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Mazatlan

Country:
Mexico
State:
Mexico (General)
City:
Mazatlan
Type of Location:
Multiple
About Location

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Places to Visit
How to Reach

By plane

Mazatlan has an international airport - General Rafael Buelna International Airport (IATA: MZT) (ICAO: MMMZ), also known as Mazatlán International Airport. It receives international travelers from: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Houston, South Shore Harbor, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. You can reach Mazatlán from many other international origins via Mexico City.

By train

Mexico's passenger rail system including the old Nogales-Guadalajara route that passed through Mazatlán went out of service in the late 90's.

By car

Mazatlan is approximately 18 hr. drive from Phoenix, AZ. There are many considerations when bringing a car into Mexico.

By bus

Mexico has an extremely well developed bus route system and one can easily find a bus to wherever one needs to go. Mazatlán is about 12 hours away from Mexico City (~$90 one way), 6 hours from Guadalajara (~$40 one way), 15 hours from Nogales (~$50 one way), and only about 2 hours from Culiacán. Note: for whatever reason, the bus companies crank up the A/C, so bring a sweater!

By boat

Baja Ferries runs a ferry between Mazatlan and La Paz in Baja California. The trip takes 16 hours or more and leaves Mazatlan almost daily (check for weekend departures). Also, Mazatlán has a busy port which accommodates a number of cruise ships that sail up and down the western coast of the Americas. From the port, it's a five-minute taxi ride to the southernmost hotels or fifteen minutes to the more modern (and more expensive) places to the north.
 

Key places to visit
The Lighthouse, Machado Square, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Olas Altas Beach, El Mercado

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Places to Visit

The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse—look for the signs that say "Faro" around town. Now the highest natural lighthouse in the world (Gibraltar was the highest, but now not in operation), it is 515 feet above sea level. You will have the best view in Mazatlan if you hike up. Don't attempt the hike up unless you're in shape.

Machado Square

The jewel of the restored Centro Histórico. The west side of the square is flanked by the Teatro Angela Peralta, originally built in the 1800's, a beautifully restored building (1987 to 1992) which regularly offers many types of drama and music. Adjacent to the Teatro is a Spanish-language exhibit explaining the history of Mazatlán. The north side has Pedro y Lola's restaurant, a favorite among locals and tourists. On the south side is a hotel restored to its original beauty. A decent (Spanish-language) bookstore is only a couple of blocks away near the Universidad Politécnica de Sinaloa on Constitución. Keep your eyes open for shops with interesting (high-end) local art. The restaurants on the Plazuela have great food, some a little nicer and pricier than others. El Patio and Café Pacífico line the northeast corner of the plaza, and regularly have a fantastic acoustic guitarist playing at night for the diners and the square. Along the north side are three great spots for lunch or dinner. With offers of cheap, ice-cold beer all day, it isn't hard to be lured in to try a little of their food. All these restaurants have both indoor and outdoor, on the sidewalk, seating. It reminds one a bit of Paris.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

This lovely building was finished in 1899 and is being gently restored to its original beauty, although to a visitor it is already beautiful to behold. Its exterior displays a beauty that needs no extras or frills, its inner beauty is juxtaposed to its outside. With all interior light coming through stained glass, it takes on a lovely color, and its reflection off gold statues and other images is quite something. A unique detail is that, at the time of the construction, there was a Jewish family living in Mazatlan, and they donated money towards the construction. People were so happy that they decided to set the Star of David in the top windows of this cathedral. One of the only Catholic churches with this Jewish symbol.

Olas Altas Beach

Is the most historical reference beach of Mazatlan, is located in the southern part of the city, a few meters from the historic center. The section of boardwalk that passes through Olas Altas you can see many monuments, such as The Shield, which contains the coats of Sinaloa and Mazatlan, El Venado, a statue of a deer with reference to the etymology of the name of the city, Monument Pedro Infante, Monument to the Continuity of Life: Women Mazatleca Monument, also is the famous restaurant "Vieux Port"

El Mercado

A large marketplace located in the historic center of town where they sell everything from t-shirts to traditional Mexican handcrafts. In the center is the meat and fruit market that serves the local residents. The name is Mercado Pino Suarez and it was finished in 1899.

Right Time to Visit

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Temperature

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