Before Day 1. Mazatlán is your base for the first three nights. Stay in or near the historic centre so the plazas are on foot.Details
Getting here
The airport lies a good way south of the city, and long distance buses arrive at a station on the edge of town. A booked ride or a taxi takes you to the old port. Plan to arrive in daylight if you can.
Heat and storms
The coast is hot and humid for much of the year, so walk early and near sunset and carry water. The Pacific hurricane season runs from May to November. If you travel then, check the forecast each day and keep bookings flexible.
Day 4 is a long trip
El Fuerte lies far inland, a long road from the coast, so treat Day 4 as a night away rather than a day trip. Check current official travel advice for Sinaloa before you book, and plan to drive or ride in daylight.
First evening
Day 1 starts at the Mercado Pino Suárez, so settle in and take an easy walk first. The old centre is flat and close together, and the evening is when its square fills.
How much walking? On foot, about 1.3 to 4.2 kilometers a day, and 427.0 kilometers by car in all across 3 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Day 1. The historic centre and Olas Altas and the old seafront
6 stops · 4.2 km on foot
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningBest early
Faro Mazatlán
The lighthouse on Crestón hill, the high rocky point at the harbour mouth and the highest point in the city. A steep path climbs to the top, with wide views of the harbour, the sea and the city. Go early, take water and wear shoes with grip.
Go whenMorning, as early as you can, before the sun is high.
Local tip The path is steep and exposed, with little shade. Bring water, wear shoes with grip, and check ahead that the trail is open. Turn back if the heat is too much.
A small hill above the old port whose name means lookout, from the days when watchers scanned the sea for ships. A short climb leads to a viewpoint over the harbour, the sea and the roofs of the old centre.
Go whenMorning, while the air is cool.
Local tip The climb is short but steep, so take water and wear shoes with grip. Stop at the top to look over the harbour, and go down before the sun is high.
Lunch
A fish tostada by the sea
A crisp tortilla topped with ceviche of fish, lime and chile, from a stand or a small place near the seafront.
Local tip Eat it quickly while it is crisp, with a squeeze of lime.
About 8 min walk0.6 km
3
Midday
Olas Altas
The old seafront of Mazatlán, whose name means high waves, with a rocky shore, a long promenade and old buildings facing the sea. Cliff divers sometimes leap from rock platforms nearby, so ask locally. Keep well back from the water.
Go whenMidday, then back near sunset for the light.
Local tip Walk the promenade slowly and watch the waves hit the rocks. Cliff divers jump from nearby platforms at set times, so ask locally and do not count on a show. Keep well back from the edge in rough seas.
About 3 min walk0.2 km
4
MiddayIndoor
Museo Arqueológico de Mazatlán
A small museum in the historic centre on the pottery, stone work and ways of life of the peoples who lived on this coast long before the Spanish. A cool, indoor rest from the heat.
Go whenMidday, as an indoor stop.
Local tip Take a few rooms slowly, and look at the pottery and the stone work. Check ahead on the opening.
About 5 min walk0.4 km
5
AfternoonIndoor
Angela Peralta Theatre
A theatre of the 1800s in the old port, named for a Mexican opera singer of that century and restored as a place for concerts and shows. Look at the front from the street, and check ahead on whether visitors can go in.
Go whenAfternoon, as an indoor stop, or an evening for a show.
Local tip Look at the front from the street, then ask whether you can step inside. Check ahead for a concert, since a performance is the best way to see the room.
A long spit of land across the channel from the port, called Isla de la Piedra though it is not a true island. A short boat ride from the dock brings you to a wide beach with palm shade and seafood by the sand. Swim only where others do.
Go whenAfternoon, then a long lunch by the sand.
Local tip Ask at the dock how the boats run and when the last one back leaves. Swim only where others do, since the surf can be strong and currents change, and take sun cover.
Dinner
Fish and shrimp on the sand
Grilled fish and shrimp with rice and a salad, eaten at a table in the shade of a palm roof by the beach, as the day cools.
Local tip Ask what is fresh and check the last boat back before you order a long meal.
If it rains. Museo Arqueológico de Mazatlán and Angela Peralta Theatre are covered, so keep them. Move Faro Mazatlán, Cerro del Vigía, Olas Altas and Stone Island to a dry day if you can.
