Things to do in Mazatlán
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Mazatlán
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Peak season, best weather, whale watching at its best, Venados baseball into January, Carnaval in February.
Excellent dry warming weather. Semana Santa fills beaches and hotels, May is hot but dry and good value.
Hot, humid and rainy, warm calm sea and hotel discounts. Hurricane risk runs June to October.
September is hottest and wettest and best avoided. From mid October rains end, November is the insider pick.
What's on
- Carnaval de Mazatlán Six days ending Shrove Tuesday; 4-9 February in 2027
Six days ending Shrove Tuesday, coronations, Naval Combat fireworks and two huge malecón parades. Book months ahead.
- Semana Santa Holy Week, dates vary
Domestic tourism fills every beach and hotel. Join it knowingly or avoid the exact week.
- Semana de la Moto (Motorcycle Week) around / after Easter
Thousands of bikers come to the malecón.
- Día de Muertos 1-2 November
Marked in Centro, alongside the Festival Cultural Mazatlán in autumn.
- Pacific Marathon Late November / early December
Pacific Marathon weekend in late November or early December.
Worth the trip for
Best things to do in Mazatlán
Centro Histórico and Plazuela Machado
Restored old town around Plazuela Machado, the cathedral and theatre, best seen in the morning and again in the evening.
Malecón Mazatlán
A 21km waterfront boardwalk linking Centro, Playa Norte, the Golden Zone and Marina, best walked or cycled at sunset.
Teatro Ángela Peralta
Restored 19th century jewel box theatre on Machado for opera, ballet and concerts, plus a cheap daytime tour.
El Faro
Steep climb to a hilltop lighthouse with the definitive panorama over Centro, the islands, Golden Zone and port.
Gran Acuario Mazatlán Mar de Cortés
Huge Sea of Cortés aquarium opened in 2023 with penguins, sea lions and a vast ocean tank, best at opening.
Mercado Pino Suárez
Working Centro market for produce, dried shrimp and cheap fonda counters, with shrimp sellers on nearby streets.
El Clavadista
Cliff divers leap into a shallow surging inlet near Olas Altas for tips, most reliably late afternoon to sunset.
Estadio Teodoro Mariscal
Winter home of the Venados baseball team, with banda, cheap food and beer and a family crowd in season.
Where to stay in Mazatlán
Centro Histórico / Olas Altas
culture first travellers, all round base
Sleep by Machado, the theatre and market with Olas Altas beach nearby and the lowest prices of any good base.
Zona Dorada (Golden Zone)
first timers who want beach first ease
Main resort strip with swimmable beach, restaurants and easy English, though it is the most generic part of the city.
Marina Mazatlán / Nuevo Mazatlán / Cerritos
quiet, modern, longer and family stays
Newer resorts and condos, marina boardwalk, golf and quieter beaches, with a 20 to 30 minute ride to Centro.
Estrella del Mar / Stone Island
resort and golf escape
Beautiful self contained beach resort world 30 plus minutes south, wonderful if the resort is the trip.
Think twice about
- Colonia Juárez
Higher local crime rates. Not a hotel district and no visitor infrastructure.
- Colonia 1 de Mayo
Known for higher local crime rates. Not a hotel district and no visitor infrastructure.
- Port and industrial fringe south of Centro
Nothing to walk to, port traffic and empty streets at night. Not a sensible base.
- Malecón south of Valentino's late at night
Local safety guidance cautions against this stretch and isolated beaches after dark. Stay where people and lights are.
Best restaurants in Mazatlán
El Presidio Cocina de México
Flagship Centro dining room in Casa García with a tree filled courtyard and high Mexican cooking from Sinaloan product.
Pedro y Lola
Machado institution on the plaza for creative seafood, catch of the day and the best people watching terrace in the city.
Topolo
Long running chef driven Mexican favourite near Machado for mango salsas, pork shank, coconut shrimp and mole.
Hector's Bistro
European leaning Centro bistro for steaks, pasta and a proper wine list when you want a change from mariscos.
Casa 46
Contemporary Mexican cooking in a restored Machado house with a rooftop terrace view over the plaza.
Los Arcos
Sinaloan seafood institution for aguachile, ceviche and grilled octopus, in a big polished room good for groups.
Mariscos Piquillas
Classic Centro mariscos bar for aguachile, tostadas, ceviche and clams at bar stools, busiest at lunch.
Fat Fish
No frills beachfront local favourite for grilled fish and shrimp platters well under resort prices.
Outdoor things to do in Mazatlán
Isla Venados
Protected offshore island for kayaking, snorkelling, a viewpoint hike and sheltered beach time.
