This statue is my icon of Mazatlan. Since I was a small child we would climb on the not so stable rocks to reach her and take a photo. So it was natural that I wanted to see her again after so many years apart.

This leads us into the what you should do when visiting Mazatlan section of this series. My first suggestion is to visit the Reina de los Mares Statue, it is located at Paseo Claussen which is where the famous cliff divers take the plunge. Here you can enjoy the famous statue, the incredibly talented divers, and take in a yummy snack from a street side vendor.

Walk – You may be surprised that Mazatlan is actually littered with statues, all glorious and bronzed. Try taking a walk along the Malecon, one of the longest boardwalks in the world. This will take you past many of the statues and is great for people watching. The best time to go is actually at night when a long walk during the summer is actually tolerable.

Mercado Pino Suarez – This is everything for me. Food, food, food, and some shopping tied in.  Buy some fruit to take back to your resort or eat at one of the stands, you are missing out if you don’t eat at least one thing here. It does have a touristy shopping section which is good for picking up cheap souvenirs for family. If you don’t mind the cow hide smell of cheaper leather than this is perfect for you (and for me). I am actually sad I didn’t buy another pair of huaraches, at around $10 dollars they are a total steal. If you can’t stand the sight of meat or are uncomfortable with the smell avoid the butcher sections. Please don’t make the vendors uncomfortable because you have never seen a pigs head before.

Beach it up – It’s ok if you stick to the beach right outside your resort but try to explore a little bit more. It is really easy to find tours to Deer Island which offers you a more private beach and tons of other water activities. It is a great family option, although I did not go this time around I have fond memories as a child.

There are also two malls but don’t waste your time. One is across the street from a walmart so if you are desperate for cheap sunscreen you can take a bus there. We took a bus to the newer mall, away from the main part of town. It is a complete ghost town and is mostly stores you can find anywhere in the US.

Don’t forget to enjoy a cold beer!

Ximena.