Mazatlán, Sinaloa

German immigrants had helped transform Mazatlán into an international shipping port in the late 19th century, and today the German influence is still evident in Old Mazatlán. The European architecture and wrought-iron balconies also have a French Quarter feel. The refurbishment of the once-crumbling Angela Peralta Theater and its restoration efforts have sparked a blossoming cultural scene filled with fun things to do. Art galleries and specialty shops ensure that you'll bring home something more unique than a Pacífico beer T-shirt, while beautiful Plazuela Machado, ringed with breezy sidewalk food places, is the Mexico you won't find in Cancún.

Practicalities in Mazatlán

Note: Toll charges can go up without warning, and fees for different types of vehicles aren't always posted. As in the rest of Mexico, night driving is not recommended. Plan on a 2-day trip from the United States.

Rafael Buelna International Airport is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of downtown via Mex. 15. It's a good 45-minute drive from the airport to the major resort areas. Alaska, American and Delta airlines offer direct international flights from the United States. Other airlines providing service to Mazatlán are Aeroméxico and Volaris. WestJet and Sunwing Airlines offer seasonal nonstop airline fares from select Canadian cities.

Colectivo shuttle van service to downtown Mazatlán or the hotel zones costs about $12 (U.S.) per person. Airport taxis have yellow stripes and an airplane logo. Fares average $25-$45 (U.S.), based on distance traveled; payment is in cash only. Private taxis hired in front of the airport will cost around $30-$40, which can be cut by sharing the ride; the driver usually will carry up to four people. A taxi is the only way to get back to the airport, and will cost $25-$30.

Elite provides first-class bus service to many inland Mexican cities, including several daily departures for Mexico City and Guadalajara. Elite also offers service north to the border at Nogales, Ariz. The main bus terminal (Central de Autobuses de Mazatlán) is just off Carretera Internacional (also called Avenida Ejército Méxicano) between Ramón López Alvarado and Lola Beltrán, 3 blocks inland from the malecón (Avenida del Mar).

Baja Ferries provides automobile-passenger service linking Mazatlán with La Paz on the Baja California Peninsula. The ferry departs 3 days a week from the Playa Sur terminal, at the southern end of town near the sport-fishing docks; sailing time is about 15-18 hours. Schedules and rates are subject to change. Double-check both prior to departure and purchase tickets in advance; for details phone Baja Ferries at (669) 985-0470 (English may not be spoken).

The city is a port of call for cruise vacation companies, including Carnival, Holland America and Norwegian. To find out which ships will be calling on Mazatlán, check with the cruise lines or your AAA Travel Agent.

Banks are generally open Mon.-Fri. 9-6 and set aside morning hours—normally 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.—to exchange foreign currency. Almost all banks have ATMs that accept most bank cards; withdrawals are in pesos. Some machines also dispense U.S. dollars, which are widely accepted in Mazatlán. Casas de cambio (currency exchange houses) stay open longer than banks, although their rates are usually not as good; you pay for the convenience.

The post office is downtown on Avenida Benito Juárez, in front of the cathedral and across the street from the main plaza.

Mazatlán's weather can be characterized as tropical, although not as hot as points farther down the coast. From November through May, daytime temperatures are in the 70s, nighttime temperatures in the 60s. It's hotter and more humid during the summer months, but afternoon highs are usually in the 80s rather than the sultry 90s. The ocean water is warmest in late summer and fall. Leave your heavy coat at home; the temperature at this seaside location has never dropped below 50 F.

July, August and September are the rainiest months; the rest of the year rain is infrequent and seldom a threat to vacation plans. Clothing is decidedly informal—bathing suits, shorts, jeans and T-shirts—unless you wish to “dress up” in casual resort wear if you're planning things for couples to do, such as an evening out to dinner or a club.

Note: As a result of Mexico's ongoing drug war there is a police presence in Mazatlán, and you may see armed officers on the street, even in the city's tourist zones.

Mazatlán Travel Tips

Mex. 15 essentially loops around the destination, changing names in the process. As Avenida Rafael Buelna, it veers west off Carretera Internacional, passing the bullring and ending at the Sábalo traffic circle at the waterfront. It then proceeds south as Avenida del Mar and Paseo Claussen. It skirts the southern edge of downtown as Avenida Miguel Alemán, running east to Port Avenue (Avenida del Puerto). At the customs office it becomes Avenida Gabriel Leyva and continues east toward the airport. Once out of town, Mex. 15 heads south to Tepic and Guadalajara.

