Mazatlan Beaches

Mazatlan boasts some of Mexico's (and the world's) most beautiful beaches. If you're looking for wide, uninterrupted stretches of golden sand beach, delicious ocean waters, surfing, water sports, horseback riding, fishing, beautiful ocean vistas, and beautiful sunsets, you will find it all at Mazatlan's many beaches.

Mazatlan's beaches can be enjoyed year round. In the summer time you can just walk into the ocean waters without having to adjust to the temperature since the waters are warmed by the summer's hot tropical climate (the heat index reaching above 100 degrees F). Mazatlan is really hot and humid in the summer, so bring plenty of drinking water and perhaps a beach umbrella for shade if you have it. Be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen since the UV index is extreme. In the winter the ocean water is cooler but still comfortable enough to dip in (though most natives think it's too cold and stay out). The beaches are relatively uncrowded year round except for special holidays and festivals.

Playa Olas Altas is a popular beach among surfers. It's a small crescent shaped strip of beach located by Old Town Mazatlan.
Olas Altas means "tall waves" and, as the name would suggest, is not ideal and in fact can be dangerous for swimming. If dipping in, be sure not to wander out too far. You can, however, witness some stunning views of the waves, the three islands, and the surrounding cityscape, either from the comfort of the warm sand or from one of the various beachfront restaurants along the malecon ("ocean promenade"). If you show up on the southern end of the beach at around 10 am, on a cloudless day, with the sun being above and behind you, you can experience invigorating views of the ocean in the best light, with the water turning a rich, lively green-blue color - quite an amazing opportunity for some great photographs!

Playa Norte is one of the most popular stretches of beach in Mazatlan. It runs about 3 miles between the fisherman's monument and the Fiestaland nightclub complex. The southern end of Playa Norte has some of the safest waters for swimming and you can wade quite a ways out before it gets too deep. At this end of the beach you'll find beachside bars vending fresh seafood dishes, drinks, and beer, with convenient seating right on the beach under palm umbrellas.
Musicians stroll around the beach looking to play traditional Mexican folk music for money. Beach vendors, selling everything from fruit cups, to jewelry, to hats frequent the Mazatlan beaches to make a living.

Fiestaland is the beginning of the Golden Zone, the part of Mazatlan that caters the most to tourists and where you'll find most of the resort hotels. The beaches here are accessible through the hotels (there are certain access points from the main street to the beach). From Fiestaland to the Marina El Cid is an uninterrupted stretch of beach (about 2.5 miles) that begins with Playa Camaron, followed immediately by Playa Las Gaviotas.
The waters are a bit more turquoise here, and you'll find most of the water sports such as sailing, parasailing, and jet skiing being enjoyed. It's easy to setup one of these activities, just by walking around you'll easily find the operators of these activities. This is also where you'll find most of the beach vendors. Playa Sabalo is the third beach before arriving at the marina. Most of the biggest and tallest hotels are found along this stretch of beach.

A few miles north of the Golden Zone you will find some of the more secluded beaches available in Mazatlan, which are also in the newest part of the city. Playa Bruja is a wonderful beach, quickly becoming popular with surfers because of the high waves. This beach is known to have some strong undercurrents and can be somewhat dangerous for swimming, so it's best to stay close to the beach. Although it is still somewhat secluded, there are a couple of palm-roof (palapa) restaurants in the area, and there are a couple of high-rise resort hotels being constructed nearby (RIU Emerald Bay being one of them). Playa Cerritos follows north of Playa Bruja, and is the northernmost "official" beach of Mazatlan. At night, you can experience a wondrous tranquility standing on the edge of this beach, watching the gentle waves lapping onto the sand and gazing up at the incredible night sky filled with stars, with no one around to make a sound, and the idyllic lights of the city in the distance.

