Mazatlan

Why Mazatlán:

I was traveling to Culiacan for the epic wedding of my friend Cezar and wanted to extend the Mexico trip. Mazatlán, one of the most popular beach destinations in the country was a short bus ride south. The flights worked out so I could fly back to Tijuana directly from Mazatlán for the same price as the return from Culiacan. 

November 13, 2023: Land of Pneumonia

After three days of partying – including spraining my foot – it was time to leave Culiacan. Maisie and I took an Uber to the central bus terminal where we found a direct bus to Mazatlán leaving in 10 minutes. We purchased our tickets for 400 Mexican pesos ($23 USD) for both. 

Bus travel in Latin America is plush and this one was no exception. The bus had comfortable seats, free Wi-Fi, reasonable levels of air conditioning and a free screening of Fantastic Beasts 3: The Secrets of Dumbledore in Spanish! What more can you want? 

The ride took 2.5 hours and along the way we crossed the Tropic of Cancer. We got dropped off at the company´s private terminal in Mazatlán on the outskirts of town. While there were taxis around, we opted for an Uber for safety and because we could pay by card. The ride took us 30 minutes to reach the city center. 

Mazatlán is different from other Mexican beach destinations because of its historic town which was founded in 1531. The seaside hills (now inhabited by a lighthouse) and harbor made it strategically relevant. Most of the buildings are from the 1800´s when the city was a key location in ferrying pioneers and prospectors from New York to the western US including for the 1849 California Gold Rush. The late 1800´s brought German immigrants to the region who founded some of the city´s most enduring institutions including the theater and Pacifico Beer. 

Mazatlán’s reputation as a tourist destination started in the early 1900´s and attracted many starts from the Golden Age of Hollywood. As the century continued, more modern resorts were built to the west and the city center lost its luster. However, after major efforts by the city, the center was rediscovered and rehabilitated in the early 2000´s and 2010´s. Now, the center is so nice that it was rated the #1 attraction on Mexico´s Pacific Coast according to my Lonely Planet book. 

We stopped at a beautiful restaurant called El Presidio which used to be run by a chef who won season 2 of Mexico´s Top Chef.  The food and courtyard were stunning. 

I then crutched about 500 meters to our hotel across the street from the beach. There are no hotels on the beach in Mazatlán because instead there is the world famous Malecon (seawall). Many Spanish and Latin cities have Malecons such as Havana, Cadiz, and Santo Domingo, but Mazatlán’s is by far the longest and most beautiful. 

We learned that a brand-new aquarium opened in Mazatlán just a month ago and decided to visit. To get there, we had to take a taxi. Mazatlán has a special type of taxi called pulmonia which is essentially a souped-up golf cart. The pulmonia was introduced to Mazatlán in the 1960´s to replace the current mode of transportation: horse-drawn carriages. Initial haters said that because it was so fast and open air, riders would catch pulmonia – the Spanish word for pneumonia. The name stuck. Today, pulmonias are the main type of taxi in Mazatlán and are considered an icon of the city. In fact, a bronze statue of one exists on the Malecon. 

Riding in a pulmonia way more fun than a normal car! Not only do you get the open-air breeze, but they also blast fun music. The major downside of pulmonias vs an Uber is that you must negotiate the price ahead of time and pay in cash. The drivers know you are a gringo and will try to rip you off. Using the Uber price as a guide, I negotiated in Spanish and was able to get a fair price of 100 pesos. From there on out, I bargained 50 pesos for short trips around the city center and 100 for longer ones to other parts of town. About 1/3 of the time, the driver would not accept my price but luckily the pulmonias are plentiful. 

Our ride to the aquarium took 15 minutes and took us all along the Malecon. It was nice to be able to see more than just the old town. 

The Gran Acuario Mazatlán opened on May 30, 2023, replacing the original 1980 Acuario Mazatlán. It is the largest in all Latin America and specializes in fauna from the Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of California). While Mazatlán technically just south of the entrance to the Sea of Cortez, the waters to the north are some of the most biodiverse on earth. 

The complex is extensive with multiple structures. Luckily, they had wheelchairs so Maisie could push me around. 