The malecón, or waterfront boulevard, runs along the coast for some 17 kilometers (11 miles). In Mazatlán this thoroughfare also changes names—four times. At the southern end of the city (the old downtown area), it is called Paseo Claussen. North of downtown it becomes Avenida del Mar. At Punta Camarón (Shrimp Point), the name changes to Avenida Camarón Sábalo. At this point it runs inland and is paralleled by Avenida Playa las Gaviotas (formerly called Rodolfo Loaiza), along which several of the city's luxury hotels sit. After a mile or so the two streets rejoin. Farther north the name changes again to Avenida Sábalo Cerritos as the street runs north to the marinas.

Stroll the malecón for interesting things to see, including seafront sculptures. While this is not the avant-garde statuary you'll see farther south in Puerto Vallarta, these creations make for an interesting walk. Along Playa Olas Altas, sculptures depict a deer, mermaids and “La Mujer Mazatleca,” a woman dramatically embracing the heavens. “La Continuidad de la Vida” (The Continuity of Life) features a nude man and woman perched atop a huge seashell, the man gesturing to a pod of leaping dolphins.

The Fisherman's Monument (Monumento al Pescador), on Avenida del Mar north of Playa Olas Altas, is a local landmark. This sculpture of a woman and a fisherman dragging his net—both of them again sans clothing—is a curious sight. Farther north, along Avenida del Mar across from Avenida Lola Beltran, suds lovers will find a tribute to Mazatlán's very own Pacífico Brewery in the form of a huge copper beer vat.

The section of town north of the malecón along Avenida Camarón Sábalo is known as the Golden Zone (Zona Dorada). Welcome to turista central. Here, a chain of high-rise hotels and mega resorts front some of Mazatlán's finest beaches. Running behind the hotels is a garish commercial drag jam-packed with fast food places, bars, local restaurants, mini markets, souvenir shops, car rental offices and banks. While the comforts of home are certainly convenient, the area isn't exactly picture postcard material.

Near the Golden Zone's southern end, where Avenida Playa las Gaviotas splits off from the main thoroughfare and runs behind the hotels fronting Playa Gaviotas, are more food places and several nice shops. But no matter where you go in the Golden Zone, be aware that you're also in the “Time Share Zone”—and the sharks here are particularly aggressive. If you're not interested in a “free tour” (read: time share presentation), it's advisable to give them the cold shoulder.

Icebox Hill (Cerro de la Nevería), in the Olas Altas area, is residential. A gradually ascending road reaches its summit, from which are views of a great part of the city, the immense blue bay and awe-inspiring sunsets that tint the sea and clouds a brilliant orange-red. Nearby El Mirador, off Paseo Claussen, is where daring locals plunge from a platform 45 feet above turbulent water surrounded by dangerous rocks. The feat requires expert timing; without the cushioning effect of a wave, a diver meets just 6 feet of water. In the evening these young daredevils carry flaming torches for a theatrical effect. Tips are expected.

Old Mazatlán, just inland from Playa Olas Altas, is the oldest part of the city. Blocks of buildings and private residences—including rows of town houses with wrought-iron and stone trim—line the narrow streets, especially along avenidas Heriberto Frias, Venus and Niños Héroes.

Plaza Principal, the main plaza (also called Plaza Revolución), is in the heart of the historic center across the street from Mazatlán's 19th-century cathedral, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. With its wrought-iron benches, shoeshine stands and vendor carts shaded by bushy trees and palms, the plaza is the city's communal hub.

If you're trying to find the “other plaza,” Plazuela Machado, walk to the south end of Plaza Principal (away from the cathedral) and head west 2 blocks on Calle Angel Flores. Make a left on Avenida Carnaval and follow it for 2 blocks to this beautiful little plaza, a shady oasis surrounded by colorful colonial buildings housing cafes and restaurants. Teenagers smooch on the wooden benches, and in the late afternoon local expatriates walk their dogs. Outdoor art shows are held regularly, and occasional music concerts take place under the green wrought-iron gazebo. After dark the atmosphere es muy romántico.

The Mazatlán Art Museum (Museo de Arte Mazatlán), downtown at Calle Sixto Osuna and Avenida Venustiano Carranza (a block off the malecón), displays works by Mazatleco artists as well as such nationally known figures as José Luis Cuevas. Film screenings, concerts and other cultural events also take place. Phone (669) 981-5592.

