.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.This document first appeared in the Mexico Travel Monthly Report. It appears here in the Mexico Online files with the permission of the publisher, Mexico Travel Associates and the author who retains the copyright.
MAZATLAN: GREAT BEACHES, FISHING, SPORTS AND ECO-ADVENTURE
Besides being Mexico's largest commercial seaport, Mazatlan is a bustling resort town that offers great fishing, lots of water sports, cultural activities and eco-adventure, as well as rest and recreation on its long stretches of white-sand beaches and at its luxury hotels.
Located in the State of Sinaloa and resting on a peninsula that juts out into the Pacific
Ocean, Mazatlan features a natural bay and has a sheltered harbor. The original settlement and
port area, called "Old Mazatlan," is situated on the southern tip of the peninsula. To the north lies the newly developed Zona Dorada or the Golden Zone, now one of Mexico's primary Pacific resort areas, visited by more than a million tourists a year. A palm-lined malecon (beachfront promenade), the longest in Mexico, connects the two worlds.
Once the home of the Totorames Indians, Mazatlan, which means "land of deer" in
Nahuatl, also attracted Pacific Coast pirates who, according to legend, buried their treasures in
the coves up and down the coast near the city. A few Spaniards settled there in the early 1600s,
but the town had no municipal government until 1837. A group of enterprising Germans
developed the town's port to import agricultural equipment, and by the end of the 19th century,
Mazatlan was engaging in international trade with places as distant as the Orient.
Today, this city of 500,000 residents supports the largest shrimp-fishing fleet in Latin
America. Tons of shrimp are frozen there daily and shipped off to the United States.
FISHING
Mazatlan is a top destination for excellent deep-sea fishing. Charters are available for
striped marlin in the winter months, swordfish in the spring, sailfish in the spring and early
summer, and tuna year-round. A record 98-pound black marlin and a 203-pound sailfish have
been pulled from the waters off Mazatlan. For anglers who prefer catch-and-release fishing, all
fleet captains in Mazatlan are familiar with this technique.
Mazatlan hosts numerous large sport-fishing fleets, many with more than 30 years'
experience, offering Mexico's finest fishing charter services. For more information about fishing in Mazatlan, contact Star Fleet at (INT) 52-69-82-38-78.
Travelers who don't wish to fish can still enjoy the warm waters and fair weather of
Mazatlan by swimming, surfing, jet-skiing, parasailing and scuba diving. Ten miles of beaches
stretch from Old Mazatlan up the coast past the Zona Dorada, where some of the most popular
beaches are Playa Los Sabalos and Playa Las Gaviotas. North of Zona Dorada are some quieter
beaches, such as Playa Las Brujas and Playa Los Cerritos.
At the famous diver's cliff, tourists hearts race as they watch daring locals plunge into
45 feet of turbulent water surrounded by rocks. The dive requires expert timing, because
without a high wave, the waters are only six feet deep. Diver's cliff is located on Claussen
Boulevard near the Monument to the Women of Mazatlan, which pays tribute to the beauty of
the local women.
While sport-fishing and body-building events are held throughout the year in Mazatlan,
the city's most famous party occurs the week before Ash Wednesday, during a celebration
known as the Carnaval of Mazatlan, the third-largest pre-Lenten festival in the world. In November, the State of Sinaloa has its Cultural Festival, and Mazatlan is alive with folk dances,
music, opera, theater and art shows.
ZONA DORADA
The Zona Dorada is Mazatlan's newly developed tourist center, where visitors find an
exciting atmosphere at night in the zone's bars, restaurants and discos. The town's newest
luxury resorts are located here, and the shops cater to tourists, offering them all the amenities
to make their visit relaxing and enjoyable. The Mazatlan Arts & Crafts Center, at the northern
end of the zone, is an excellent market for browsing and bartering.
On Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, the Playa Mazatlan Hotel offers a Fiesta Mexicana which includes a free buffet and drinks, a folk-dance show, live music and dancing.
OLD MAZATLAN
Old Mazatlan is still the civic, religious and commercial center of Mazatlan. The city's beautiful 19th-century cathedral is located in Plaza Revolucion, Mazatlan's zocalo.
