Pacific Coast Mexico

Pacific Coast Mexico

Pacific Coast - Nature has undoubtedly been extremely generous in the Pacific Coast, from Sinaloa to Oaxaca. Visitors to Sinaloa can spend the night in Mazatlan, with its luxury tourist facilities, visit the estuaries where shrimp are cultivated or camp on deserted beaches. Nayarit is ideal for nature lovers while Colima has a gorgeous city, Manzanillo, with superb beaches. Jalisco is famous for its Costa Alegre, with areas reserved for deluxe tourism, while the city of Guadalajara combines modernity, elegance and beauty. Finally, there is Oaxaca, with its beautiful coast and traditional mountain and valley towns, elegant monasteries and majestic capital, the jewel in the region’s crown. It is one of the most frequently visited cities in Mexico, due to its archaeological and colonial monuments, its folklore, gastronomy and rich history.

Colima is a small state in the west of Mexico bordering on Jalisco, Michoacan and the Pacific Ocean. Its name comes from the Nahuatl Coliman: colli meaning hill, volcano or grandfather and maitl meaning hand, or domination, in other words, "place dominated by our grandparents" or "place where the Old God prevails," referring to the Colima Volcano. This tiny area boasts a wide range of attractions and beautiful places, such as Villa de Alvarez, Comala, Suchitlán, Nevado de Colima National Park, Volcán de Fuego and Quesería Tecomán, as well as spectacular beaches such as Manzanillo, the world capital of sail fishing. Several regional fiestas are held almost year round; the state is renowned for its seafood while its exotic traditional beverages are superb, as are its desserts and candies. Colima offers fascinating archaeological sites such as El Chanal and La Campana, colonial architecture and 19th century buildings. Its excellent maritime, land and air infrastructure facilitates travel to and from the area.

• Manzanillo history is a combination of tales of adventurers from overseas, pirate legends and progress. In 1522, Hernán Cortés and his crew disembarked in what would later be known as Manzanillo in search of the treasures of China in the Pacific. In 1527, the mariner Álvaro Saavedra discovered what is now Manzanillo which he called Bahía de Santiago de la Buena Esperanza. Cortés used this bay on two occasions to protect his galleons from Portugues pirates. The Nao de la China, from the Phillippines, also berthed in this bay with its priceless cargo. The mystery and wealth of the Nao attracted pirates from Portugal, England, France and Spain who attacked, looted and burned boats to steal their valuable freight. In 1825, the Port of Manzanillo, so-called because of the enormous amount of fruit trees it contained in its forests, was opened, and in 1873, it was raised to the status of a city. In 1908, following the inauguration of the railroad connection to Guadalajara, Porfirio Díaz made it an official entry port. Its recent modernization has made Manzanillo one of the most important ports on the west coast of Mexico.
  
  The festive atmosphere of Manzanillo’s streets, the hospitality of its inhabitants, together with its natural wealth and magnificent tourist facilities make this an ideal setting for activities ranging from sport fishing, adventure tourism and strolling along the beach to sampling the delicious local cuisine. Manzanillo, set on the Mexican Pacific coast, was once the scene of piracy and adventure. Nowadays, its peaceful bays and sophisticated tourist and port infrastructure have made it one of the main tourist resorts and trading centers in the west of Mexico.

Guerrero is set in a privileged area, this is undoubtedly one of the loveliest states in Mexico. It borders on the states of Mexico, Morelos, Puebla, Oaxaca and Michoacán and has a stunning Pacific coastline. It was occupied by Chichimec groups that settled north of the Balsas River and is currently inhabited by Nahua, Mixtec, Tlapanec, and Amuzgo, among other groups. Its tropical climate oscillates between 15 and 20ºC, and its mountain system is one of the most intricate in the country. There is no room to list all its attractions here; suffice it to say that it has the most beautiful and famous bay in Mexico, Acapulco, together with hundreds of beaches. It also boasts colonial cities such as Taxco, rich in silver deposits, grottoes such as those in Cacahuamilpa as well as beach resorts such as Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo.

Its inhabitants are skilled craftspeople and its cuisine combines seafood with the fruits of the land. One place worth visiting is San Diego Fort, housing the Historical Museum of Acapulco. The state’s colorful traditional fiestas combine rituals, legends and religious beliefs.

