Mazatlán Part Two: Gems of Mazatlán – What Not to Miss!
With my Mazatlán tour underway, here are some of the highlights and special spots found along the way…
1. Observatorio Mazatlán 1873 – Set high atop a hill and accessed by a steep climb up the 260-foot slope or a ride on the 45-degree funicular, discover the extremely photogenic, historic observatorio. While the building shows the ravages of “time and wars,” it also offers stunning views of Mazatlán’s bay and is a gem not to be missed. The tour begins before your ascent with an informative short film, a condensed version of Mazatlán’s fascinating history that includes pirates, pearl seekers, and foreign invasions (a French flag flew here for two years). The city, known for big tuna fishing, also once hosted Hollywood stars like Tyrone Power and poet Pablo Neruda in a historic hotel that no longer exists. The building houses a small self-guided museum, an outdoor bird sanctuary where parrots, toucans, and pink flamingos provide great photo ops, and a stunning bar and café (open from 10 am – 10 pm) that offers romantic views of the bay below. There’s also a sweet gift shop with clothing, gifts, and other attractive and reasonably priced souvenirs.
2. Gran Acuario Mazatlán – This new aquarium, which opened in spring of 2023, is the largest in Mexico and dedicated to the ocean life native to the Sea of Cortez, with a conservation theme. Set in a stunning new building designed by renowned Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao, this new attraction is worth visiting for the architecture alone. Take a guided tour or wander on your own to enjoy the stunning displays of everything from sharks and jellyfish to rescued sea turtles. Popular feedings by divers who wave and interact with the crowd make for great selfies, as does the huge “wave” machine (that rivals MoMa’s AI art wall, Unsupervised), all safely viewable from vast glass aquarium walls that contain almost a million and a half gallons of water. Open daily 10 am – 6 pm. Thanks to Pueblo Bonito Resorts’ founder and Mazatlán native, Ernesto Coppel, who played a significant role in turning this vision into reality, hotel guests can visit the new aquarium free of charge.
3. Ángela Peralta Theater – Catch a performance at this restored opera house and theater built in 1874 with a storied history. Named for a famous singer/composer/musician who fled Mexico City due to a scandalous love affair for seaside Mazatlán, Ángela Peralta, aka “the Mexican Nightingale,” was married on her deathbed after contracting yellow fever – and it’s not quite clear if she lived to say, “I do.”
4. Dine at Casa 46 – With a view of the historic center, fine cuisine, cocktails, and wines served in a charming, historic second floor setting. From petit filet mignon to a seared sea bass over risotto and a fine tomato soup, the cuisine is refined and noteworthy.
5. Order a Pacifico Beer – This beer was created by German immigrants who opened a brewery in Mazatlán in 1900. The Germans are also responsible for banda music – that can be heard at sunset on the beach in the “golden zone” in front of Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán hotel.
6. Buy a Bag of Suaves – A sweet treat, suave means “soft” in Spanish. Be on the lookout for these all-natural, handmade, unique pillow-soft coconut “marshmallows” created circa 1950 with a secret recipe. Sold from their current small factory (there are big expansion plans and may be coming to a Whole Foods near you soon) and local bodegas. A perfect souvenir, just be sure to tuck gingerly in your carry on so the preservative free treats don’t become flat as a pancake. They will last 10 days in the open, longer if refrigerated when you get home.
7. Visit During a Celebration!
Carnival and/or 2024 Total Solar Eclipse – Carnival is celebrated in a big way in Mazatlán and is said to be third in size behind Rio and New Orleans’ February celebrations. Mazatlán is also on the path for the 2024 total solar eclipse as a prime viewing spot, but many hotels are already booked for the April 8 event.
Día de los Muertos – Day of the Dead in Mazatlán is a bustling community affair with fantastic decor in the historic district, dancers and music in the zocalo, and a delightful feast of performances in different spaces in the historic Ángela Peralta Theater house where the audience moves through the theater and is treated to delightful dancers and singers all culminating in a very moving display of exceptional ofrendas (altars to those who have passed) and angelic singing in the courtyard. Guests are given the traditional Day of the Dead orange-flavored bread and a flyer with poems when they “depart.” The short performances run in 20-minute cycles from 8 pm to midnight, and lines stretch long, so get there early or be prepared to wait!
8. Spend an Afternoon with an Iguana – Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán and Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay… I can’t think of any hotel in recent memory where I’ve encountered an approximately 4-foot long iguana lounging/co-existing by a hotel swimming pool. This fella (I assume the sex) was met with delight, iPhone cameras a clicking, and squeals. A tiny girl, who appeared to be about three years old, suddenly rounded the corner to happen upon the prehistoric-looking reptile, squealed, and ran to her parents, while a young boy in the pool used his water gun to coax the critter. I inched closer for a photo op and the green beast dove into the pool and swam to the other side, eliciting mixed squeals of both delight and fear. It’s not what one might expect at an “all-inclusive” Mexican hotel on the beach – who knew that all-inclusive includes wildlife?
Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán is a festive, casual place popular with Mexican families. Daily sunsets on the crescent-shaped beach are often accompanied by a blasting banda band, while poolside games and a festive atmosphere prevail. It’s decidedly a place for the populace (don’t expect paparazzi or royalty here) – a mix of tourists, many from other parts of Mexico (Durango, Mexico City), families, couples and even a few solo travelers. The breakfast buffet is a standout – I recommend going into town for dinner at Casa 46. For the money, the all-inclusive resort is a heck of a deal. Daily rates can vary widely from $160 to $350 a night and up to $650 (depending on the season). Book a spacious room – the hotel recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation, and the decor is casually chic. Request an ocean view room: the views are stunning – eat and drink whatever appeals and as much as you like and you’ll still have budget and time to explore other affordable but decidedly “foodie” dining options like Atol, which I wrote about in Part One of my Mazatlán Travel Buzz report, and the refined, historic and elegant Casa 46 (owned by the Pueblo Bonito Resorts and definitely worth the small upcharge for hotel guests). Although all meals are included at Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán, I suggest fueling up on a tasty breakfast (custom omelets, red and green chilaquiles, fruit, pastries, juices of many flavors, and more) from the expansive breakfast buffet, then exploring some of the city’s more interesting restaurants for late lunch or dinners.
Take an excursion to the small town of El Quelite for tasty Sinaloan food at El Meson de Los Laureanos served in a unique former home chockablock with Mexican decor, wandering roosters, and even the occasional orange and green iguanas in the garden. Digest your meal – which includes starters of tasty local farm cheeses – in rocking chairs on the front veranda.