At the southern end of town are the ferry terminal, tour boat operators, sport-fishing fleets and commercial port activities. Standing guard over the harbor's entrance is El Faro, said to be the tallest lighthouse in the Western Hemisphere and second only to Gibraltar in the world, with a range of some 35 nautical miles. Those undertaking the strenuous half-hour hike up the rocky pinnacle will be rewarded with an expansive view of the harbor and ocean.

Another vista of the city and its watery surroundings—particularly lovely in the evening—can be seen from the top of Lookout Hill (Cerro de Vigía), a short distance north of El Faro. This climb, also steep, is better made via taxi.

There are more great city views at the historic Hotel Posada Freeman, now part of the Best Western chain. An elevator whisks you to the 12th-floor “Sky Room,” a casual bar with big picture windows offering panoramas of city and sea. The rooftop has a swimming pool and lounge chairs; the latter are available to non-hotel guests who order drinks. Nicknamed “Mazatlán's Skyscraper,” the Freeman welcomed its first guests in 1944.

Waterfront sprawl makes walking an ill-advised means of exploration. Fortunately, there are several public transportation options. Pulmonias, the city's signature taxis, are essentially open-sided golf carts souped up with Volkswagen parts. They make the Zona Dorada circuit, travel up and down the malecón and seat three passengers comfortably (four is a squeeze).

The vehicles were nicknamed pulmonia by rival cabbies, who told potential fares that riding in a chilly open-air car would result in the flu (it apparently didn't, judging from their ubiquity, and the name stuck). Always negotiate the fare in advance, as pulmonias tend to be more expensive than a taxi. A word of caution: Pulmonias do not have seat belts and they emit strong exhaust fumes.

Red-and-white or green-and-white Eco taxis are usually four-door sedans. These taxis are not metered; agree on the fare before you get in the vehicle. Aurigas are red pickup trucks with benches built into the truck bed and a canopy to provide shade. They seat a maximum of eight passengers. These vehicles also are not metered; fares are based on the length of the trip. Many aurigas follow fixed routes, but they can also be hired for day trips to nearby destinations out of town. To arrange a private trip, contact the Sindicato de Aurigas de Mazatlán; phone (669) 981-3535.

For 10 pesos one can get to just about any place in the city via local bus lines. The “Sábalo-Centro” route is the most useful for tourists. These buses run along the waterfront between the Zona Dorada hotels and downtown. Buses marked “Sábalo-Cocos-Centro” or simply “Centro” also travel between the two areas, but unless you're interested in a lengthy detour through the city's working class neighborhoods, avoid them.

“Cerritos Juárez” buses follow a route from Mazatlán's coffee factory to the Zona Dorada and then north to the marinas, ending at Playa Los Cerritos. The fare for the comfier, air-conditioned green buses, which are only available on the “Sábalo-Centro” and “Sábalo-Cocos-Centro” routes, is 10.5 pesos. A knowledge of Spanish is helpful if you intend to get around by bus. During rush hour, about 5 to 7 p.m., buses that are full may pass waiting passengers. During off hours it's often possible to hail a bus as you would a taxi.

Things To Do in Mazatlán

Mazatlán Beaches

Stone Island (Isla de la Piedra), at the southern end of the city, is actually a peninsula offering miles of mostly undeveloped oceanside beaches that can be explored on horseback. Small motorboats carry passengers to and from the island (about a 5-minute ride), departing from a launch along the harbor channel north of the ferry terminal. On weekends—and particularly Sunday—entire families spread out along the sand or under the coconut palm groves. Open-air restaurants offer smoked fish, shrimp and beer along with music and dancing.

Playa Olas Altas was the city's first tourist beach and is where the malecón begins. The name means “high waves,” and surfers congregate here during the summer. This is not the best beach for swimming; instead, enjoy the tremendous views of the surf from one of the many outdoor cafes that line the seaside walkway.

Playa Los Piños, located between the Marine House and the Fisherman's Monument, is where local fishermen sell their catch. If you're interested in purchasing fresh fish without angling for it, arrive early; the catch disappears quickly. Just north of Playa Los Piños is Playa Norte, which stretches between the Fisherman's Monument and Punta Camarón. This beach is popular with locals who play impromptu baseball and soccer games in the sand or take to the water on a three-wheeled floating trike.

Playa Martín fronts the seaside promenade along Avenida del Mar. A tunnel connects the beach with the Hotel Hacienda Mazatlán. Big Pacific rollers crash against the rocks at Punta Camarón. On the north side of this outcrop jutting into the water is Playa las Gaviotas, popular with tourists who want to soak up some sun or play a game of beach volleyball.

