Destination Guidebook for Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
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Mazatlan is exploding. Although historically not as fancy as Puerto Vallarta to the south or Los Cabos to the west, it's getting there. A middle-sized city that used to depend on its shrimp fleet and a few other industries for its livelihood, Mazatlan has sprung to life with aspirations of becoming a major beach resort as renowned as Los Cabos or Cancun. Its long-stagnant marina development has received injections of new capital, and the state of Sinaloa has funded the construction of a sparkling malecon (seaside promenade) that stretches more than 3 mi/5 km from the edge of Old Mazatlan at Olas Altas to the southern edge of the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone). There is also major construction ongoing between the marina and the northern edge of the city.
Because tourism isn't its only business, Mazatlan accept its visitors gracefully. Unlike some resort towns that become completely consumed (and jaded) by the travel trade, Mazatlan maintains its Mexican character and offers vacationers the things they go for—relaxation and entertainment in a pleasant seaside setting. In a single visit, travelers can experience comfortable resorts, and the sights and smells of a Mexican city. It's as simple as moving from one part of town (Zona Dorada—the tourist area) to another (Old Mazatlan).
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Sights—A visit to Plazuela Machado with its neoclassical buildings; the cathedral on the main square with its restored altar; the top of Cerro El Vigia or La Neveria for a panoramic view of the bay and lighthouse.
Museums—The Museo Arqueological de Mazatlan with its five rooms of pre-Hispanic artifacts; local and national artists at the Museo de Arte; a sense of life in the 19th century at the Casa Machado, a small museum filled with furniture and artifacts from that era.
Memorable Meals—A hearty meal of grilled chicken with quesadillas, beans and tortillas at Panama Restaurant y Pasteleria; grilled shrimp, oysters, garlic octopus, fish fillet, smoked marlin and frog legs served on a hibachi at La Costa Marinera; a tasty Huarache de Pancho overlooking the beach at Pancho's in the Golden Zone; a romantic dinner of aged rib-eye in an art-deco setting at Senor Pepper.
Late Night—Party till you drop at Senor Frog's; techno sounds at Valentino's.
Walks—Sunset strolls on the 13-mi-/21-km-long malecon adjoining the beach; window-shopping along Avenida Playa las Gaviotas; an amble through the narrow streets of Historic Old Mazatlan. Especially for Kids—The Mazagua Aquatic Park for its waterslides; more than 300 species of fish and sea-lion performances at the Acuario Mazatlan; sand-castle contests on the beach; a tour of the shoreline from the Yate Fiesta. The northernmost link in a chain of Pacific Coast cities known as the Mexican Riviera, Mazatlan sits just south of the Tropic of Cancer, 750 mi/1,210 km south of the Mexico-U.S. border. The Pacific Ocean and the fish-rich Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) converge offshore. A municipality (county) as well as a city, Mazatlan stretches beyond the city limits to El Quelite, a quaint village 20 mi/32 km to the north, the state of Durango to the east, and Walamo, a seaside fishing village, to the south.
Of most interest to visitors in Mazatlan proper are two zones: the Centro Historico (Old Mazatlan), where many late-19th-century mansions have been restored to the city's credit, and the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone), a tourist district filled with beach hotels, restaurants and shops. Several steep hills loom above the sea and the otherwise flat city. But the city reaches ever northward. A third area between the marina and the far northern fringe is enjoying a building boom thanks to Emerald Bay, a five-star timeshare resort that calls itself the beginnings of Nuevo Mazatlan.
Note: Some businesses in Mazatlan are located on unnumbered streets and labeled as "s/n," or sin numero (without number). Their addresses are described using the closest intersection. Although Spanish explorers used the port in the 1600s (and pirates probably stashed their booty there), Mazatlan went largely unnoticed until the early 1800s, when activity in nearby gold and silver mines focused attention on Mazatlan's port. Soon the city was the most important in northwestern Mexico, receiving goods such as fabric, porcelain, ivory and wine from Europe and Asia for distribution through the territory. Factories were opened, and later, a foundry was established. The city flourished, and its population steadily increased until the combined effects of the Mexican Revolution, an outbreak of bubonic plague and World War I diminished the city's economic importance.
The 1950s heralded Mazatlan's revival with the construction of a new port, an enlarged fishing fleet, and new canning and freezing facilities. Shortly thereafter, its trophy fish and beaches began to lure vacationers. The first hotels were built along Playa Olas Altas, not far from the historic downtown. Since then, resort development has stretched ever northward along the coast.
In the 1980s, there was a growing interest to renovate the old downtown—an effort that continues today. Commercial shrimping has risen to prominence and is one of the main sources of revenue for the port. But these days, Mazatlan's cruise-ship and tourism industries are more important to the city's economy. Mazatlan is an ancient Nahuatl expression meaning "place of the deer"—but the deer are no longer to be found.
Mazatlan has one of the largest shrimp-boat fleets in Mexico, but much of the shrimp is exported.
Mazatlan's Carnival is one of the oldest in Mexico and is touted as the third-largest in the Americas. What started as friendly battles among hard-drinking, fun-loving stevedores has evolved into a massive spectacle of floats, ballet, fireworks, street dances and pageants, with stage shows that star top Latin American talent.
Isla de Lobos is named not for wolves as many people think, but for sea lions (lobos marinos).
On their way to the California gold rush, many gold seekers traveled through Mazatlan to avoid the longer trip by boat around Cape Horn.
Mazatlan is often called the Billfish Capital of the World for the extraordinary number of catches.
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Editor's Choice of Luxury, Deluxe, and Value priced hotels in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico:
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