Mazatlán On Your Own

Getting Around

Orientation

Your ship will dock at the commercial port, and you will be taken to the adjacent Cruise Terminal via tram. All of the day's excursions will depart from the Cruise Terminal.

Taxis. In Mazatlán taxis are inexpensive and can be found everywhere. There are two taxi companies in Mazatlán: one has red and white taxis and the other has green and white taxis. They are comfortable, have air conditioning, and are pretty cheap. The cost of a taxi will range from $30 to $50 pesos. Make sure you negotiate a price before boarding the taxi.

Open Air Taxis. For something a little more offbeat, take one of the pulmonias, which are open air taxis. Note that the pulmonias are a little more expensive than a regular taxi, and should be avoided if you're sensitive to exhaust fumes.

Bus Service. The cheapest way to get around Mazatlán is to take a bus. Most buses will cost between 3-7 pesos. They pretty much run along all the main streets, which means you can get anywhere you need to go. At certain times of the day they are crowded.

Car Rental. We don't recommend renting a car in Mazatlán, because public transportation is cheaper and tends to be a lot more convenient. If you're looking to get around town in your own vehicle, hire a car and driver for the day.

Shopping

The Golden Zone is Mazatlán's primary shopping venue. The shops and boutiques on avenidas Playa las Gaviotas and Camaron Sabalo feature the usual assortment of souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, Mexican handicrafts and leather goods.

Shopping in the Central Market (mercado) at avenidas Ocampo and Juarez in Old Mazatlán offers a more authentic shopping experience, where hunting for shoes, hats, pottery, handicrafts and leather goods amid the piles of shrimp and seafood can be an adventure.

What's Special in Mazatlán

Unique folk art and other artworks.

Recommended Shops in the Golden Zone

See our Map of Recommended Mazatlán Shops for the locations of the shops listed below.

Sea Shell City
A virtual sea shell extravaganza, with shells from around the world. Both a museum and a shop where you can buy the shells and Mexican handicrafts. Accepts Amex, Visa and MasterCard.
Open daily 9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Avenida Playa las Gaviotas, across from the Playa Mazatlán hotel

Mazatlán Arts and Crafts Center
This shop sells clothing, rugs, pottery and footwear. Cash only.
Open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
On Avenida Playa las Gaviotas

Gallery Michael
Sells Tlaquepaque crafts and fine silver jewelry.
Open daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Avenida Las Garzas 18, just off Avenida Camaron Sabalo, near the Dairy Queen.

Recommended Shops in Old Mazatlán

Nidart (Nido de Artesanos)
Arts and crafts made by local artisans.
Open daily 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Next to the Angela Peralta Theater in Old Mazatlán

La Gran Plaza
An American-style mall
On Avenida de los Deportes, three blocks inland from the Malecon

Sinaloan Cuisine

Sinaloan cuisine is renown in Mexico for its variety of flavors, the delicious specialties created by local chefs and the high quality of the ingredients.

Here are some of the more typical and popular Sinaloan dishes. (We've linked a few of the dishes to recipies you can make at home.)

• Camarones: fresh shrimp, whether grilled, fried, sauteed, baked or served in a soup or stew, they'll be very tasty!
• Chilorio: a traditional dish made of seasoned pork cut into small pieces and accompanied with flour tortillas
• Mochomo: dried meat that's roasted, macerated and fried, and seasoned only with salt and onion
• Tamales de camaron: shrimp tamales with peas, wrapped in corn husks
• Pescado Zarandeado: the fish is split in half and char-grilled, and served with rice and vegetables
• Pescado Ahumado: smoked fish using laurel leaves
• Caldo Sudador: fish soup based on porgy (pargo)
• Mangos: more than 30 varieties of mango can be found in Sinaloa
• Empanadas de fruta: "pies" filled with guava (guayaba), pumpkin (calabaza), pineapple (pina) or other fruits
• Quesos Caseros de Mocorito: the famous cheeses made in the town of Mocorito
• Damiana: a fermented drink using the plant called Damiana
• Jamoncillo: milk candy
• Piloncillos: candy made from ground sugar cane
• Tacuarines: corn and flour cookies often made in the shape of doughnuts

Mazatlán Specialties

Mazatlán cuisine is legendary in Mexico. As the shrimp capital of Mexico, you'll be able to find this tasty crustacean in virtually all of Mazatlán's restaurants, prepared in a myriad of ways. You'll also find excellent seafood and beef dishes. If you've had your fill of shrimp, try the pescado zarandeado, a delicious charcoal grilled fish; you won't be disappointed.

