The Lighthouse—look for the signs that say "Faro" around town. Now the highest natural lighthouse in the world (Gibraltar was the highest, but now not in operation), it is 515 feet above sea level. You will have the best view in Mazatlan if you hike up. Don't attempt the hike up unless you're in shape.
Cliff divers - These daredevils do something similar as in Acapulco, but it is lower and more shallow. The rock formation that they climb up is about 45 feet high and it is only 5 to 6 ft deep. They wait for the right wave to make the dive. They are there all day long, but the best time to see them is in the morning.
The Acuario Mazatlan—with bird, seal, and diving shows. Adjacent to the Parque de la Ciudad and Parque Infantil. Between Del Mar and Internacional, north of Deportes.
El Mercado—A large marketplace located in the historic center of town where they sell everything from t-shirts to traditional Mexican handcrafts. In the center is the meat and fruit market that serves the local residents. The name is Mercado Pino Suarez and it was finished in 1899.
Machado Square (Plazuela)—The jewel of the restored Centro Histórico. The west side of the square is flanked by the Teatro Angela Peralta, originally built in the 1800's, a beautifully restored building (1987 to 1992) which regularly offers many types of drama and music. Adjacent to the Teatro is a Spanish-language exhibit explaining the history of Mazatlán. The north side has Pedro y Lola's restaurant, a favorite among locals and tourists. On the south side is a hotel restored to its original beauty. A decent (Spanish-language) bookstore is only a couple of blocks away near the Universidad Politécnica de Sinaloa on Constitución. Keep your eyes open for shops with interesting (high-end) local art. The restaurants on the Plazuela have great food, some a little nicer and pricier than others. El Patio and Café Pacífico line the northeast corner of the plaza, and regularly have a fantastic acoustic guitarist playing at night for the diners and the square. Along the north side are three great spots for lunch or dinner. With offers of cheap, ice-cold beer all day, it isn't hard to be lured in to try a little of their food. All these restaurants have both indoor and outdoor, on the sidewalk, seating. It reminds one a bit of Paris.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception—This lovely building was finished in 1899 and is being gently restored to its original beauty, although to a visitor it is already beautiful to behold. Its exterior displays a beauty that needs no extras or frills, its inner beauty is juxtaposed to its outside. With all interior light coming through stained glass, it takes on a lovely color, and its reflection off gold statues and other images is quite something. A unique detail is that, at the time of the construction, there was a Jewish family living in Mazatlan, and they donated money towards the construction. People were so happy that they decided to set the Star of David in the top windows of this cathedral. One of the only Catholic churches with this Jewish symbol.
Olas Altas Beach--This lovely curving beach with its popular Malecon and many restaurants serves the residents of the Centro Historico. Don't miss it. It's only four blocks west of the Plazuela Machado.
A graveyard. There is one on Barragan, a block north of Najera. Beautiful and interesting.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Mazatlan
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Mazatlan - updated May 2024
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Mazatlan Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