• Acapulco is the largest and most spectacular tourist resort in the Mexican Pacific. As a result of its stunning beaches, exuberant natural surroundings and wonderful climate, this port has been dubbed the Pearl of the Pacific. It is the most popular holiday resort in Mexico and Latin America, since its functional, modern infrastructure has had very little impact on its original beauty or attractions. During the viceroyalty, boats set off from Acapulco to explore the South Seas, and in 1566, it was inaugurated as a trade route with the Far East through the routes of the galleons of China and the Philippines. This trade attracted marauding pirates that repeatedly attacked the port. The Fort of San Diego, whose structure can still be seen, was built to repel these attacks.
  
  Set in gorgeous natural surroundings, Acapulco offers an enormous range of attractions and activities. Calm, sunny beaches and exuberant vegetation that surrounds one of the loveliest bays in the Pacific blend seamlessly with major hotel complexes, superb restaurants and wonderful nightclubs. Acapulco has something to suit every taste and budget and offers a range of activities for the whole family. The main attraction of the bay are its more than twenty beaches, each with a distinct atmosphere, where you can choose your favorite water sport. Enthusiasts will find ample opportunities for sports fishing, diving, water skiing and snorkeling. There are also several ecological areas that are ideal for picnics and horse riding, as well as golf courses and tennis courts.
  
  Acapulco is a wonderful place for shopping in stores that combine luxury with comfort. It also boasts a variety of restaurants offering everything from regional to international cuisine. The port’s nightlife is intense and extremely diverse, offering something for every taste. Its state-of-the-art facilities also make Acapulco an ideal business venue. Acapulco is located 326 km away from the Federal District along the Autopista del Sol, and 411 km away by the old federal highway no. 95. It also boasts an excellent international airport.

• Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo is In an unusually beautiful site, in the heart of the Mexican Pacific, surrounded by mountains covered with tropical forest that come down to the coast, lies the peaceful, picturesque fishing village of Zihuatanejo with its wonderful combination of tranquility, exuberant surroundings and affordable tourist facilities. Its superb semi-tropical climate, with temperatures oscillating between 23 and 33ºC and its nearly three kilometers of beach have made this one of Mexico’s most popular resorts.
  
  What was formerly known as Cihuatlán (meaning "Place of women" in Náhuatl) was the Tarascan monarch’s favorite place of retreat. It was there that in October 1527 the first galleon, captained by Álvaro de Saavedra y Cerón, set sail in search of a route that would link America to the Philippines. Legend has it that famous pirates such as Francis Drake used to lie in wait off the coast of this attractive port.
  
  Although it has been modernized, Zihuatanejo still retains the village atmosphere that has made it famous throughout the world. Although its main attraction is the golden beaches that surround its gorgeous bay, wandering round the cobbled streets in the town center is also extremely pleasant. There you will find restaurants serving national and international cuisine, picturesque shops and typical markets carrying everything from traditional handicrafts to the latest international fashions.
  
  Also worth visiting in the archaeological museum where you will be able to find out about some of the history of the region. For those in search of nightlife, Zihuatanejo offers night clubs and small, intimate bars with live music. Seven kilometers outside Zihuatanejo lies the modern tourist complex of Ixtapa (meaning "Place of White Sands" in Náhuatl, which, together with Zihuatanejo, forms what is known as the "Dorado Pacífico." Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo has managed to preserve all the attractions that have made it so highly sought after; virtually unspoiled beaches, year-round sun, a calm, clean sea, exuberant vegetation and exotic birds. It also has a first-rate infrastructure, hotels and restaurants to suit every budget, golf course and above all, facilities for water sports, excursions and walks. Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is 448 km southeast of Mexico City and 268 km away from the port of Acapulco by Highway 200. It is served by an international airport.

• Taxco is synonymous with the Mexican silver tradition. Its name conjures up the immense fortunes that left us art, churches and legends and evokes the skill of its craftspeople. If Taxco is a now world-renowned destination, it is because it has remained loyal to its silver mining past and managed to satisfy the most demanding tastes while preserving its village atmosphere. Visitors can admire the Parish Church of Santa Prisca, one of the most important in Mexican baroque, designed by the leading artists and architects of the times, tour De la Borda’s mansion, now converted into the House of Culture, or Humboldt’s residence, which now houses the Museum of Viceregal Art or explore the workshops and shops of the silver craftsmen who hold their National Fair here in December. In Holy Week, you can see the ancient religious traditions.
  
