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Teresa Storm for the Calgary Herald
Revitalized and renewed, Mazatlan is back on Mexico’s must-visit list. And while the spiffed up Pacific port city of just over a half-million, founded in 1571, is sporting new infrastructure and unveiling lots of improvements, it retains its beloved 19th-century colonial splendour with painstakingly restored Historic District landmarks like the Angela Peralta Theater, dating to 1874.
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The tourism boom that began in the 1940s with the influx of Hollywood superstars like John Wayne and Robert Mitchum to Mazatlán’s Playa Olas Altas, Mexico’s first resort, continued into the 1990s, when new hot resorts like Cancún and Cabo San Lucas attracted vacationers.
Today the roles are reversed. Since 2017, millions of public and sectoral investments in tourism and municipal infrastructure in Mazatlan have resulted in the creation of new attractions, stadiums and parks, renovated and new hotels and restaurants, a restored historic center, and improved infrastructure.
Those who have visited previously will surely be surprised. I certainly was on my recent return, after a four-year absence. And, for those who have never been, it’s time to experience the improved Mazatlan.
The city’s renaissance is heralded through its new signature attraction, the Gran Acuario Mazatlan, which opened in March in the new Central Park. Three times larger than the ancient aquarium, it is the largest in Mexico and Latin America and the only one globally committed to showcasing the biodiversity of the Sea of Cortez. Also called the Gulf of California, Jacques Cousteau called the sea between mainland Mexico and the Baja California peninsula “the herbal aquarium of the world. “
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With waterfalls cascading down its outer walls, the architectural concept is that the aquarium sprang from the sea. Visitors are here as ambassadors, to receive more information about marine species and how to inhabit their habitats. Inside, 19 exhibition halls showcase the terrestrial, terrestrial and terrestrial features of the region. coastal and deep-sea ecosystems and involve more than 350 species, 90% of which originate in the Sea of Cortez.
Visitors begin their visit on land and, as they move along, progress to the coastal zone and then into the deep sea. Standing beneath a ginormous breaking wave, created by 28,000 litres of water recirculating every 40 seconds, is a novel experience, only upped by Oceanica, the largest habitat holding 2.6 million litres of seawater, with a window measuring more than 13 metres long. Inside, a vast collection of species glide by, including nurse sharks, massive groupers and sometimes a scuba diver. Currently, educational signage is in Spanish only.
On the grounds there are separate spots for sea lion and live bird presentations (in Spanish), lovebird feeding, and penguin feasting (all for an additional fee). Soon you’ll be able to get puffins too.
Next door, the 13-hectare Central Park features playgrounds, sports and concert areas, a saltwater lagoon with pedal boat and kayak rentals, a children’s gym, and food trucks. Although the afternoon is quiet, it is one of the favorite places for families. In the afternoon.
Another fabulous addition to Mazatlán is the 1873 Observatory.
Located 75 meters in the lowest part of Cerro Vigía, it can be accessed through the funicular. Built in 1873 as a military post to protect Mazatlan from enemy ships and pirates, it has subsequently become a meteorological and seismological center. The site and surrounding grounds were restored as a tourist site, with guides stationed at each location to provide interpretation.
Walks among lush tropical plants lead to viewpoints over an iguana sanctuary and the El Nido Mexican Bird Sanctuary, which protects more than 70 species of rescued exotic birds. The National Whale Museum will soon open its doors and teach about dolphins and whales through sensory experiences. , interactive exhibits and the largest collection of cetacean skeletons in Mexico and Latin America.
Stop by the Raíces Ancestral Meeting Center to learn about Mazatlan’s indigenous roots and savor a spice-laden cacao presented by the shaman. In the forest, an exhibition of dwellings shows how these other people lived, which will soon be complemented by ancestral elements in a new archaeological museum, scheduled for construction next year. An adorable agaviario (agave botanical garden) features more than 30 species of cacti and agaves, followed by a tasting of 3 types of mezcal.
A museum depicting a space from the time of the revolution (1910-1920) is filled with furniture, clothing, photographs, and memorabilia from the time, spaced within the thick walls of the Observatory. The pièce de résèce: the charming Sky Bar and its terraces. With amazing 360-degree perspectives of the bay and islands, the luminous space and the city, it’s above. If I had to remarry, it would definitely be here!It is a must for a drink, preferably at sunset. To take advantage of this wide variety of attractions, a zipline is scheduled to open in March 2024.
Another reason to visit Mazatlan next spring, specifically on April 8, is to experience the year’s most important astronomy event — the Great American Eclipse of 2024. Mazatlan’s location is directly aligned with the eclipse’s path. And with an 80 per cent chance of clear skies (compared to 50 per cent on the U.S. path from Texas to Maine), Mazatlan is one of the best places on the continent to see it.
The family-friendly Dreams Resort, the brand’s first in Mazatlan, will open just a week before the general solar eclipse. Estrella del Mar, the personal network in front of the beach and golf course just south of Mazatlan, where Dreams is located, will be one of the first sets in continental North America to see totality, lasting 4:25. The city of Mazatlan will be in the shadows a few seconds later.
These are just some of the reasons why this revitalized and renewed coastal town is back on the tourist map.
Westjet offers 4 weekly flights from Calgary and twice a week from Vancouver this season. WestJet and Sunwing fly to Mazatlan from Canadian cities.
For more information, visit www.GoMazatlan.com
Travel writer Theresa Storm has contributed to the Calgary Herald & Postmedia since ’96. She now hangs her sombrero part-time in Mexico.
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