Guaymas

Introducing Guaymas

There’s nothing cute about Guaymas, Sonora’s main port. Stopping here for any extended length of time had better be due to catastrophic vehicle breakdown or massive coronary. That said, many travelers will transit through here on their way to more interesting destinations to the south, so to make the best of it, you’ll need to embrace the town’s inextricable link to the sea. It won’t be easy to forget as you stroll the edge of the harbor, watching fishing boats return with the seasonal camarones gigantes (massive shrimp), available October to February, that Guaymas is famous for.

This city, founded in 1769 by Spaniards at the site of Yaqui and Guaymenas indigenous villages, later saw its bay become the locus of military campaigns by would-be invaders ranging from the US navy to French pirates.

Today Guaymas is a bustling port and naval-supply center. Currently, the marina is undergoing a multi-year, M$5.7 million transformation that, if it winds up looking anything like the projection photos, will look more Miami than Mexico. Travelers looking for charm will opt to stay in the resort town of San Carlos, 22km northwest.

Last updated: Jul 22, 2009