Farther up is Playa Sábalo, where the wide, white sand beach attracts droves of tourists and what seems like an equal number of Mexican vendors. Parasailers and windsurfers utilize this stretch fronting the Golden Zone. It is protected from the open surf by Bird, Deer and Goat islands, which rise out of the water a short distance offshore.

Beyond Playa Sábalo, at the north end of Mazatlán, are Playa Brujas (Witches' Beach) and Playa Los Cerritos, which stretch north to Cerritos Point (Punta Cerritos). To reach these beaches, either hire a taxi (about $8-$10 U.S. one way from the Golden Zone) or hop on the “Cerritos-Juárez” bus heading north. The line ends near Playa Los Cerritos. To get to the shore, walk straight ahead past a long, squat building packed with souvenir stalls. Rustic palapa restaurants sit on a low bluff overlooking the beach, which is crowded with Mexican families on weekends. During the week, swimming is good at this mostly unspoiled stretch of sand protected by rocky outcroppings.

Playa Brujas also is within walking distance of the bus stop. Head west up the only narrow paved road in sight and follow it to Restaurant Playa Bruja, a nice palapa bar overlooking the sand. Playa Brujas was once an isolated surfing outpost, but condo and hotel development continues to creep ever closer.

Mazatlán Sports and Recreation

Charter fishing boat rates start at $300 (U.S.) a day for a small boat (up to four people) and include bait and tackle, but not fishing licenses or refreshments. Tipping the captain and first mate is customary, particularly if the day's catch has been bountiful. A catch-and-release policy is emphasized. Make fishing arrangements in advance of your trip with either the fleet itself or through your hotel. Hotels will usually try to arrange group travel excursions, thereby sharing the cost of boats.

The El Cid Resort offers a variety of fishing packages utilizing its own Aries fleet of boats. For information and reservations phone (855) 513-4080 (from the United States), or contact a travel agency. Local charter companies include Star Fleet, phone (669) 982-2665, and Flota Bibi Fleet, phone (669) 148-2055. Sport-fishing guides depart from Marina Mazatlán in the Golden Zone; for marina information phone (669) 916-7799.

Baseball in Mazatlán is considered something of a tradition. Loyal fans fervently support the local Pacific League team, the Mazatlán Venados, which has produced players who have gone on to the American majors. Games are played at Teodoro Mariscal Stadium, off Avenida del Mar and convenient to the tourist zone. For game schedules, ask at your hotel or check the team's website; the season runs October through January.

Parasailing, which provides 15 minutes of sheer thrills for those not prone to vertigo, is one of the adventurous things to do in Mazatlán. Arrangements can be made in front of the Playa Mazatlán and Las Flores hotels in the Golden Zone.

Adventure travel enthusiasts also should visit The Aqua Sports Center at the El Cid Resort. There's a variety of water sports equipment, from jet skis and Hobie Cats to kayaks and snorkeling gear.

The El Cid Golf & Country Club features three courses—the nine-hole Marina Course, designed by Lee Trevino; the nine-hole El Moro Course; and the nine-hole Castilla Course, which has the most forgiving layout of the three. Greens fees are $45-$65 (U.S.); preferred tee times are given to resort guests. For additional information phone (855) 855-2222 (from the United States).

The Robert Trent Jones-designed championship course at the Estrella del Mar resort community on Isla de la Piedra, just south of Old Mazatlán, features six holes bordering the ocean, offering spectacular views. Amenities include a pro shop and clubhouse. For information, phone 01 (800) 727-4653 (toll-free long distance within Mexico) or (888) 587-0609 (from the United States).

Good for a casual round is the nine-hole course at the Mazatlán Country Club (Club de Golf Campestre), and the greens fee is significantly less expensive than at the resort courses. Motorized carts are usually not available, but you can hire a caddy. The club is at the south end of town off Mex. 15 via Avenida Bahía Acapulco; take a taxi. Walk-ins are normally accommodated, or phone (669) 980-1570 to schedule a tee time (English not likely to be spoken).

Mazatlán Shopping

Be sure to stop by Sea Shell City, a combination museum and shop on Av. Playa las Gaviotas #407. A kaleidoscopic variety of shells from around the world are on display, and there are many shell craft items as well as Mexican handicrafts for sale. Upstairs there's a cool fountain with shell embellishments.

Across the street, Las Cabañas Shopping Center is a small shopping arcade with the usual trinkets. At the far end you'll find Pancho's Restaurant and steps leading down to Playa las Gaviotas, where roving beach vendors are waiting to pounce.

