Beach, Mazatlán

On one of our cruises, we just wanted to find a nice beach and sit for a couple of hours. There wasn't more than 2 minutes when someone was peddling us something...apparently, these unfortunate people are desperate and are selling these goods for unscrupulous vendors who pay them next to nothing. It was horrible, couldn't read a single page in my book because they would not move until you acknowledged them. Sand on the beach was just dirt. We've been on many cruises and this was one of the worst beaches.

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Mazatlán offers its visitors so much more than beach, sun and colorful folklore, there are tours and activities that can be enjoyed while in this beautiful city. One of the things we always wanted to do was to go kayaking, so when the shipped reached this port, we took a catamaran over to Deer Island and spent the day in the water.

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We were in Mazatlan for one day on a cruise in October, 2008. We had decided to go to Stone Island on our ow. The cruise ship offered an excursion for $69/ea. We paid a total of $8 for the two of us. Getting to Stone Island is much easier than the cruise lines will lead you to believe. Just exit the gate of the cruise terminal and turn left. Walk about 5 minutes til you reach the intersection where the road appears to end. keep walking straight across the street and down the small dirt road til you reach the ferry building (more like a small shack) and buy your round trip ticket to Stone Island. Cost is $2 USD, cheaper if paid for in pesos.

Boogie Board Surfing

Lots of fun, especially if you've never tried it before! But be careful, my best bud and I got caught in a riptide, and that's scary stuff! We had gone out to far, and when we tried to come back to shore we couldn't! We just kept kicking and swimming but we weren't getting anywhere!!! Eventually some locals spotted us from shore and came to our rescue, and just in time we were both exhausted!

You can always find people on the beach in the Zona Dorada to take you parasailing or on a sailboat ride if you want to get out on the water for a bit. We hired a guy to sail us around the island and it was very peaceful and relaxing. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his parasailing trip, too, while I remained rooted to the sand and tried to document it on film. You can check out the travelogue for parasailing pics.

I love Mazatlan for many reasons. The gorgeous beach stretches for what seems like miles. It's a great place to kickback and relax. There is always so much going on around the beach. All of the bars are located just off the beach for easy access. As you walk up and down the strip it's easy to pop in and out of the bars for a drink. And you're bound to find one that fits your style. The great thing about Mazatlan is once you get about a block or tow off the beach the touristy places seem to disappear and you get a real sense of the community. Take some time to explore this Mexican gem.

Not really an Island but because of the shape it is considered one. Miles upon miles of beach. A few houses. A few bars/restaurants. Lots of beer,sun & food.

When arriving beware of these kids with the reptiles. They are friendly and want to offer their pets (supper) for a photo shoot. I thought my kids would enjoy this picture so I did. The only mistake was not asking how much they wanted before the photo.

I didn't mind, after all they are just kids trying to earn money , my kids are the same.

The best thing about Mazatlan is that it has beautiful beaches. You can walk down the beach & pitstop for happy hour drinks at any of the many bars located along the beach in front of most of the hotels.
You can sit & meet all kinds of interesting people from many different countries.