Sights in Mazatlán
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Islands
Resembling breaching whales in silhouette, the three photogenic land masses jutting from the sea are Mazatlán's signature islands. With secluded beaches and limpid waters ideal for snorkeling - and great multitudes of seals and marine birds - they provide an ideal day trip destination. On the left is Isla de Chivos (Island of Goats); on the right is Isla de Pájaros (Island of Birds), and in the center is Isla de Venados (Deer Island), which is the most visited of the three.
The islands are part of a wildlife refuge designated to help protect the marine fauna and birds they harbour. The most popular option for visiting the islands is the five-hour Deer Island Tour to Isl…
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Isla de la Piedra
Escape artists love Isla de la Piedra, located southeast of Old Mazatlán, for its beautiful, long sandy beach bordered by coconut groves. Anyone with an appetite sings the praises of the simple palapa (thatched-roof shelter) restaurants. Surfers come for the waves, and on Sunday afternoons and holidays the restaurants draw Mexican families. Most other times you'll have the beach to yourself.
Several companies offer no-hassle, all-inclusive excursions to Isla de la Piedra (it's actually a peninsula) including open bar, lunch, and a menu of activities such as water sports and short rides on forlorn, skinny horses.
It's a simple matter to get to Isla de Piedra on your own. …
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Playa Olas Altas
In Old Mazatlán, the crescent-shaped Playa Olas Altas is the beach where tourism first flourished in the 1950s. The small pebbly beach in a small cove is not ideal for swimming, but it's a grand place to soak up some regional history. The breezy seafront road, Paseo Olas Altas, strongly evokes 1950s-era Mazatlán, with a couple of faded relic hotels.
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Clavadistas
Although not as famous as Acapulco's cliff divers, local clavadistas cast their bodies from a platform into the treacherous ocean swells for your enjoyment. Tip accordingly. They usually perform around lunchtime and in the late afternoon, but they won't risk their necks until a crowd has assembled.
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Plazuela Machado
A short southwesterly walk will bring you to the tree-lined Plazuela Machado. The plaza and surrounding streets are abuzz with art galleries, cafés and restaurants. The center of attention is the Teatro Ángela Peralta, half a block south of the plaza. All kinds of cultural events are staged here.
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El Faro
At the south end of the peninsula, a particularly prominent rocky outcrop provides the base for El Faro, 135m above sea level and said to be the second-highest lighthouse in the world (after one in Gibraltar). You can climb up there for a spectacular view of the city and coast.
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Casa Machado
Worth a peek is the Casa Machado, a restored 19th-century house filled with antique French and Austrian furniture, Carnaval costumes, historic photos and other items. Its 2nd-floor terrace affords a panoramic view over Plazuela Machado.
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Mazatlán Cathedral
This large 19th-century cathedral, right in the heart of Old Mazatlán, has high, yellow twin towers, a dramatic interior and some beautiful statues. Built from 1875 to 1890, it faces the Plaza Principal, which has lush trees and a bandstand.
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Museo de Arte
The small Museo de Arte makes a convincing case for the vitality and innovation of contemporary Mexican art with changing exhibitions of digital works, sculpture, prints and paintings.
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Acuario Mazatlán
One of Mexico’s largest aquariums has 52 tanks with 250 species of freshwater and saltwater fish and other creatures. Sea lion, diving and bird shows are each presented three times daily.
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Playa Norte
Flanked by a broad malecón (waterfront street) popular with joggers and strollers, the golden sands of Playa Norte begin just north of Old Mazatlán.
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Museo Arqueológico
The small but absorbing Museo Arqueológico displays pre-Hispanic archeological finds accompanied by fascinating wall texts in Spanish and English.
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Cathedral
At Old Mazatlán's center is the soaring 19th-century cathedral with its high yellow twin towers and a dramatic interior.
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