwalk) of Av. Camaron Sabalo
Check out Mazatlans discos and hottest dance spots in the Zona Dorada, north of town.
Suggested hotels:
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Originally posted 2009-08-05 16:37:33.