  Taxco also invites you to climb its steep cobbled streets, take a cable-car ride for a spectacular view of the city, play sports such as golf, riding or tennis or explore the surroundings which offer activities for every taste, ranging from archaeology and potholing to rafting and transcendental meditation. It was among these hills and winding paths that the city hid its original wealth. The conquistadors came here in search in silver, although nearly two hundred years were to elapse before the ore could be extracted on a large scale. The 18th century saw the emergence of entrepreneurs like José de la Borda: miner, administrator, philanthropist and constructor. Over time, silver mining became increasingly unprofitable, and it was not until 1929 that an enterprising American architect gave the city a new breath of life by implementing the art of silverwork, which attracted both investments and tourism.
  
  Taxco is a small city with nearly one hundred thousand inhabitants located in the south of Mexico, north of the state of Guerrero, in a mountainous area with winding roads and foliage in every shade of green. Its climate is usually hot, cooling slightly in August during the short but intense rainy season.

Jalisco is steeped in tradition: many of its cultural features have become synonymous with Mexicanness, such as mariachis, cowboys and tequila. It is located in the west of the country and surrounded by Nayarit, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Colima and has a long Pacific coastline. Its history dates back to pre-Hispanic times, when it was occupied by Nahua groups (in the south) and Huichol (in the north). Nowadays, Jalisco is one of the most important states in the country. Its many attractions include archaeological sites such as Teuchitlán; the city of Guadalajara, the proud Pearl of the West, with its striking colonial buildings and recreational and cultural centers; Tequila, the cradle of the traditional beverage of the same name. Other cities of note include Tlaquepaque with its fine blown glass objects, Tonalá with its pottery and Puerto Vallarta, with its village atmosphere and gorgeous beaches, not to mention the Costa Alegre and other picturesque cities and towns scattered throughout the state.

• Guadalajara is the former capital of New Galicia rises up majestically over the Valle de Atemajac. Guadalajara represents the essence of Mexicanness: traditional, conservative ideas imbued with the spirit of its nearly 500 years of history expressed in a contemporary, cosmopolitan city. The capital of the state of Jalisco, with the second largest population in Mexico, is the place of residence of an industrious, friendly people that have striven to build one of the most attractive, comfortable and richest cities in Latin America.
  
  Guadalajara, set in a fertile valley in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental enjoys an exceptional year-round climate together with the benefits of one of the country’s largest hydrological networks. The wealth of this city, which has always played a key role in Mexican history, is evident in the strength of its manufacturing industry, which mainly produces consumer goods, and its intense cultural life.
  
  The boost that this city received with the mandate of Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán for its foundation on January 5 1532 gave it an edge that has lasted until the present. It was raised to the status of a city as early as 1542. The University of Guadalajara and the first printing press were both founded in 1792, a fact that would mark the course of science and culture in the Jalisco capital. A few years later, in 1805, construction began on what is now the Hospicio Cabañas. The War of Independence, the ups and downs of the Reform, the revolutionary outburst of 1910 and the Cristero rebellion were passionately experienced by this city.
  
  The Guadalajara of today, together with three other municipalities that warrant special mention in themselves –Zapopan, Tlaquepaque and Tonalá, is a large city with enormous avenues, impressive monuments, dozens of squares overflowing with trees and plants, colorful markets, crowded malls and a continuous sense of activity reflected in the dozens of people strolling up and down the wide pavements and pedestrian precincts. At every step, there is a place to stop and enjoy this city which appears to have been drawn by hand.
  
  Unlike other cities with more specific features, Guadalajara is an urban complex that offers visitors a variety of options for their enjoyment. It boasts everything from museums that reflect Mexico’s diversity; districts that have managed to preserve the flavor of tradition; monuments and buildings that lend each part of the city its distinctive atmosphere; districts that house several nationalities, linked by the growth of the city to parks that encourage contact with nature, in short, all the benefits and comforts of a modern, elegant, functional city.

• Puerto Vallarta is protected by the second largest bay in the American continent, Bahía de Banderas, with over 40 km of golden beaches in the center of the Mexican Pacific and surrounded by the majestic mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental lies Puerto Vallarta, a paradise whose special charm is due to its blend of colonial and cosmopolitan features.
  
  The best way to enjoy Puerto Vallarta is to wander through Viejo Vallarta, with its traditional cobbled streets, white-walled houses, wrought-iron balconies and red tiled roofs; visit the Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, with its unusual dome, a replica of the crown worn by Empress Charlotte in 1860; admire the original murals by the artist Manuel Lepe in the Palacio Municipal; walk along the jetty with its esplanade of bronze statures and wide variety of shops with something for everyone; explore the galleries displaying contemporary Mexican art; sample the varied gastronomy in one of its open-air restaurants while gazing at a beautiful sunset or enjoy a traditional Mexican evening complete with folkloric ballet.
  