Centuries-old buildings have been restored, including the historic Angela Peralta Theater. In
the Plaza Republica, band concerts are played weekly.
The Archaeological Museum contains hundreds of pre-Columbian relics, and the
Mazatlan Aquarium is home to more than 300 species of fish, including sharks, eels and
seahorses. Next to the aquarium there's a playground and small zoo that sits amid the trees in
the botanical garden. The lively Central Market sells everything from souvenirs to food. On
Sundays from Christmas through Easter, visitors can take in a bullfight at the Plaza de Toros La
Monumental.
Just west of downtown is an old Spanish fort, Fuerte Carranza, where Mazatlan defended
itself from French invaders in the 1860's. The view from the fort is the only vantage point in
Mazatlan from which one can see the three islands located off Mazatlan waters at the same time.
SIDE TRIPS
On most Sundays, in neighboring villages of Mazatlan, such as Llanito, tourists can witness a tournament of the ancient ball game-ulama, which dates back to the dawn of
Mesoamerican civilization. Today, this game only survives in the State of Sinaloa around Mazatlan, where it has been passed down through the generations.
From the center of Old Mazatlan, the Playa Sur bus goes to El Faro, reputedly the
second-largest natural land beacon in the world. From this point, visitors have a spectacular
view of Mazatlan and the Pacific Ocean. For the adventurous traveler, it is an enjoyable 30-minute hike to the point.
Jungle tours and excursions that illuminate different facets of Mexico leave regularly
from most hotels to the Teacapan River, an area filled with tropical flowers. Tours begin with
a drive through agricultural regions, where the cultivation of mangoes, sugarcane, bananas and
coconuts dominates the scenery.
After making stops in Rosario and Teacapan, travelers leave the bus and board a covered
catamaran for a trip upriver into a jungle of mangroves. The swampy terrain harbors alligators,
snakes, jaguars, bobcats and iguanas. Sometimes, playful dolphins provide an escort, leaping
from the water around the boat. Other sites include the San Blas jungle, and Tovara, whose
system of canals extends into a canyon.
EXCURSIONS
Concordia and Copala
Just outside of Mazatlan are Concordia and Copala, two small, charming towns.
Mexico's Route RF40, the first road south of the U.S. border to cross the Sierra Madre
mountains, offers travelers fantastic vistas as they travel to these towns.
Concordia, 28 miles east of Mazatlan, is a delightful former mining town known for its
ceramics and its wonderful, hand-made furniture, especially its rocking chairs. Copala, 55 miles east of Mazatlan, is another historic mining village that is worth a visit. On Sundays, local
families from Mazatlan travel to this cobble-stoned-street town to enjoy a day in the country.
Visitors can picnic, or a visit to Daniel's Restaurant for lunch. The restaurant serves an
excellent banana coconut cream pie, and, if asked nicely, Daniel will be more than happy to
share his special recipe.
Mexcaltitan
About 136 miles south of Mazatlan lies the remote island village of Mexcaltitan,
poetically named "The Venice of Mexico" because you must get there by boat. Its main street, fittingly called Calle de Venecia, is full of cracked-stone houses, sweet smelling capiro trees and friendly natives. Legend has it that Mexcaltitan was discovered by the Aztecs before they moved east into the country's interior.
They called the island Aztlan, "place of the herons," and created a circular, geometrically
precise town representing their vision of the universe as reflected in their calendar. Some say
Mexcaltitan was the model for their great capital Tenochtitlan, later built where Mexico City
now stands.
ISLAND HOPPING
Boat rides to three nearby islands are available from the El Cid Mega-resort. Isla de los
Venados and Isla de los Chivos are quiet and undisturbed, perfect for water sports. Isla de los
Pajaros is popular for birdwatching with hundreds of species nesting on the island.
Travelers can head south to Isla de la Piedra for its tropical, palm-lined beaches and
South Seas atmosphere. This is a favorite Sunday gathering place for Mexican families.
ACCOMMODATIONS
An increasingly popular tourist destination, Mazatlan has more than 140 hotels and 8,500
rooms, with an additional 2,000 rooms planned for the near future. Mazatlan has excellent
accommodations to fit every budget, but visitors looking for luxury have some exciting choices.
