Mazatlan Excursions

Mazatlan is a Mexican Riviera resort that has much to recommend it to the traveler, including several that can be found nowhere else in Mexico. As the areas largest commercial port, Mazatlan sees vast amounts of seafood entering the harbor each day and as a result the seafood restaurants here are some of the finest in all of Mexico. Take the time particularly to enjoy the fresh shrimp which is duly famous.

An old colonial town, Mazatlan still has considerable architectural interest and a visit to the old town, and in particular the amazing cathedral that dates back to 1890 and the small archeology museum must surely rank as a fascinating day out. A variety of beautiful villas have also survived the years and make for a great photo opportunity.

However there is plenty more here to do. With 16km of pristine beaches you won't be running out of places to relax on your vacation and this also makes for excellent walking or cycling in the area. Local bars and eateries ensure you won't be getting hungry in a hurry. Cyclists can hire mountain bikes from local vendors all over town. In addition, boat tours can be taken around the rivers and lagoons to see the profusion of birdlife present in this verdant area. Make sure you bring your camera as this is an experience you will want to savor time and again.

Taking it up a notch, both tennis and golf can be played here; indeed Mazatlan hosts two events each year worth noting - an annual golf tournament well worth looking out for and also a famous fishing competition where fisherman compete to catch the huge local sailfish. You can also take a boat out onto the water yourself if it is of interest and try your own hand at the local fishing, which is said to have been so good it has drawn a variety of celebrities over the years, most notably John Wayne.

Offshore are three separate islands well worth exploring, behind which the sun sets each evening. Named Isla de Venados, Isla de Chivos and Isla de Pajaros, their names translate to the Island of Deer, Goats and Birds. All three are reachable by boat if you have the inclination and offer a quieter beach experience than the main stretch in town.

There is also a fourth "island" - Isla de la Piedra - though this is more accurately a long sandy peninsula popular with locals and housing some excellent places to eat and drink along the way. Well worth a visit.

Mazatlan has two main claims to fame though. Firstly the resort puts on the largest caravel celebration anywhere in Mexico each year where thousands of visitors are treated to a loud, brash, week-long party of processions, colors and food. Book early if you want to visit for this spectacle.

Finally Mazatlan benefits from the second highest lighthouse in the world known as El Faro. A walk up to the summit not only offers amazing panoramic views of the surrounding area but as in Acapulco, local men make death-defying dives from up here into the water below. While they do not dive at regular times as in Acapulco, in Mazatlan there is no chance to watch the daredevils so is a spectacle every visitor should experience during their time here.