Last, but not least, are the beaches at Isla de la Piedra. A motorboat ride is required to reach the tip of the peninsula that locals call an island. One can take a boat ride from the ferry terminal, and once arriving at the Isla a tractor-pulled cart takes a group of passengers on a short ride to the beach. The northernmost end of the beach that one first arrives at has several palapa open-air restaurants serving seafood, tacos, beer, and other foods. Some have dancing with live music on weekends and holidays. Here you can find volleyball, banana boat rides, horseback riding, or simply relaxing on the sand. There are no beachfront hotels or tall building on the Isla, and heading south you will run through 15 miles of isolated, wide sandy tropical beach with coconut-laden palm trees on completely undeveloped land. The 15 mile stretch of beach can be traveled by foot, horseback, or ATV. From the northernmost tip of the peninsula one can take a short walk along a jetty to Goat Island which has a hill to climb, a couple of palapa restaurants, and a nice beach to enjoy.

Mazatlan is well known for its beaches and you can find something to enjoy at each one of them. There is something immensely invigorating about standing on the sand, looking out at the wide open ocean and sky - it's mind expanding! Whether it's the many resort life beach activities or the seclusion of a tropical island you're looking for, you'll find it at one of Mazatlan's beaches.

Mazatlan Year-round

Taking a vacation to Mazatlan is a rewarding experience, but you'll need to take several vacations to fully enjoy Mazatlan. There are several major events throughout the year that are worth experiencing, so after your first trip, plan on coming back!

One of the best times of year to go to Mazatlan is in the wintertime, roughly between November and February. This is particularly true regarding the weather - it is fairly comfortable: about 80 F for the highs and about 50 F for the lows. It can get pretty chilly at night, so be sure to bring a coat and some warmer clothes, particularly for the evening and night. The ocean water is cool, but still comfortable enough to dip in. This is the time of year when some of the sand from the beaches disappears, particularly at Olas Altas in the older part of the city. The natives don't frequent the beaches as much this time of year due to the water's colder temperatures so there is not much activity on the beaches, which is great if you don't like the crowds.

The wintertime in Mazatlan is, of course, full of holidays and special celebrations. November 2nd is Dia De Los Muertos (All-Souls Day) during which all of Mexico celebrate their deceased. Christmas is a major holiday in Mexico, but it's the days leading up to Christmas that are also special. Many businesses, families, and whole neighborhoods have "posadas" which are basically very festive Christmas parties with food, music, dancing, and some gift exchanging, throughout most of December leading up to Christmas. Right after Christmas, of course, is New Years, which is a major celebration for all families as well. To fully experience and appreciate these holidays in Mexico, it is best to stay with a family living in Mazatlan that celebrates these holidays, although many of the hotels in Mazatlan will host related festivities, and certainly Mazatlan's nightlife scene will draw you in to the excitement!

After New Years, On January 6 is Dia de los Reyes Magos (Day of the (three) Kings, or Day of the Magi) in which young children get additional gifts or candy, and round cakes called "roscas" are consumed. The "roscas" are special in that small plastic figurines are inserted into the "roscas" and when the cake is divided up and the pieces distributed. According to tradition, whoever gets a figurine has to make tamales for the others, although many don't follow through. :)

Perhaps the greatest festivity in Mazatlan is the "carnaval," which takes place for one week sometime around February or March of each year (depending on the Roman Catholic Liturgical Calender), and is the week right before lent in the Catholic faith. For carnival week Mazatlan puts on two long, extravagant parades along the "malecon," two fantastic "ship to shore" fireworks displays, several coronation ceremonies for the carnaval "royalty" which bring several big-name music artists to perform at the festivities, and a major all-night party along Olas Altas. Mazatlan during carnival week is the place to be for great fun and celebration.

"Semana Santa," or Holy week, in Mazatlan is also a festive time, and is also an important religious celebration in Mexico. It takes place between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, which usually falls in April, and like carnival time, it attracts tourists and brings out the native population onto the streets. Much is happening along the beaches and throughout the major plazas in Mazatlan. Right after Holy Week, bike week takes over the city in which thousands of motorcycles are roaming the streets and several exhibitions and a motorcycle parade attract the crowds.

From May through October the city-wide festivities stop although there is plenty of activity on the beaches. It gets quite hot and humid (upper 90s +) so it makes sense to go the beach and dip into the water (since you can't really get relief from the heat at home anyway, unless you have AC. The rain season, however, does run from June until September, so there aren't as many days available to go to the beach during the summer months.