The recently restored Rancho Las Moras (tel: 69-16-50-44), a 19th-century tequila
hacienda, is a first-class resort located on the outskirts of Mazatlan in the Sierra Madre
mountains. The 150-year-old hacienda consists of a main house containing six villas with private
terraces, servants' quarters, a tequila-processing area, storage facilities, five small casitas with
private kitchens and baths, and a whitewashed, open-air church overlooking the countryside.
The resort's ranch is one of Las Moras's most interesting features. Rare and exotic
animals -- ranging from miniature horses to llamas -- roam the 3,000 acres of lush terrain.
Horse-drawn carriages and wagons, including mini-buggies for children, can be taken around
the ranch for sightseeing or overnight adventures.
The El Cid Mega-resort (tel: 800-525-1925) is the largest privately owned resort in Mexico, with its 1,000 rooms spread over 900 acres. The resort is divided into three separate
hotels: the Granada Country Club, which has impressive homes and villas that can be rented;
El Moro Beach Hotel, which has not only luxury suites but a private penthouse with a helicopter
landing pad; and the Castilla Beach Hotel, which has more luxury accommodations. All the
hotels have five-star restaurants, bars, discos, tennis courts and pools.
The multi-million-dollar El Cid Marina project is part of a sweeping renovation plan to
be completed early next year. The marina will feature a Venetian-style harbor with a capacity
for 120 yachts. Another tract is slated for the exclusive five-star Hotel Marina El Cid, which
will have 400 rooms, 150 condominiums, a full-service yacht club with health-club facilities, and
a gourmet restaurant. The El Cid Port, another part of the project, will feature a series of
navigable canals and small bridges to interconnect the different development tracts along the
existing golf course. Three large hotels also are planned next to the El Cid Port on the east side
of the marina.
In addition to its newly renovated accommodations, Mazatlan has a great variety of other
luxury hotel and resort options. Luxurious five-star hotels include the Camino Real Mazatlan,
Pueblo Bonito, Playa Mazatan, and Costo de Oro.
For the budget-conscious traveler, Mazatlan offers several inexpensive yet comfortable
accommodations. In addition, many of the five-star resorts offer affordable off-season prices.
In Old Mazatlan there are hotels that cater to the national market. There also are many RV
parks, from beachfront to centrally located, that offer a variety of services.
GOLF
The 18-hole golf course at the El Cid Mega-resort, designed by Robert Trent Jones, has
put Mexico on the international golf map by hosting the annual El Cid Pro-Am. The 72-par
course is open to Country Club members and hotel guests. Arrangements can also be made for
those who are not staying at the resort (tel: 69-83-33-33). Just outside of town, on Route 15,
is a nine-hole course at Club Campestre de Mazatlan (tel: 69-84-74-94). Mazatlan also has
numerous facilities for tennis and horseback riding.
GETTING THERE
The Rafael Buelna International Airport serves Mazatlan and is located 17 miles southeast
of the hotel and resort area. Frequent van transfers are available from the airport to most hotels
at reasonable rates. All major rental-car companies have airport counters. Taxis are
inexpensive and plentiful.
Delta is the only U.S. airline that flies directly into Mazatlan, leaving from Los Angeles.
Most U.S. airlines offer connecting flights to Mazatlan through Mexico City. Canadian
Holidays, the charter service of Canadian Airlines, runs charter flights into Mazatlan.
Mexicana and Aeromexico offer daily flights into Mazatlan from various parts of Mexico.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Mazatlan Tourism Office
Paseo Olas Altas 1300
Tel: 69-81-58-37
Open weekdays, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Mazatlan Hotel Association
Ave. Camaro Sabalo No. 333
Centro Comercial Las Palmas
Locale 41
Tel: 69-14-19-55
Open weekdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-A subscription to the Mexico Travel Monthly Report is $35.00 for one year. For complimentary copy, write to publisher Mexico Travel Associates at P.O. Box 1498, Imperial Beach, Ca. 91933 or e-mail to MexFiles@aol.com, or Compuserve 75322,2351
