# Mazatlan II



## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

I am a retired woman looking into establishing in Mazatlan 
Any comments , tips , activities , volunteering , new friends 
will be VERY appreciated


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

I am fluent in English, Spanish or French


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

I adore Mazatlán, the first place in Mexico I visited, and still my favorite city. I love the balance between the industries in contrast to, let's say Puerto Vallarta, where everything begins and ends with tourism. Mazatlán still feels _real_. I ended up retiring near Manzanillo, which has the same quality. ¡Bienvenidos!, and stay well!


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

*Mazatlan or Manzanillo ?*



perropedorro said:


> I adore Mazatlán, the first place in Mexico I visited, and still my favorite city. I love the balance between the industries in contrast to, let's say Puerto Vallarta, where everything begins and ends with tourism. Mazatlán still feels _real_. I ended up retiring near Manzanillo, which has the same quality. ¡Bienvenidos!, and stay well!


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I am open to sugestions of other "not too resorty" cities 
why did you choose Manzanillo ?


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

We didn’t plan to settle near Manzanillo—about 40 km. down the coast-- it just sort of happened. My wife is from Guadalajara with a big, loving, and _loud_ family there, although two sisters are in Vallarta, so we often go there to visit. Anyway, 25 years ago we were on vacation on the Colima coast and stumbled on a large beachfront lot in an undeveloped area, which in those days was going for only $3500 dls. We built a vacation home in stages as money became available, although it’s still very modest and not nearly as large or ostentatious as those of our more recent and wealthier expat neighbors. Four years ago retirement came and we’re here full time.
Manzanillo is interesting and quite distinctive because of the shipping port that started out and constantly grew out of a small downtown area wedged in between tall rocks and the sea. My father was a merchant sailor and passed through Manzanillo many times, although seaports and attendant sailor towns aren’t nearly as folkloric as they were a few decades ago. They’ve been sanitized due to automation and roll-on/roll-off containers. Merchant ships don’t have to spend three or four days in port while longshoremen load and unload cargo, with the crew on shore leave roaming the red-light district laden with cash. Now ships dock for only a few hours. Manzanillo is still interesting with its cramped downtown, narrow streets, and vendors selling everything from fish to pilfered watches. 
The touristy area is north and west of town, around what used to be the villages of Santiago and Salahua before they were engulfed by Manzanillo. American Big Box stores, golf courses, fancy restaurants—sort of a mini Vallarta—but less grand and obstentatious.
Another possibility is a little farther north in Jalisco around Barra de Navidad and Melaque. An eclectic and laid-back community featuring expats, more Euros than NorAms, with both older folks and neo-hippies. My last visit was year ago, there was an evening concert on the malecón with a local band made up of septuagenarians, proving old guys can still rock to a crowd of a couple thousand.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

perropedorro said:


> ...
> Another possibility is a little farther north in Jalisco around Barra de Navidad and Melaque. An eclectic and laid-back community featuring expats, more Euros than NorAms, with both older folks and neo-hippies. My last visit was year ago, there was an evening concert on the malecón with a local band made up of septuagenarians, proving old guys can still rock to a crowd of a couple thousand.


I like Barra de Navidad, Melaque and the next village north, La Manzanilla (not to be confused with Manzanillo). If I were to live near the coast, I would probably choose one of them or maybe Chacala on the Nayarit coast. But really, I find them nice places to visit but am happy living inland, higher up, and in a big city.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Years ago now we spent a week driving from Mismaloya (which we liked) down to Manzanillo. We spent many years living in SE Florida and were quite used to seeing cargo vessels anchored off shore. For us the port at Manzanillo was a little more 'in your face'. That (and I'm being picky perhaps) but the beach was at a really steep angle. It was hard to walk. I realize it is not like seeing with your own eyes but Google Earth does a very good job of showing what to expect from a place like Melaque. There was a couple from Texas living in Puerto Vallarta and doing Youtube videos of the area south of PV. They showed some interesting places. 

I wish we lived closer to Nayarit because I would like to really explore it as a possible next place. Instead we are entertaining the idea of finding a 3-4 month rental in Acapulco or thereabouts. That is close enough for us to drive back and forth every couple weeks or so.


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

I loved your story "perropedorro" ,thanks for sharing


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

TundraGreen said:


> I like Barra de Navidad, Melaque and the next village north, La Manzanilla (not to be confused with Manzanillo). If I were to live near the coast, I would probably choose one of them or maybe Chacala on the Nayarit coast. But really, I find them nice places to visit but am happy living inland, higher up, and in a big city.


Hi "Tundra"
I visited the Prescott's site , are you one of them?
which big city do you live in now ? 