These are the main events that take place throughout the year in Mazatlan, apart from the many other things that one can do any time (beach, golf, dance, etc.). Actually, being in Mazatlan always feels like being on vacation, regardless of what time of year or what you're doing. After vacationing in Mazatlan, you'll want to come back again at a different time of year to experience the different festivities, and then just come back for the events you've been to since each event is always special year after year! Mazatlan has much to offer year-round.

Mazatlan - The Pearl of the Pacific

Mazatlan, located on the western coast of Mexico, is a veritable paradise on earth. Highly regarded for it's golden sand beaches, beautiful sunsets, and warm tropical climate year-round, Mazatlan is one of the few cities in Mexico that offers the sophistication, comfort and hospitality that the growing tourist industry can offer while maintaining the charm and authenticity of the native Mexican culture.

There is plenty to do in Mazatlan, whether you're a native or tourist. Besides walking, jogging, or biking along the "malecon" (seafront promenade) and beholding the stunning views of the Pacific ocean, hanging out at the beach is a given. There are miles of uninterrupted, clean, wide sandy beaches to stroll on, and jumping into the water is always delicious (even in the wintertime, the water is not too cold). Mazatlan beaches also offer sailing, water skiing, and para-sailing (these activities are particularly done in Mazatlan's Golden Zone where all the big hotels are). You'll see musicians and vendors trolling the beaches and surfers catching waves. Depending on the time of year the beaches will be packed with people or there'll be activities and performances happening along the beachfront. Mazatlan is also well known for excellent deep sea fishing. Fishing is an important industry in Mazatlan and is responsible for Mazatlan being one of the largest exporters of shrimp in the world.

But there is more to Mazatlan than beaches and fishing. Take a walk around old town Mazatlan. Hang out at the quaint plazas or step into one of the cafes for a delicious bite to eat or a refreshing drink. Visit the bustling "mercado" (marketplace) to experience a more traditional approach to Mexican commerce, and maybe pick up a souvenir or two. The area immediately surrounding the "mercado" has many stores to visit if you're looking to shop. The cathedral is a landmark that you can't miss.

Its beautiful facade, with tall yellow towers and exquisite design and detail, is a sight that will prompt you to just stare at it for minutes on end, trying to take in every detail. The interior of the cathedral is just as impressive and is a good place to meditate when there is no mass.

Other daytime activities in Mazatlan include golfing at some excellent courses, including the Estrella Del Mar resort golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. Mazatlan has several museums, an aquarium, many jewelry and artisan craft shops that are museums in and of themselves, and getting around Mazatlan can be great fun riding one of the "pulmonias" - open-air taxis similar to golf carts that will take you anywhere in the city (for a fare, of course).

Mazatlan offers anyone an incredible nightlife. If a stroll along the "malecon" during a warm, tranquil night, or dinner at one of the many restaurants or street-side food carts is not enough, then the clubs in Mazatlan will guarantee a great time for those seeking a more lively atmosphere. Fiestaland, a collection of clubs located at the beginning of the Golden Zone, lights up at night to offer dancing, live music, and dining. There are various clubs and restaurants throughout the Golden Zone that offer dancing and live music, and many of the hotels offer the same. Even Plaza Machado in old town Mazatlan offers a lively - yet more subdued - atmosphere with street-side dining and live musicians. The Angela Peralta theater in Plaza Machado presents many musical and theatrical performances throughout the year. Anything you can think of - bowling, pool, dancing, theater - is available in Mazatlan.

But, it is the beaches of Mazatlan that are a real gem.

Pictures can never replace actually being there. Mazatlan is growing tremendously and is preparing to accommodate more tourists besides a growing population. Many new hotels are being built along a stretch of beachfront north of the the Golden Zone. Things are getting even more exciting in Mazatlan. If you're looking for a vacation spot, Mazatlan is definitely worth going to. You will feel at home, probably won't want to leave, and if you do leave, you'll want to come back to Mazatlan again!

-Moises

Mazatlan, Sinaloa - Welcome

Hello and welcome to traveltomazatlan.blogspot.com, a blog dedicated to Mazatlan Sinaloa Mexico. I will be discussing all aspects of Mazatlan, things to see and experience, tips for travelers, and much more. If you have any comments or questions, please leave a comment or email me at momex01@yahoo.com.

-Moises