Mazatlan Travel Guide

Parasailing Over The Pacific 

The beaches in Mazatlan are always bustling with activity. You can lay out and relax or you can get a little adventurous. While I was there I decided to try parasailing for the first time. There are usually a couple guys out on the beach with their boats ready to take you up. I think back in 1993 it was only $15 USD to do it. But I think we bartered with them over the price. Mexico is all about bartering. I felt completely safe the entire time and had a blast doing it. They were careful about the harness system they used and taught me quickly what to do, covering take off, flight and landing. I was also able to ride out on the boat with them when my friends took their turns sailing. The view you get out over the water is amazing. And you feel so free. I would recommend trying it.

Equipment: The guys on the beach provide all the equipment necessary.

The Beach

I love Mazatlan for many reasons. The gorgeous beach stretches for what seems like miles. It's a great place to kickback and relax. There is always so much going on around the beach. All of the bars are located just off the beach for easy access. As you walk up and down the strip it's easy to pop in and out of the bars for a drink. And you're bound to find one that fits your style. The great thing about Mazatlan is once you get about a block or tow off the beach the touristy places seem to disappear and you get a real sense of the community. Take some time to explore this Mexican gem.

If you are going here on a cruise, take a chance and do some research ahead of time for the best tours of the city. We found a guy on the internet (whose name escapes me--but i'm sure if I found him you will be able to) who showed up in an open air bus and gave us a wonderful tour of teh city for much less than we would have paid the cruise lines. The best part was, he was a local guy so we got much more of a local taste...literally...we got to visit a family bakery and taste their wares, visit peoples homes and see how they are rebuilding some of the inner city areas into major homes...it was one of the best cruise shiip tours we ever had....becasue it wasn't a typical "white bread" cruise ship tour!