Mazatlan, The Pearl Of The Pacific

Mazatlan is unique among Mexican vacation destinations. While places such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas were built specifically for the tourist industry, Mazatlan is a beautiful old colonial town with over 500 years cultural heritage. It is a real working seaport with the largest shrimp-fishing fleet and the largest marina in Mexico. While it has beautiful tourist areas, large marinas and four huge golf courses, it is not a “Disney built” Mexico. It has many many miles of pristine beaches, something not found in most of the other tourist areas of Mexico. There are more miles of beach than any other city in South America with the exception of Rio de Janeiro. The city has many old traditions built around the people and is also host to the third largest Carnival in the world, second only to Rio and New Orleans. It is definitely the “Pearl of the Pacific”. Temperatures here range from the mid 60’s to the mid 90’s.

There are all the features of a resort town. There is water sports, boating, surfing. We have some of the best golf courses in Mexico. But our pride is deep sea fishing. For those looking for a trophy fish such blue or striped marlin, sail fish, yellow fin tuna or mahi mahi, mostly known here as Dorado, (for it beautiful, bright golden colors), Mazatlán is one of the best places in the world for this activity. It’s an exciting adventure that begins at sunrise when boats head for blue waters—some times only six miles out, others as far as 30, where there is a chance to find these fish, resting, feeding or jumping. Using trolling lures, dead bait and live bait, these boats cover a great area trying to find fish. The marine radios are all on and everyone pays attention to the live updates of what is going on where, keeping track of each other’s position by using distance and bearing with GPS devices.

There is a rebirth in Mazatlan, prompted by the president of the Centro Histórico Project. The return of those artists, actors, foodies and fashionistas to old Mazatlán didn’t happen by accident. The neighborhood’s rebirth as an urban cultural district is the product of years of work by a small but committed cadre of advocates. It is a rebirth rooted in ideas of urbanism and smart growth. Today, in Mazatlán’s Centro Histórico the old mingles with the new on every block of this nearly 200-year-old downtown, where a mix of multigenerational families and recent transplants from around the world amplify the neighborhood’s cosmopolitan air. The Centro Histórico isthe resurrected arts district and architectural marvel of the city. There are galleries, sidewalk cafes, artists, musicians, designers, foodies.Around the plaza are the broad porches and tall ceilings of neo-Classical homes, freshly repainted in tropical colors and restored to an approximation of their previous grandeur. Across the plaza a few hours earlier, the layered rhythms of música folklórica erupt from the city’s Municipal Arts Center. There is a certain lilting tropical mood. Days begin and end at the plazuela, where the ocean often smells so close as to be at your feet. There are extended breakfasts; unhurried walks along the malecón; raw oysters at thatched-roofed beach restaurants; a sunset beers on roofs, late dinners of fresh seafood and competing rhythms. When the air cools the easy pace gives way to a feverish night life. The energy of Centro Histórico’s scene is unbelievable against the backdrop of the architecture of two centuries past.

When visiting Mazatlan, take a 'pulmonia' or open air taxi around. Don't forget to go to Lookout Hill or Ice Box Hill for the wonderful views of Old Mazatlan. Visit the Angela Peralta Theater, take a Sunset tour, go to Deer Island and then go back and relax on the miles and miles of clean beaches and at night visit our discos. Mazatlan has the party. Actually there is a nice wide spectrum of night life available, from dining while being serenaded by mariachis, to dancing to the megaton bass of million dollar sound systems. There are roving bands of mariachi musicians all along the golden zone. They will often play one song for free, and then ask you if you would like to pay for a second song.

Mazatlan boasts one of the largest carnival celebrations in Mexico. It’s also one of the oldest, and has been celebrated in more or less its present form for more than a hundred years. Less wanton than Rio’s and more sedate than that of New Orleans or Veracruz, it is nonetheless a spectacular affair that captures the seaside city and holds it hostage for five days and nights each late winter or early spring. It’s a commingling of culture and carousing.

The tourism board touts Mazatlan’s carnival as family-oriented, and it’s true that there are poetry contents, literary awards, and ballet in the baseball stadium. Kids compete for prizes at school, and a couple is elected as diminutive king and queen to reign over the annual awards presentations. Extended families attend rock and dance concerts at venues throughout the city; they dance the tambora, the traditional oompah band music of northern Mexico. For many families the highlight of the week is the grand parade. Long before dark, crowds start to fill downtown’s main street, which parallels the ocean and malecon, downtown Mazatlan’s famous seaside sidewalk. They stand four deep on the sidewalk; young men climb available statues and pillars and posts. Those lucky enough to have scored a room in the Olas Altas neighborhood pack onto the tiny balconies of their hotels. Clowns stomp down the street atop peg-egged stilts. Adorable kids wearing grease paint and animal costumes snake down the avenue in conga lines and their are miles of the most beautiful floats, with music and dancing down the avenue along the ocean. The night before the parade is a mock Naval battle at sea and boats line up with spectators as canon are shot through the air.