  To the north lies Marina Vallarta, the largest sports port in Mexico that attracts luxurious yachts and sailboats from all over the world and is surrounded by deluxe hotels, shopping malls and golf courses. Next to it, in the state of Nayarit, is Nuevo Vallarta, the most recent tourist resort in the bay. In Puerto Vallarta you will find more than one way of recharging your batteries, since there are hundreds of opportunities for recreation, particularly water sports such as diving, sailboat regattas, fishing, skiing and Jet Skis as well as gentle boat rides round the bay to watch dolphins, turtles and humpbacked whales, just some of the natural attractions that make this one of the world’s favorite destinations.

Nayarit is located on the Pacific coast, surrounded by the states of Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas and Jalisco, lies the attractive state of Nayarit. Its origins are to be found in the Cora and Huichol groups that settled in the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental. In ancient times, it was a major transit area and legend has it that the group that would subsequently found the great Tenochtitlan set out from the island of Mexcaltitán, led by Huitzilopochtli. During the 18th century, it served as the starting point for the evangelization of Alta California. This explains why it has both archaeological sites, colonial and 19th century buildings and monuments. Nayarit has everything to offer: history, culture, traditions, stunning beaches and places for ecotourism and adventure, served with delicious cuisine in gorgeous natural settings.

• Nuevo Vallarta is undoubtedly the most important resort in the state, and one of the best and most modern luxury tourist resorts in Mexico. It has five kilometers of beach, a modern marina, hotels, restaurants, condominiums and a residential zone with private jetties in the navigable channels connected to the sea. The complex contains hotels from major chains offering every amenity for a pleasant stay. Its fine sand beaches provide facilities for virtually all water sports as well as being the scene of spectacular sunsets. Cycling, golf and tennis facilities are also available. The complex has restaurants, bars, nightclubs and a delicious seafood-based gastronomy.
  
  The surroundings are covered in vegetation and provide beautiful scenery. You can sail around the estuaries and islands of the river Ameca, which provides refuge for hundreds of birds. To the north lie Punta Mita, El Anclote and Nuevo Corral del Risca, from which boats set off for their tour of the Islas Marietas. Other sites you can visit from Puerto Vallarta include Rincón de Guayabitos, Bucerías and Peñita de Jaltemba. Nuevo Vallarta can be reached by virtually any means of transport. By land you can take the Tepic-Puerto Vallarta Federal Highway No 200. Its proximity to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, facilitates transfers from the airport to the latter, and it can also be reached by sea, since its marina has a capacity for 270 boats.

• San Blas is a warm place whose beautiful surroundings and pleasant climate have made it an ideal place for those in search of calm, delicious local food, sport fishing and waves that are perfect for surfing. Ecotourism enthusiasts can come into contact with nature and its fascinating animal life. The place also lends itself to evenings spent sitting round a bonfire.
  
  Its natural attractions include the El Rey, El Borrego and Las Islitas beaches, as well as Bahía de Matachén, Los Cocos, Playa Miramar, and Aticama, which once served as a refuge for pirates and buccaneers. Some of the nearest places worth visiting include La Tovara, El Conchal and El Pozo estuaries, as well as the mirador on the Cerro el Castillo y Singaita. San Blas is the main port city in the state of Nayarit and one of the most popular in the state, since it offers a variety of attractions such as beaches, estuaries, colonial architecture, history and nearby places of interest.
  
  San Blas was founded in the second half of the 18th century and during the colonial period, it was the starting point for several expeditions, the most important of which were those led by Fr. Junípero de la Serra and Father Kino. It was also a point of arrival for the Nao de China and was such an important trading place that the first customs house of New Spain was built there. During the War of Independence, it was the scene of bloody, decisive battles.
  
  The city’s main attractions include the former Maritime Customs House (only vestiges of which remain), the Port Captaincy, the Cerro de la Contaduría, containing traces of the Templo de San Basilio, dating from the 17th century, and the building of the Antigua Contaduría, the former accountant’s office, as well as its beautiful main beach.

Oaxaca is the land of mescal, the Guelaguetza and a magical cuisine, Oaxaca is located in the south of Mexico, borders on Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz and Chiapas and has a spectacular Pacific coastline. Its scenery contains natural contrasts that make it unusually attractive. It is surrounded by the Sierra Madre Oriental, which leads into the Nudo Mixteco and the Sierra Madre del Sur. The Central Valleys are formed by a depression between these mountain chains.

