Mazatlan Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Mazatlan

Set at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountains on a peninsula that extends into the Pacific Ocean, Mazatlán is one of the Mexican Riviera's premier resort areas. Its remarkable scenic beauty is complemented by a delightful festive atmosphere and a wealth of exciting activities.

Although Mazatlán is one of Mexico's most popular vacation destinations, it has another identity as the largest port in Mexico, with a bustling economy independent of the tourism industry.

As Mazatlan was a city long before it became a beach resort, the area is less touristy than some of its neighbours on what the cruise industry calls the Mexican Riviera. Places like Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos, which like Mazatlan are ports of call on the cruise ship circuit, were tailor-made as resort developments.

The weather is very pleasant from November until May. Sometimes in June, and definitely from July until September, it is quite hot and humid. Mazatlan has a very intense rainy season.

Locality:

Mazatlán is situated on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, almost directly across from the tip of the Baja peninsula. Mazatlán has its own airport, as well as ferry service to La Paz.

Beaches & Zona Dorada - Mazatlán has 16km (10mi) of sandy beaches stretching north from Old Mazatlán to beyond the Zona Dorada. Playa Norte begins just north of Old Mazatlán and arcs toward Punta Camarón, a rocky point dominated by the conspicuous white walls and turrets of the Fiesta Land nightclub complex. This is the southern end of the Zona Dorada, an unashamedly touristy precinct of hotels, restaurants, bars and souvenir shops. The fanciest hotels face the fine beaches of Playa Las Gaviotas and Playa Sábalo, which extends north of the Zona Dorada. North of Playa Sábalo, large-scale work continues on the extensive Marina Mazatlán. Other resort hotels and new condominium developments line the beaches north of the marina.

Isla de la Piedra - East of the Mazatlán peninsula, Isla de la Piedra (Stone Island) is a short boat ride from town, though it's not really an island anymore - landfill from the airport construction has joined it to the mainland. The wide, sandy beach here is lined with coconut groves and open-sided, palm-thatched palapas restaurants, some of which have music and dancing on Sunday afternoons and holidays. Good surf breaks and some very cheap accommodations make it popular with surfers.

Isla de Venados - Three rocky islands can be seen from Mazatlán's beaches - Isla de Chivos (Goat Island) is on the left, and Isla de Pájaros (Bird Island) is on the right. In the middle, Isla de Venados (Deer Island) has been designated a natural reserve for protection of native flora and fauna; petroglyphs have also been found on the island. Secluded beaches on the island are wonderful for a day trip, and the clear waters offer great snorkelling. Boats depart from El Cid Mega Resort.

Old Mazatlán - The heart of Old Mazatlán is the large 19th-century cathedral with its high, yellow twin towers and beautiful statues inside. Finished in 1890, it faces the lush trees and bandstand of Plaza Principal. A couple of blocks southwest, the attractive Plazuela Machado is the centre of a large historic area of Mazatlán that has been extensively renewed. It's surrounded by attractive sidewalk cafes and historic buildings such as the Teatro Ángela Peralta, built in 1860.

Towards the beach, the Museo Arqueológico is an interesting little archaeological museum. Opposite, the Museo de Arte has permanent and changing exhibits of work by Mexican artists.

The main beach, Playa Olas Altas, is where Mazatlán's tourism began in the 1950s. The seafront road has a few faded '50s hotels facing the water, but erosion and construction have reduced the beach to a small crescent at the northern end of the cove. To the north, the coast road passes Cerro de la Nevería, where cliff divers plunge into the ocean below. Further along, Playa Norte is a sunset fishing spot for pelicans and other birds.

At the southern end of the peninsula, a particularly prominent rocky outcrop provides the base for El Faro.

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Population: 106.202.900
Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regiona
Currency: Mexican peso
Currency code: MXN
Local Times:
Mexico - Federal District - Mexico City

Country Dialling Code: +52
Voltage: 127V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

Mexico forms a bridge between the slick first-world commerce of North America and the more chaotic Latin tempo of its southerly neighbour. Mexico is a traveller's paradise, crammed with a multitude of opposing identities: desert landscapes, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient ruins, teeming industrialised cities, time-warped colonial towns, glitzy resorts, lonely beaches and a world-beating collection of flora and fauna.

Shaped by the Mayan and Aztec civilisations, Mexico has suffered the destructive force of human nature. the Conquistadors, European colonial rule, civil and territorial wars, rebellions, dictatorships, recessions and earthquakes have all shaped Mexico into the story it tells today through it's varied sites, culture and infrastructure.

Mexico's buildings tend to resemble a quite unique combination of colonial and pagan architecture, blending together Art Nouveau, Baroque, Art Deco and Native American design into the structure of their churches and public structures. Mexico's culture displays a similar blend of the traditional and the modern.

Mexico is much more than just unique culture and fascinating ancient sites and cities. The country also boasts several hundred miles of beautiful coastline extending down through the Pacific and the Caribbean. Beach resort cities such as Acapulco, Cancún and those of the Baja California peninsula are accepted vacation havens. The countryside is also rich in archaeological treasures with pyramids, ruins of ancient cities and great stone carvings of ancient gods standing as testament to a country once ruled by the Aztecs and Mayans.

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