Restaurants

Recommended Restaurants in Mazatlán

One word of caution about eating out in Mazatlán: if the restaurant's not crowded, don't eat there.

Restaurants in Downtown Mazatlán:

See our Recommended Mazatlán Restaurants Map for the locations of the restaurants listed below.

Cafe Pacifico
Seafood
Cafe Pacifico is a fixture in downtown Mazatlán. This restaurant is a local favorite, especially among those with deep roots in the town. Try the Pacifico Sunset, a house specialty.
At the north end of Plaza Machado, in downtown Mazatlán

El Shrimp Bucket
Seafood
Opened in 1963, El Shrimp Bucket was the first restaurant created by the Anderson chain, owner of Carlos 'n Charlie's and Senor Frogs. Full bar. Accepts Amex, Visa and Mastercard.
Olas Atlas #11, in downtown Mazatlán about 5 blocks southwest of Plaza de la Republica
Tel: (669) 981 6350

Il Mosto
International
The menu is Northern Mediterranean, with a Mexican flair. Offering mainly freshly made pizza and pasta, and homemade bread with chopped olive pesto. While you can sit inside, most people elect to dine al fresco on the square. Accepts most major credit cards.
1510 Calle Sixto Osuna, on the Plazuela Machado
Open daily for late lunch and dinner
Tel: (669) 985 4366

Restaurants in the Golden Zone:

Guadalajara Grill
Mexican
Authentic Mexican cuisine with a fun, colorful atmosphere. Another restaurant in the Anderson chain. Try the camarones mango (mango shrimps) or the traditional Pollo relleno en mole (stuffed chicken with mole sauce).
Ave. Camaron Sabalo #335
Open daily 1:00 pm to midnight
Tel: (669) 913-5065

Gus y Gus
Mexican
With live music and excellent food, Gus Gus is a good place to stop for a light lunch or for dinner. The drinks are good and the prices are reasonable. It's also a good spot to sit and have a few beers while your spouse is across the street shopping.
Ave. Camaron Sabalo #1730 in the north end of the Golden Zone
Tel: (669) 914-4501

La Cebolla Morada
International
La Cebolla Morada (the Purple Onion) is a favorite for tourists and locals alike. They offer excellent international cuisine, including barbecue ribs, rib-eye steaks and seafood. They also have live music daily and a well stocked bar--the longest in the state of Sinaloa. Accepts Visa and Mastercard.
Ave. Camaron Sabalo #2024, in the Golden Zone
Open daily from 8:00 am to midnight, and until 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays
Tel: (669) 913 2082

Los Zarapes
International
Located in the Golden Zone, Los Zarapes offers a traditional Mexican atmosphere with excellent food. Full bar. Accepts Amex, Visa and Mastercard.
Ave. Camaron Sabalo, in the Golden Zone
Open daily from noon to 2:00 am
(669) 913-1400

Los Arcos
Seafood
If you like fresh shrimp, this is the restaurant where you want to go in Mazatlán. The shrimp here come prepared in a seemingly unending variety of dishes. Very popular with the locals. Accepts Visa and Mastercard.
Ave. Camaron Sabalo 1019, in the Golden Zone
Open daily from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
(669) 913 9577

Activities

Tour Operators

There are several local tour operators that can take you on excursions in Mazatlán and the surrounding areas. You can also pre-book your tours via the internet. These companies include Vista Tours, the largest in the city, and Ole Tours.

You can also hire a personal tour guide. These include Mazatlán Frank and the Drive & Guide Tour Service, an association of English-speaking drivers who own their own vehicles. They are also certified by the Federal Tourism Department as qualified Tour Guides for Mazatlán.

Here are a few typical examples of the types of excursions offered by the above operators:

• Historical Mazatlán Tour A three hour ride will take you through Mazatlán's historical downtown area (Old Mazatlán), the New Mazatlán and the modern Zona Dorada.
• Stone Island Tour (Isla de la Piedra): You'll take a boat around the bay to this unspoiled spot, where you'll find quiet beaches, palapa restaurants and a tropical jungle teeming with exotic animals.
• Harbor cruises and island excursions: Enjoy a cruise around Mazatlán's Puerto Viejo bay and visit Goat, Deer and Bird islands, where you can swim, snorkel, or scuba dive in the balmy waters.
• Concordia and Copala tour: Visit these quaint colonial mining towns aboard a tour bus. Soft drinks and lunch are usually included.