Climates here are extremely varied: tropical in the north of the Sierra de Oaxaca, dry steppes in the valley and Yautepec, dry and desert-like in the ravines and cool in La Mixteca. It was the site of two of the great cultures of pre-Hispanic Mexico: the Zapotec, based in Monte Albán, and the Mixtec, whose capital was Mitla.

After the Conquest, the territory was divided into the capitals of the valley and the isthmus. Oaxaca City, the state capital, is one of the loveliest cities in the country, with its magnificent churches and civil buildings, surrounded by villages of craftspeople, jealous of their traditions and their marvelous natural attractions. Oaxaca’s coasts have some of the most exotic beaches on the Mexican Pacific.

• Huatulco is nestling in the Oaxacan coastline, with average temperatures of 28ºC and clear days nearly all year round, the nine bays comprising this tourist complex have azure waters, fine white sand and an unusual landscape that creates privacy and gives each one a distinct personality. The surrounding vegetation ranges from low, deciduous forest to gallery forest and mangrove swamps that provide refuge for skunks, raccoons and armadillos as well as herons, pelicans and falcons, particularly during the rainy season. The complex covers an area of 35 km by 7 km of spectacular landscape that allow you to commune with nature, particularly in the virtually unspoiled beaches of Chachacual, Cacaluta, El Organo and Conejos.
  
  The name Huatulco comes from the Náhuatl word cuaúhtolco, meaning "the place where the wood is adored," since legend has it that the great civilizing god Quetzalcóatl left the inhabitants of the bay and port of Santa Cruz a wooden cross. The seat of the refined Zapotec culture, the region witnessed the movement of Spanish boats and violent pirate raids. Hernán Cortés used it to distribute the produce of his farms along the coast, which turned Huatulco into an extremely active port. This attracted pirates during the second half of the 16th century, including Drake himself and the famous Thomas Cavendish, causing the local inhabitants to flee. Thereafter the place was a fishing village, until the Mexican government began developing it as a planned tourist complex in 1983.
  
  Huatulco offers activities for every taste and age, from family packages at the Club Mediterrannée to the majestic Golf Club and discotheques in Tangolunda Bay. It also provides sea or land tours-on horseback or by dune buggy-so you can forget about the world in its isolated bays. Alternatively, you can go diving in coral reefs, water skiing or sailing, take a trip to the nearby coffee plantations in the sierra or sample the delicious local lobster.

• The history of the Valley of Oaxaca extends from the Olmec influence that reached Monte Albán in the 7th century BC to the world-renowned generation of painters and craftsmen led by Francisco Toledo. Geographically speaking, the valley, bisected to the south and west by the Río Atoyac, lies in the central region of the state, 1158 meters above sea level, with average temperatures of 18ºC and four and a half hours’ drive from Mexico City. This is the site of Oaxaca City with its 200,000 inhabitants, a hill flattened at a height of 400 m by the Zapotecs-meaning "the cloud people" in their language, to build a sacred city. Monte Albán has preserved testimonies of one thousand five hundred years of this empire, which reached its peak in approximately 800 AD. Two centuries later, the area was occupied by the Mixtecs who left traces of their magnificent craftsmanship in precious metals and subsequently founded Mitla that was still flourishing in the far east of the Valley at the time of the Spaniards’ arrival. The colonial city, called Antequera, built in 1529, was for some time the second largest in New Spain, as shown by the age and magnificence of its churches and monasteries. Two of its 19th century governors became presidents who changed the country: Juárez and Díaz.
  
  In 1987, UNESCO declared Oaxaca and Monte Albán a World Heritage Site, which gives some idea of what visitors can find here; at the foot of the archaeological zone, a city preserved for centuries in which the Colonial era shines through the altarpieces and green stone of its buildings. It also contains the legacy of these two cultures that emerges in the work of its goldsmiths, potters and painters, its cuisines, music and the colorful, exuberant fiestas, streets and markets. Stroll along the walkways that will take you to Santo Domingo past the Museum of Contemporary Art; climb up Monte Albán, watch the sunset in its enormous plaza and imagine the time when its buildings were painted red. In the evening, round off a wonderful dinner with a traditional mezcal. Make sure you remember two important fiestas: the Guelaguetza and the Noche de Rábanos or Night of Radishes.