Isla de la Piedra
Long beach for horse rides, ATVs and banana boats, quieter and emptier as you walk further along it.
Deep-sea and bottom fishing
Major sportfishing fleet for marlin, tuna and mahi offshore, or snapper and grouper on inshore bottom trips.
Playa Bruja
Best known Mazatlán surf break and surf school base, with Cerritos and Olas Altas as the other main options.
Estrella del Mar Golf Course
Beachfront 18 hole championship course by Robert Trent Jones Jr, the flagship golf round in Mazatlán.
Huana Coa Canopy
Nine ziplines, a hanging bridge and walks inland, followed by a tour and tasting at Los Osuna agave distillery.
Whale watching and bay cruises
Humpback whale tours from December to March, plus year round sunset cruises past sea lions and the islands.
El Quelite
Pretty flower filled village for the Ulama ball game, horse rides and Sinaloan lunch dishes like tamales barbones.
Best hotels in Mazatlán
Pueblo Bonito Vantage Centro Histórico
New luxury full service hotel at the Centro and Machado edge, with spa and resort level rooms in the old town.
Hotel Casa de Leyendas
Small top rated Centro boutique near Olas Altas, praised for breakfast, soaking tubs, pool courtyard and service.
Gamma Mazatlán The Inn Centro Histórico
Reliable Centro mid tier hotel near the theatre with a rooftop garden, restaurant and rare Centro parking.
Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay
Sprawling all suite luxury resort on a tranquil Nuevo Mazatlán beach, with multiple pools and a good spa.
Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán Beach Resort
Classic renovated all suite Golden Zone resort right on the sand, the safe luxury choice for a beach first stay.
Hotel Playa Mazatlán
Beloved Golden Zone institution since the 1950s with 400m of beachfront, multiple pools and loyal repeat guests.
Dreams Estrella del Mar
Modern all inclusive resort on site with the golf course, quiet pristine beach and spa, 30 plus minutes from town.
Is Mazatlán expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | MX$1,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | MX$2,300 a person |
| Splurge | MX$5,200 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Teatro Ángela Peralta: a few days ahead
- Gran Acuario Mazatlán Mar de Cortés: a few days ahead
- Estadio Teodoro Mariscal: a few days ahead
- Isla Venados: a few days ahead
- Deep-sea and bottom fishing: a few days ahead
- Estrella del Mar Golf Course: a few days ahead
- Huana Coa Canopy: a few days ahead
- Whale watching and bay cruises: a few days ahead
- Carnaval week: book hotels and everything months ahead.
- Semana Santa and Mexican holiday weekends fill fast. Book hotels, golf and small group tours ahead.
- Gran Acuario: buy online in advance for the discount and go at opening.
- Teatro Ángela Peralta performances sell out fast. Buy at the box office or Cultura Mazatlán channels.
- Fishing charters, January to February whale tours and January Venados playoff games: book days ahead.
Is Mazatlán safe?
- Visitor areas Centro, Olas Altas, malecón, Golden Zone, Marina and Cerritos are patrolled and busy, petty theft is the main day risk.
- Sinaloa has an organised crime problem elsewhere in the state. Stay in visitor geography and do not drive rural highways at night.
- Use authorised airport taxis, avoid isolated beaches after dark, and check your government advisory the week before travel.
Mazatlán travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- All inclusive by default defeats the purpose here. The food outside resorts at every price is the trip.
- Timeshare pressure in the Golden Zone and at the airport: a firm no, gracias and walking on is the method.
- Bandas charge per song. Agree songs and total before the first note.
- Whole fish may be priced by weight. Ask the total for that fish before cooking, especially at palapas.
- Listings still blur the old aquarium and the new Gran Acuario. Confirm a tour includes the Gran Acuario in Parque Central.
- Midday El Faro and midday Centro sightseeing in summer: the heat is the trap. Go morning or late afternoon.
Getting around Mazatlán: public transport and more
- Pulmonías are the open air taxi ride. Agree the fare before every ride, Centro to Golden Zone is the standard hop.
- Air conditioned Sábalo to Centro buses run the coastal corridor for a few pesos and make a car unnecessary.
- Use the authorised airport taxi desk for fixed zone fares. Airport is about 30 minutes from the Golden Zone.
- Do not hire a car for a city stay. Take a tour or car only for inland days and return before dark.
- Do not walk between Centro and the Golden Zone at night along empty malecón stretches. Take a pulmonía.
Who Mazatlán suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Great |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Great |
Make Mazatlán your trip
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