The main aquarium building is an architectural masterpiece of poured concrete. The building featured waterfalls and unusually shaped rooms for the exhibits. To me, the architecture was equally as impressive as the animals. 

As we cruised in our pulmonia back to the hotel, we got to witness a perfect sunset. Maisie then went for a swim in the twilight.

For dinner, we pulmonia-d to Taqueria Playa Sur, an evening only spot known for having the best tacos in town. In a promising sign, their specialty is carne asada which can be made into a taco, vampiro, or quesadilla. We got one of each. While the tacos were good, the quesadilla was life changing and without a doubt the best quesadilla I´ve ever eaten.  

I then crutched into the city center. The 400-meter walk would have normally taken me five minutes by foot, it took me almost 20 on the crutches. With each block, the area got nicer and more historic. Eventually we reached Mazatlán’s main square: Plazuela Machado. 

Despite being a Monday, the plaza still had some life. The restaurants around the edge all had live music. Maisie and I sat on a public bench in front of one so we could listen.

After spending about an hour on the bench soaking up the atmosphere and completing the New York Times crossword puzzle, we crutched back. My arms were hurting almost as much as my legs, and I had developed bruises. Still, I was glad to have been able to do some sightseeing despite being injured. 

November 14, 2023: Centro Historico

After spending most of the morning resting my foot, we were forced to check out of our hotel at 12:00. With the flight at 17:30, we had a couple hours to sightsee. 

We started the day by taking a pulmonia up the Malecon to lunch on the beach. We ate at El Muchacho Alegre, a restaurant with an astounding 18,000 Google reviews. The restaurant has a few locations around Mexico, but Mazatlán is the original. 

Sitting above the water, we were treated to stunning ocean views and Banda music. The menu was obviously seafood. We ordered a molcajete with aguachile (a dish from Mazatlán with marinated raw shrimp) plus some tostadas. It was delicious. 

Next, we headed to the main square of the city to see the cathedral, which was surprisingly beautiful. 

A few blocks from the cathedral is the central market which was designed by Gustav Eiffel (yes that Eiffel). 

With that, it was time to head back to the hotel to pick up our stored bags and head to the airport. 

Getting to the airport ended up being a bigger challenge than expected. Ubers are not allowed to pick up at the airport. While they can drop off, they generally do not want to because it is a long drive back without any income. A few Ubers asked me to pay them cash, but I felt uncomfortable doing that. Additionally, I did not have any cash left so Maisie had to run to an ATM 10 minutes away. 

After a few unsuccessful tries, we realized that we would need to get pesos for the trip. 

It turns out pulmonias also cannot take people to the airport because you need seatbelts to drive on the freeways. This left only normal taxis as our option. 

After waiting for more than 20 minutes for a normal taxi, staff at the hotel and pulmonia drivers said that taxis rarely come to the old part of the city and that I should take a Pulmonia to the Golden Zone and then get a taxi. I knew my geography and knew that we were getting taken advantage of because the Golden Zone is completely in the wrong direction of the airport. These people were not our friends and we needed to get away from them.

So, I got a different pulmonia to take us to the central market in the city center where I remember seeing taxis. Once we arrived, I spotted a taxi and got the ride to the airport. We hit some traffic but made it in 45 minutes. 

Back in Tijuana, we re-entered the Cross Border Xpress. Luckily, they had a wheelchair that I was able to use to cross into the US. This was my first and hopefully last time crossing an international border by wheelchair. 

On the US side, we got our car and drove back to LA. 

Final Thoughts:

Mazatlán is lovely. The historic town, while nothing amazing, is far nicer than the modern strips of resorts you typically see. The unique pulmonias are surprisingly fun.  It seems like the town has managed to maintain its Mexican identity. 

Mazatlán is also considerably cheaper than other famous beach destinations. Our hotel on the beach cost just $57/night for a large ocean view room. Food prices were less than in the US. 

While not a huge downside, the taxi situation at the airport really annoyed me and left a bad taste in my mouth. I would highly encourage the local government to allow Uber pickups at the airport for both safety and the convenience of being able to pay with card. 

All said, I really enjoyed Mazatlán and I could have easily stayed here for a few more days if I was not injured. Maisie said it was one of her favorite places she has been.