• Puerto Escondido - Although still a fishing village, Puerto Escondido is now also a tourist magnet. Its jade green waters that have earned it the nickname of the Emerald Coast, together with its impressive waves, have attracted the notice of local and foreign visitors alike. Its beaches, which have varying types of sand, waves and rocky slopes, extend for 500 m. Playa Principal is a calm inlet with umbrellas and changing rooms which is extremely popular among Mexican tourists. Marineros is the ideal beach for novice surfers while Zicatela, with its rough waves, is only recommended for experts. Barra de Colotepec is a turtle zone, although you can also surf there. Bacocho is an open beach with gentle slopes and waves that is ideal for diving, while Playa Embarcadero has calm waves suitable for skiing and sailing. Carrizalillo, an almost closed bay, is perfect for swimming and boat trips.
  
  A few kilometers from the port lies the Turtle Assistance Ecological Camp, run by volunteers to protect this species. As far as services are concerned, Puerto Escondido has comfortable hotels with tennis courts, jacuzzi, and convention halls, a crafts market and restaurants specializing in fish and seafood. Founded in 1928 to ship coffee, Puerto Escondido took its name from the rocks known as "Punta Escondida." It was not until the coast road was built in the 1960’s however, that tourism began to develop, increasing further with the opening of a small airport in the 1980’s. Nowadays it receives a steady flow of visitors, particularly during the Mexican vacation periods. It is located 324 km south of the city of Oaxaca and 110 km west of Huatulco Bay along Federal Highway No. 200, which bisects the state, leaving the town on one side and the hotel zone on the other.

Sinaloa - Although this state is located in the northeast of Mexico, culturally speaking, it has more in common with the west. It is surrounded by Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango and Nayarit, and has a beautiful, broad Pacific shoreline as well as a coastline along the Sea of Cortés. In ancient times, it was occupied by groups of hunter-gatherers that supplemented their diet with seafood. The Conquest required several expeditions and it was not until the arrival of the Jesuit missionaries that the region was pacified. Mining spurred the development of the Spanish settlements that in turn led to the emergence of baroque religious art, evident in the churches of Copala, Rosario and Concordia.

The enormous biodiversity of the Sierra Madre Occidental accounts for the state’s spectacular landscape with majestic mountains and pine forests and intricate gullies that feed eleven rivers. Nowadays, Sinaloa is one of the country’s main agricultural producers as well as offering a variety of historical, cultural, natural and recreational attractions. It also boasts beautiful cities such as Mazatlán, Culiacán, Guasave, Cosalá and Mocorito.
 

• Mazatlan always has surprises in store. Its multiple, complex nature make boredom impossible. Wandering through the city and its historic center, sunbathing on its magnificent beaches, traveling to the islands using every imaginable form of transport, and gazing at the horizon from hills such as El Faro and El Cerro de la Nevería, enjoying one of the most elaborate regional seafood cuisines, participating in the carnival, sailing or sport fishing are some of the things that have made Mazatlán famous the world over. Just south of the Tropic of Cancer, Mazatlán is the most important port on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Full of contrasts, this city is one of the country’s oldest tourist resorts and the site of one of the world’s three major carnivals, comparable only to those in New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro. But that’s not all. Mazatlán is an attractive, hospitable city that has everything: excellent cuisine, extensive beaches with state-of-the-art water sports facilities and an unusual degree of cultural and architectural richness for a coastal resort.
  
  The region now occupied by Mazatlan has been populated since long before the Spanish conquest. Nuño Beltrán and Francisco de Ibarra subdued the local indigenous groups and then divided up the vast plots of land on the coast between themselves. The Spaniards called it Mazatlán Island, in honor of the three islands facing the bay. During the colonial era, it was a major port from which ships laden with gold set off for Spain on long journeys round Cape Horn. The early 19th century saw the arrival of Germans, Italians and North Americans that gave the city a cosmopolitan spirit that it has preserved to this day. Despite being overrun by pirates, gold prospectors and invaders, Mazatlán managed to retain both its pride and its hospitality.
  
  Mazatlán, located in the south of the state of Sinaloa, on the Pacific Coast, is a city with a 17 km shoreline under a brilliant sun, with a rainy season in summer followed by a long dry period. Its marine fauna and sea birds make Mazatlán ideal for nature lovers. The islands facing the wide bay and Crestón Island, the site of the world’s highest lighthouse (157m above sea level) are two of Mazatlán’s distinctive symbols, together with its spectacular sunsets.

Pacific Coast Mexico