Day 2. The historic centre and The sea walk and the north
5 stops · 1.3 km on foot, 6.7 km by car
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
Morning
Basilica Cathedral of Mazatlán
The cathedral of Mazatlán, built in the second half of the 1800s with twin towers, a central dome and a richly decorated front. It stands on a square in the historic centre. A working church, so stay quiet during services.
Go whenMorning, outside the hours of services.
Local tip Stand on the square and look up at the twin towers before you go in. It is a working church, so cover your shoulders and stay quiet during services.
The municipal market hall of the old port, a busy covered market that has been the heart of the town's shopping since the early 1900s. Walk the aisles of fish, fruit, juices and spices, and look up at the iron roof.
Go whenMorning, before the heat and the crowds build.
Local tip Walk a full lap before you buy anything. Ask for a fresh fruit drink, and look for the stalls of dried chiles and shrimp. Keep your bag in front of you in the busy aisles.
Mazatlán is a shrimp port, so order them in a taco, a tostada or a cold cocktail with lime, tomato and avocado. A light lunch for a hot day.
Local tip Ask what came in from the boats that day, and eat in the shade.
About 11 min by car or transit3.1 km
3
Afternoon
Acuario Mazatlán
An aquarium in the north of the city, with tanks of fish, sharks and other sea life of the Pacific and the Gulf of California. A cool, indoor stop for the hottest hours of the day.
Go whenAfternoon, as an indoor, cool stop.
Local tip Go through slowly and look for the largest tank. A good choice on a very hot or wet day, and easy to reach by taxi from the sea walk.
About 12 min by car or transit3.5 km
4
Evening
Plazuela Machado
The old square of the historic centre, with tall trees, a bandstand and restored houses in soft colours on every side, and the theatre on one edge. In the evening the cafe tables fill. This is the point of the day.
Go whenEvening, from just before sunset until late.
Local tip Take a table at the edge, order something cold and watch the square fill. Walk the streets around it to see the restored houses, and keep an eye on your bag in the crowd.
The long seafront walk of Mazatlán, a promenade of many kilometres beside the sea, with a monument to fishermen along the way, benches, bikes and walkers. Stroll the stretch near the monument as the sun goes down.
Go whenLate afternoon into evening, as the light changes.
Local tip Walk it beside the sea as the heat fades, and stop at a bench when the sun goes down. Keep your valuables out of sight and take a taxi back if it is late.
Dinner
Grilled fish, pescado zarandeado
A whole fish opened flat and grilled over coals with a chile marinade, shared at the table with tortillas and a salad. A dish of this coast.
Local tip It is made for sharing, so order one fish for two or three.
If it rains. Basilica Cathedral of Mazatlán, Mercado Pino Suárez and Acuario Mazatlán are covered, so keep them. Move Plazuela Machado and Malecon of Mazatlán to a dry day if you can.
Day 3. El Fuerte
1 stop · 420.4 km by carAbout 5 h 33 min driving
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from Malecon of MazatlánAbout 5 h 33 min by car420.4 km
Where Day 2 ended.
1
Midday
Plaza de Armas
The main square of El Fuerte, shaded by trees, with a bandstand in the middle and old arcades on its sides. The town is named for a fort of colonial days, and the square is where the day begins and ends.
Go whenMorning, before the heat, or in the evening when the square fills.
Local tip Take a bench in the shade and look at the arcades and the bandstand. Local sweets and cold drinks are sold at the edge of the square.
Dinner
Coricos and a hot drink
Crisp corn cookies called coricos, a snack of the north of Sinaloa, with a hot drink in the evening on the plaza.
Local tip Buy a small bag to share, and check the sell by date if you carry them home.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Departure day
After the last day. If you sleep in El Fuerte, leave a full day to get back across the long road to the coast or to your flight.Details
The way back
Book your ride or your bus seat the day before, and set off early so the long road is in daylight. Check the road and current travel advice that morning, and keep a spare day before an international flight.
Shrimp and sweets
Dried shrimp, tins of seafood and jars of chile sauce are easy to bring home, as are local sweets and coricos, the crisp corn cookies of the north. Ask the seller to wrap what is fragile, and check the rules for food before you fly.
If you have a few hours
Walk once more to the plaza in Mazatlán and sit with a cold fruit drink, or take a last stroll along the sea before the road.
Questions people ask
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 3 days in Mazatlán, planned for february. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
On foot, about 1.3 to 4.2 kilometers a day, and 427.0 kilometers by car in all across 3 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
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