Guide To Mazatlan

About Mazatlan

Travel north from Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo on Mexico's Pacific coast - to the central coastal area of the country- and you'll discover the Mexican Riviera.

Miles upon miles of palm trees line the land just inside the coastal shores. Jungle covered mountains plunge into the Pacific coast, or fall short to reveal golden sand beaches, waiting to be discovered and walked upon by tired feet.

This area along the coast of the Mexican Riviera is host to 3 main costal resort towns - Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan - as well as the exclusive and luxurious resorts along the Costalegre between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.

The region is extremely accessible - by air and by road - and has become a favorite holiday destination for foreigners and Mexicans alike... read on and discover why.

Mazatlan is one of the young Mexican party towns of the Pacific coast, but it is also one of the most economic of Mexico's resorts, balancing convenience and comfort with economy and good value.

Mazatlan is the northern-most of the main resorts on Mexican Riviera, and is also one of the busiest commercial shipping ports on the Pacific. Mazatlan is the shrimp capital of the world with over 40,000 tones of shrimp shipped and processed from here every year.

The coastal resort is attracting more and more travelers to its shores every year, as word-of-mouth spreads about its charms and attractions. People are coming here with their families, and those travelers looking for good value in return for their hard-earned holiday money are also discovering that Mazatlan offers a great alternative to the more commercialized resorts in Mexico.

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Key Attractions

Stunning Beaches

Mazatlan has an excellent assortment of beaches - some for surfing, others for swimming. Because some of the beaches face the open Pacific, the waves are strong, big and pounding - no good for swimming - so take extreme care with those!

There are plenty of good beaches for relaxing, sunbathing and swimming on in Mazatlan. All of the mainstream guidebooks give detailed descriptions of the beaches worth visiting and how to get to them. Find a guidebook on the Mexperience Bookshelf!

Water Sports

A wide variety of water sports can be enjoyed in Mazatlan, including diving, snorkeling. You can also rent water craft to have fun on the water from various rental agencies - see the Mexperience Travel Center for details.

Health Spas

Mazatlan is host to some good Resort Spas. For more information about Health Spas, and how to benefit from a magnificent health spa experience in Mexico, connect to the Mexperience Section about Health Spas.

Local Cruises

Local Boat Tours are a great way to see remote places otherwise not accessible or difficult to get to. Your tour can include stops at good places for swimming, snorkeling and diving, give you access to remote and secluded beaches, or if you just want to relax - take a sunset cruise and watch the sun melt into the Pacific Ocean in style!

Sports Fishing Experiences

Mazatlan is one of Mexico's top destinations for Sports Fishing! If you want to fish for Bass, Mazatlan is THE place in Mexico to go. Read our Guide to Sports Fishing in Mexico and discover just what a fantastic day out a sports fishing experience can be on your next visit to Mexico!

Away from the Water

Mazatlan is a city in its own right, and there is plenty to see and do away from the waterfront.

Take time wander around Mazatlan and see the historic colonial town with its buildings, plazas and architecture from years gone by. There are a couple of museums to visit, a theatre, the main plaza and of course the city's Cathedral. All the mainstream guidebooks will have a few paragraphs about the highlights around the town.

Consider taking a local tour; either around the city, or a little way of out Mazatlan, where you can experience a Mountain and / or Jungle tour.  See the Mexperience Travel Center for details of these. 

Eco Tours from Mazatlan

You can rent mountain bikes, go horseback riding on the beach and go bird watching locally.   All these are among the opportunities of Eco tours you can experience around Mazatlan.

Golf in Mazatlan

Not only is the climate here idea for Golf, Mazatlan offers some of the best rates for top-quality golf in Mexico! There are several good courses, some are newer, others are well established, but all are great quality!

Real Estate Investment in Mazatlan

Mazatlan has become one of the most popular places for foreigners to invest and retire in Mexico. This is no surprise as, besides being exceptionally well connected and within easy access of the USA and Europe, Mazatlan also offers a wonderful climate, world-class facilities and amenities, an authentic Mexican atmosphere and low living costs. Connect to the Mexico Real Estate Guides for more information about buying real estate in Mexico.

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Getting There & Around

Getting There

By Air - You can fly to Mazatlan from the United States and and other points in Mexico primarily Mexico City. Flights to Mazatlan are relatively limited in comparison to other Mexican resorts, which is probably what keeps the resort quieter and better value for money.

Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for Airlines.

By Bus - You can travel to Mazatlan on a luxury bus from Mexico City and Guadalajara.  Travel times on the bus are about 20 hours and 10 hours respectively.

Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for National Buses.

By Car - Driving to Mazatlan from the united states will take about 10 hours. Use the toll highway 15. From Puerto Vallarta, the road is mountainous and windy. Best to fly.  See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico's Toll Roads on Mexperience.

