While the Mexican city of Mazatlan in the state of Sinaloa is conscious of tourism’s contributions, it’s also exceptionally proud of its identity and staunchly refuses to be compromised in any way by the development of its visitor industry. Mazatlan may well be one of Mexico’s most popular beach resorts, but it’s also its largest west coast port and it’s business as usual at the dockland areas, irrespective of what’s going on at the beach.
The city’s relationship with the sea perforates all walks of life here. Indeed, as the most significant port facility between Los Angeles and the Panama Canal, it’s not difficult to see why this would be the case. Moreover, with a shrimp industry that hauls close to 40,000 tons of shrimp per year, Mazatlan’s nickname as the ‘Shrimp Capital of the World‘ is fitting.
The city’s beaches are lined with slick hotels and apartment complexes, and the local car ferry service brings visitors in droves across the seasons. The Carnival period the week before Ash Wednesday is an especially busy time for Mazatlan, with its already hefty 700,000 residents multiplying significantly with the arrival of party-seeking tourists.
Highlights
Aquarium and Botanical Gardens: fresh and saltwater creatures including lobsters, seahorses, eels and sharks comprise the 250 species within the aquarium’s sea life collection. A seal show and marine-related short films play throughout the day.
Sea Shell City Museum: offers sea shells of every shape, design and color at a center which also includes a small aquarium on its upper level.
Archaeological Museum: this interesting cultural center offers visitors an array of artifacts and exhibits relating to the history of Mazatlan and Mexico.
Deep sea fishing: anglers of all abilities, even those who don’t know one end of a rod from another, can enjoy the thrills of fishing tours offered by local operators.
Centro Mercado: is the city’s biggest and busiest local market and is the ideal place to get a feel for the local culture, do some serious people watching and try some interesting edible creations.