The nearby Mazatlán Arts and Crafts Center, on Avenida Playa las Gaviotas (at Avenida Loaiza), stocks everything from tablecloths and rugs to pottery, guayabera shirts, embroidered dresses and footwear. Artisans can sometimes be seen creating both artwork and jewelry designs. Purchases here are cash only.

If you're looking for jewelry of a better pedigree than what the beach vendors are peddling, Cielito Lindo, Av. Playa las Gaviotas #311, has a huge selection at surprisingly reasonable prices.

For a more authentic Mexican shopping experience, head downtown. In the Central Market (mercado), at avenidas Ocampo and Juárez in Old Mazatlán, you'll find aisle after aisle crammed with vendor stalls selling everything from fresh meat, seafood and produce to piñatas, shoes and Che Guevara T-shirts. More stalls line the outside walls of the market building. As far as non-food items go, good quality can be hard to find, but for dedicated bargain hunters the opportunity to haggle with local merchants is the real fun.

Art galleries are located on the streets west of Plazuela Machado; pick up a free map published by Art Walk Mazatlán, available at many of the galleries. The Nidart Gallery (Nido de Artesanos) occupies a bright purple and red-trimmed building next to the Angela Peralta Theater in Old Mazatlán. This gallery and studio complex (the name means “nest of artisans”) features leather masks, sculptures, burlap dolls, decorated coconut shells, jewelry, clay figurines and other crafts expertly fashioned by local artisans. It's open Mon.-Sat. 10-3 during the high tourist season.

Casa Etnika, Calle Sixto Osuna #50, is a contemporary Mexican art gallery that occupies a large 19th-century house. The ground-floor rooms are filled with fine furniture, sculpture, paintings, wildlife photography prints, baskets, jewelry and more. You'll also find gifts for children (Mazatlán coloring books) and high-quality T-shirts (a rarity in Mexico). There's a small gourmet coffee bar next to the gallery entrance.

South of Avenida Rafael Buelna off Avenida Reforma, a block inland from the malecón (Avenida del Mar) and across from Sam's Club, is La Gran Plaza, an American-style mall. The supermarket and department stores make this a convenient place to go to stock up on basics. It is easily reached by taxi or the Sábalo Cocos bus.

Best Restaurants and Nightlife in Mazatlán

In and around Old Mazatlán's Central Market, food stands sell tasty tacos, tortas and the like. Better yet, head a few blocks southwest to Plazuela Machado and dine alfresco at one of the sidewalk cafés.

The Hotel Playa Mazatlán, on Avenida Playa las Gaviotas in the Golden Zone, presents “Fiesta Mexicana” one time a week beginning at 7 p.m. from November through May (less frequently the rest of the year). An all-you-can-eat buffet is followed by folkloric dance and music performances from various regions of Mexico. The entertainment includes an amazing display of rope twirling by a charro, or Mexican cowboy, and a flamboyantly costumed troupe who re-enact a bit of Carnaval.

Admittance to the shows is first-come-first served. Dress is casual, but shorts are not permitted. For information and tickets phone (669) 989-0555, or stop by the tour desk inside the hotel lobby.

Most of the local restaurants and hotels in Mazatlán offer purified water and ice. There should be no cause for concern about drinking the water in these establishments, but double check if in doubt. Purified water can be bought in any of the mini markets around town. See the Lodgings & Restaurants section for AAA Diamond designated dining establishments.

Note: Some food places add a standard 10 to 15 percent gratuity to the bill. Be sure to differentiate between this charge and the 16 percent IVA tax that is added to every check, and tip accordingly.

Many of the big hotels in the Golden Zone have bars or lounges with happy hours featuring two-for-one drink prices. For a more rocking good time head to Joe's Oyster Bar. There's a well-signed entrance on Avenida Playa las Gaviotas, or you can enter this thatch-roofed cantina from the Golden Zone beachfront. The music is mostly hip-hop, with a few Latin jams mixed in for the local clientele. Late afternoon happy hour sees college kids dancing on tables, older tourists eating jumbo oysters and two-man volleyball teams engaged in heated matches on the sand volleyball court. The scene gets much wilder after the sun sets.

Gus y Gus (pronounced “goose and goose”), in the Golden Zone at Av. Camarón Sábalo #1730 (across from the Costa de Oro Hotel), is a casual bar and grill with a fun atmosphere and a menu of American and Mexican staples. Classic rock cover bands provide the music. There's another Gus y Gus at the Marina Mazatlán complex (Boulevard Marina Mazatlán #2209).