Sights in Old Mazatlán

Angela Peralta Theater Construction of the Angela Peralta Theater was begun in 1869, and was completed in the early 1870's. It was originally named the Teatro Rubio, after its first owner.

In 1883, the famous opera singer Angela Peralta, "the Nightingale of Mexico," arrived in Mazatlán to perform. The enthusiastic crowd that had gathered to meet her unhitched the horses from her carriage and carried her to her hotel. According to local legend, she was so taken aback by their enthusiasm that she performed for her fans from the balcony of her hotel.

Unfortunately, the ship on which she had arrived carried yellow fever, and she died before she could ever perform in the theater. The theater was soon thereafter renamed in her honor, and a plaque commemorates her tragic death.

In the subsequent years, the theater went through many changes. In the early years of the 20th century, the theater was turned into a vaudeville stage, and later into a movie theater, then a boxing ring and finally into a parking garage.

In 1975, hurricane Olivia hit Mazatlán and destroyed the inside of the theater. Standing in ruin for years, the theater underwent a restoration starting in 1987, and reopened in 1992.

Today, the Angela Peralta Theater is a principal cultural and tourist attraction in Mazatlán. It is one of the few opera houses of its type and age in Mexico that still functions as a working theater.

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Basilica de la Immaculada Concepcion)
Although the exterior is somewhat plain, the interior is well-preserved and very ornate; worth a visit.
Open daily, no cost to enter
Located on the north side of Plaza Principal, at avenidas Juarez and 21 de Marzo.

Mazatlán Archaeological Museum (Museo Arquelogico de Mazatlán)
Open Tuesday though Saturday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Admission is around $20 pesos
Calle Sixto Osuna #76, just east of Paseo Claussen

Mazatlán Art Museum (Museo de Arte de Mazatlán) This museum features works by Mazatleco artists as well as nationally-known artists such as Jose Luis Cuevas.
Calle Sixto Osuna and Avenida Venustiano Carranza

Beaches in Mazatlán

Mazatlán has one of the longest stretches of uninterrupted beach in Mexico. The water temperatures typically ranges between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit year round.

On the Golden Zone beaches, vendors are a pain in the neck, approaching you every few minutes. To avoid them, sit away from the hotel chairs and closer to the water.

Going from south to north:

• Stone Island is actually a peninsula that has miles of undeveloped beaches. There are a few things to do, like horseback riding and swimming, but the water's colder here than in Mazatlán proper, and the horseback ride is fairly short for the money.
• Playa Olas Atlas was the city's first tourist beach, and is where Mazatlán's malecon begins. Good for surfers, but not for swimmers.
• Playa Los Pinos is where the local fishermen sell their catch .
• Playa Norte, just north of the Fishermen's Monument, is popular with the locals, and is used for impromptu sporting events like soccer and baseball.
• Playa Martin passes in front of the malecon along Avenida del Mar.
• Punta Camaron is a rocky outcropping between Playa Martin and Playa Gaviota.
• Playa Gaviota is north of Punta Camaron, and is a favorite of the tourist crowd.
• Playa Sabalo has a wide white sand beach, and is also a favorite of the tourist crowd. It is protected from the high surf by the three offshore islands.
• Playa Brujas and Playa Los Cerritos are north of Playa Sabalo, and are less populated and not as popular as the more southerly beaches.

Fishing

Mazatlán is one of Mexico's most popular sportsfishing destinations. There are several marinas where you can charter a boat for the day. The older Marina del Crestron is located near the El Faro lighthouse in Mazatlán harbor. The newer marinas, El Cid and Marina Mazatlán, are located at the northern end of the Golden Zone. Here are a few of the recommended operators:

• Aviles Bros., Paseo Claussen at 5 de Mayo. Tel: (669) 981-6060
• Dorado Fleet, Marina del Crestron. Tel: (669) 981-6204
• Escualo Fleet, Pier No. 10, New Marina Tel: (669) 913-0303; From the US and Canada: (888) 800-9619
• Faro, Marina del Crestron. Tel: (669) 982-4977
• Star Fleet, Marina del Crestron. Tel: (669) 982-2665
• Vikings Fleet, Marina Mazatlán, Dock 10. Tel: (669) 986-3484