By Ferry - If you're going to visit La Paz, you can take a ferry across to Mazatlan from there. The ferry runs daily and you can take your car, if you have one. Note that you can only travel as a foot passenger on some days. Different levels of service are available, including private cabins. Prices depend on your class of service and size of car. Check the Ferry Company's website at: www.bajaferries.com for details of routes, schedules, prices and contact details.

Getting Around

From the Airport - The airport is about 17 miles from the city and hotel zones. Ground transportation is available - buy your tickets from the booth inside the airport terminal building.

Taxis - Mazatlan's Taxis are not metered, so agree your price before you get in. Some Restaurants and taxi cabs post taxi rates on a board, and depending on how far you're going to travel, the price will vary. If you speak Spanish, you will have a distinct advantage and be able to negotiate a better price! Another good reason to Learn Spanish!

Rent a Car - Unless you have specific plans to travel away from the Mazatlan area, it's best to give a car a miss here. Local transport options to take you where you want to go. Organized tours arrange all the necessary transportation for you. If you want to explore the areas around Mazatlan, a rental car is the best way to do this as other public transportation options are limited. See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico's Toll Roads on Mexperience.

See the Mexperience Travel Center for details about Car Rental in Mazatlan.

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Local Events Calendar

During the week before lent, Mazatlan celebrates its Mardi Gras - or carnival. This is a wild, fun week-long party that builds up to a massive climax on the night of Shrove Tuesday, just before Ash Wednesday when lent begins. Expect the carnival to be full of music, dancers, mariachis, street vendors, all night parties, and more! If you want to be in Mazatlan during this time, be sure you book your transport and accommodation well ahead of time!

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Practical Information

Telephone: Connect to the Communications in Mexico Page on Mexperience for full information about keeping in touch and the latest table of national dialing codes.

Exchanging Currency: Banks with ATM machines are found throughout the downtown area of Mazatlan. During business hours, they and the Casas de Cambio will buy traveler's cheques and cash from you as well. Read about money and currency exchange in Mexperience's Money Section.

Travel Insurance: We recommend that you are adequately covered with travel medical cover and/or travel assistance cover when you are visiting Mexico. Read the Mexperience guide to Travel Insurance in Mexico for full details and links to specialist insurance suppliers.

Internet Access: Internet cafes are commonplace in Mexico - new ones open and old ones close all the time - but you won't have to look too hard to find one downtown and in the main tourist areas.

Book Ahead for Mazatlan!: During the busiest times, which are Easter, the Carnival before lent, the hotels in Mazatlan are packed. If you want to go to Mazatlan at these times, you MUST book ahead of time, and if you want the best type of accommodation - way in advance!

Local Tourist Office: Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for details of the nearest Tourist Information office.

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Accommodation

• Find a Hotel in Mazatlan

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Restaurants

We have no specific restaurant recommendations at this time.

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When Night Falls

Mazatlan is a great place for night-life. A lot of young Mexican People come here for some party-fun during long weekends, especially. There is plenty to choose from, whatever kind of night-life you enjoy...

Locally Hosted Parties - Many of the Restaurants host their own parties which include dinner, dancing, a show and all drinks for a fixed fee. Ask at your hotel to find out what is happening locally.

Nightclub Scene - Mazatlan provides excellent and varied night life for visitors.   In fact, Night Clubs are a big part of the holiday scene in Mazatlan, and like their Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta counterparts, they don't stop 'till the sun comes up! Some night clubs charge an all inclusive cover fee; some a smaller cover and drinks on top. Drinks are served all night - don't even consider going to a nightclub before 11pm. Nightclubs keep going all morning and most people will start to leave between 5 and 7 am.

Beach Clubs - A lot of Restaurants provide night-club facilities in areas that lead out onto the beach... along with the music, dancing and drinks!

Night Bars / Restaurants - All over Mazatlan there is a selection of local, national and international names in Late Night Entertainment.

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What to Buy in Mazatlan

Mazatlan tends to offer the traditional "beach ready" selection of tourist knick-knacks, including of course, a huge variety of "I've been to Mazatlan" type T-shirts.

But not all shopping here boils down to tourist-trap fare, you can also buy some really good Mexican arts and crafts, paintings and jewelry.

There is also a traditional market selling fresh shrimp in the open air, pottery and textiles - you may not end up buying much here, but don't miss this shopping experience!

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Local Climate

Mazatlan offers you year-round warmth, but it is cooler than Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco - for the fact that is is considerably further north (1,000 miles) of Acapulco. The rainy season is May to October, but as with most monsoon areas, rains tend to be fierce and brief in the late afternoon, leaving the evenings dry and cooled off. September brings the highest levels of humidity and sees the heaviest of the rains. During the winter months (Dec-Mar), evenings and early mornings can be cool, so pack a wool pullover if you're thinking about traveling during those months.

Live Weather Report:

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