Mazatlán, Mexico
After a two year COVID break, we again spread our wings to worlds beyond via our favorite mode of travel: cruising!
This stop: Mazatlán!
Mazatlán is on the western coast of the mainland of Mexico. On the Sea of Cortez / Gulf of California, it is just a short jaunt across from Cabo San Lucas and the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula (the long tail of land hanging down below California).
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
During our short time here, our second stop on this cruise vacation, we visited the historic city center and beachfront and sampled the local culture.
Our Itinerary on the Mexican Riviera
The “Mexican Riviera” refers collectively to twenty cities and lagoons lying on the western coast of Mexico. Coined by the tourist industry to promote the area for cruises because of association with the Italian and French Riviera. Much like its European counterpart, the area provides many ocean front resorts, popular with tourists.
Our cruise ship left the Port of Los Angeles with stops at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta with three days at sea to enjoy the Pacific Ocean as it edged past the Baja Peninsula.
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a Mexican resort town along the Pacific shoreline in the state of Sinaloa. It is famous for its sun, consistently warm weather, beaches and cultural interests.
To get a broad overview on our first visit, we took a walking tour of the historic center and beachfront.
Old Mazatlán Town Square
Mazatlán‘s Town Square
All Mexican towns typically have a main square which is a great gathering place for the townspeople – and meeting place for tourists! It has a gazebo in the center and is flanked on one side by a church (usually Roman Catholic), the government center and city market.
Gazebo
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
Church
In its Centro Histórico, or Old Mazatlán, 19th-century landmarks include the towering Immaculate Conception basilica.
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
City Market
The covered, open air market included shops for just about everything: clothing, house hold items, and souvenirs to fresh meat and poultry and snacks. We soon discovered that merchants were open to “negotiating” about their prices!
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
Local Dancers
Local dancers provided colorful entertainment with native dancing and music in the streets and plazas. around the city.
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
Beachfront
Beachfront Promenade
Known for its beautiful beaches and warm, sunny weather, Mazatlán is a major resort destination as well as an important Pacific port.
Sandy beaches line its 21km-long (13 miles) malecón (boardwalk),
P.C. Skip B 4/13/22
Rocky Surf
Cliff Diving
The rocky promontory provided entertainment as we watched local cliff divers jump into a scant 8 feet of water! Amazing!
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
Old Mazatlán‘s Historic Center
At Mazatlán’s Old Beachfront – “Olas Atlas” – is aligned with bars, coffee shops and restaurants.
P.C. Cher B 4/12/22
Spacious courtyards graced private homes in Mazatlán such as this one we visited.
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
We strolled through the narrow, cobblestone streets and learned about interesting history and colorful houses and shops along the way.
Mazatlán‘s Opera House
The “Angela Peralta” Opera House is the pride of Mazatlán and was named in honor of the world-famous Mexican opera singer. The House of Music, once the “Grand Hotel,” was a highlight of our tour! Recently restored to its original European style, we were excited to be able to go inside.
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
P.C. Cher B 4/13/22
P.C. Cher B 4/13/l22
We hope that our first trip to Mazatlán will not be our last! We look forward to all of the other exciting things the city has to offer!
Sources
- Personal information acquired at local sites by Cher B. 13 April 2022
- Tour information from Abby, our local tour guide for Tropical Tours arranged through NCL and NCL travel excursion information. 13 April 2022
- All Photos by Cher B and Skip B. 13 April 2022
Charamana Consulting 