Mazatlán Events

Historical records of the event date to 1827, when military men demanding salaries staged a protest by masquerading. Over the years the tradition grew, with mask wearing becoming part of the festivities at both public assemblies and private parties. By the end of the 19th century, French, German and Italian immigrants were adding facets of their own culture to Carnaval, and today the city claims that its celebration is the world's third largest after those in Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans. The revelry culminates on Shrove Tuesday, when the malecón is packed with merrymakers and things to see.

Mazatlán recognizes Day of the Dead celebrations Nov. 1 and 2 with a combination of feasting and somber remembrances. Several sport-fishing tournaments also occur in November.

Destinations near Mazatlán

Day excursions also can be arranged to the islands off the Golden Zone section of the coast: Goat Island (Isla de Chivas), Bird Island (Isla de Pájaros) and Deer Island (Isla de Venados), a nature preserve where seashell collectors can search along the shore and snorkelers will find decent submarine scenery when waters are calm.

The El Cid Resort offers a trip to Deer Island aboard an amphibious vehicle for 150 pesos per person; snorkeling gear is available for rent. Daily departures are at 9:30 and 2:30. There are no services or local restaurants on the island, so pack a cooler with drinks and snacks. If you forget, the men who rent out beach umbrellas also sell beer and soda on the sly. For information on adventure travel, contact the resort's Aqua Sports Center; phone (669) 913-0451.

Perhaps the most popular guided day trip from Mazatlán takes in the former mining outposts of Concordia and Copala, both on Mex. 40 as it heads east toward Durango. These two colonial-era towns offer a charming, laid-back contrast to Mazatlán's seaside partying atmosphere.

Concordia, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, is surrounded by mango and banana plantations. Founded in 1565 by Spanish conquistador Francisco de Ibarra, it is still a furniture, brick and pottery making center; roadside stands sell furniture, pottery and fresh mangos. The main plaza contains a gazebo and an enormous wooden chair that provides an amusing photo opportunity. Across from the plaza is the baroque Church of St. Sebastian, a lovely old building that has an ornate stone facade.

Copala, about 24 kilometers (15 miles) east of Concordia, is smaller and not as bustling but just as picturesque. A walk down this village's cobblestoned main street past red tile-roofed, whitewashed buildings is like a journey back in time. Little has changed in the town's more than 400 years of existence. Cars are few and far between. Dogs, chickens, pigs and donkeys wander the streets, and dawn is greeted by the sound of crowing roosters. Adding to the scene is the brilliantly colored bougainvillea that spills over roofs and cascades down walls.

Up until the late 19th century Copala was a center for silver mining operations in the surrounding mountains, and old homes still cling precariously to the hillsides. The tree-shaded town plaza has wrought-iron lampposts and an ornate bandstand and is bordered by small gift shops selling silver jewelry and regional handicrafts. At one end of the plaza stands the baroque Church of San José, which was completed in 1775; it has a vaulted interior with gold leaf decoration and colorful polychrome statues of saints.

South of Mazatlán via Mex. 15 is Rosario, another old mining community. At the end of the 18th century it had a population of 7,000 and was one of the richest towns in northwest Mexico. Mining activities ceased in the 1940s. Of particular interest is Our Lady of the Rosary, the town's beautiful colonial church, with a marvelous altarpiece completely covered by intricate gold-leaf designs. Some 70 kilometers (43 miles) of underground tunnels, dug over a 300-year period to aid in extracting gold and silver, remain behind; locals attest that they outnumber the surface streets.

Mex. 40-D, the toll road from Mazatlán to Durango, is an exhilarating road trip for drivers who have experience with challenging mountain roads. The clearly signed toll sections branch off portions of old, free Mex. 40, allowing motorists to avoid the more treacherous switchbacks and hairpin curves that make a journey along the aptly named “Devil's Backbone” such a gut-clenching experience.

The arguable highlight of this spectacular journey across the Sierra Madre Mountains is the Baluarte Bridge (Puente Baluarte). A suspension marvel, it straddles the Sinaloa/Durango state border at a dizzying 1,322 feet above the Baluarte River. All told, an amazing number of bridges and tunnels were required to negotiate these impressively rugged mountains.

The drive time to Durango is approximately 3 hours (versus the 6-8 hours it formerly took to negotiate the serpentine length of old Mex. 40). There are four toll plazas between the two cities; fees total around 500 pesos.

Visitor Centers in Mazatlán

Best Attractions in Mazatlán

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

King David Tours

Mazatlán Aquarium

Mazatlán Archeological Museum