I am not getting much info for Mazatlan , but certaintly lots of interesting comments and PEOPLE which I would love to meet if I ever settle in that area
Keep them coming!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

expat-seeker said:


> Hi "Tundra"
> I visited the Prescott's site , are you one of them?
> which big city do you live in now ?
> 
> ...


I live in the middle of Guadalajara. 

I have been to Mazatlan half a dozen times. It is my favorite of the larger beach cities. They have a festival around the first of December every year and for awhile I visited every year during the festival. The old part of town is at the south end where there is a traditional plaza. At the north end of the beach is the Zona Dorado, which is more modern, then north of that there are a lot of condo high rises stretched along the beach.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> I live in the middle of Guadalajara.
> I have been to Mazatlan half a dozen times. It is my favorite of the larger beach cities. They have a festival around the first of December every year and for awhile I visited every year during the festival. The old part of town is at the south end where there is a traditional plaza. At the north end of the beach is the Zona Dorado, which is more modern, then north of that there are a lot of condo high rises stretched along the beach.


True all that. Since my first visit to Mazatlán nearly 40 years ago, the city has steadily spread northward which becomes more modern and touristy by the km. I far prefer the traditional area of Olas Altas and the Centenario. There the Hotel Belmar, built in 1920, claims to have spawned international tourism on the Mexican Coast, long before Cancún, Vallarta, or even Acapulco. A faded glory, it's good for a visit to imagine how it was a hundred years ago. Several rooms get rented out by older snowbirds who stay for the whole winter-- same people, same room every year. Right on the Centenario, always buzzing with locals. The town is in the process of building a monument to the iconic José Alfredo Jiménez whose _Corrido de Mazatlán_ is something of an anthem.
Between Olas Altas and the Catedral along with nearby Mercado Pino Suárez, there is an area that's become somewhat gentrified over the past decade with a few expats settling in.
Try a day trip to Teacapán, down at the southern tip of Sinaloa at the end of a 20 km. bumpy culdesac. Oral legend has that it was settled by a tribe of Central American Mayans who were banished and sailed north some 4,000 years ago. I've been there a couple of times and found a traditional fishing/shrimping village with minimal tourist facilities. Surrounded by an estuary and Nayarit, it's easier to access by boat than by land.


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

*Olas Altas and the Centenario.*



perropedorro said:


> True all that. Since my first visit to Mazatlán nearly 40 years ago, the city has steadily spread northward which becomes more modern and touristy by the km. I far prefer the traditional area of Olas Altas and the Centenario. There the Hotel Belmar, built in 1920, claims to have spawned international tourism on the Mexican Coast, long before Cancún, Vallarta, or even Acapulco. A faded glory, it's good for a visit to imagine how it was a hundred years ago. Several rooms get rented out by older snowbirds who stay for the whole winter-- same people, same room every year. Right on the Centenario, always buzzing with locals. The town is in the process of building a monument to the iconic José Alfredo Jiménez whose _Corrido de Mazatlán_ is something of an anthem.
> Between Olas Altas and the Catedral along with nearby Mercado Pino Suárez, there is an area that's become somewhat gentrified over the past decade with a few expats settling in.
> Try a day trip to Teacapán, down at the southern tip of Sinaloa at the end of a 20 km. bumpy culdesac. Oral legend has that it was settled by a tribe of Central American Mayans who were banished and sailed north some 4,000 years ago. I've been there a couple of times and found a traditional fishing/shrimping village with minimal tourist facilities. Surrounded by an estuary and Nayarit, it's easier to access by boat than by land.



Taking note of this zone you mention seems more "local " Olas Altas and the Centenario.


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

*Flying into Mazatlan*

I am Mexican / Canadian , living in Montreal, QC 
Presently spending winters in resorty Cancun, but due to age , seeking a city with good climate where I can establish permantly , 
will start by spending winters but eventually (5 y) will stay permanently 

In short I am looking into other options to spend winters, that will eventually become HOME 

I know most of the coast from Salina Cruz to Manzanillo , loved the adventure and the calm of villages like B Navidad , Chamela , etc
Saw many abandoned buildings and in ruins on that coast .

As Tundra Green says , all those villages are nice to visit but at present age I need city services , health , public transportation , market with in walking distance , cultural events , music cafes ( 'village atmosphere " within the city)
Seems that Mazatlan may be the place for me 

BIG cities are not interesting to me 

Commuting from Montreal to Cancun is EASY and inexpensive 

I am having lots of difficulty finding how to get from Montreal to Mazatlan, stops in USA are NOT an option 

Found flights Montreal to PV, but how to get from there to Mazatlan ? 
6 hrs of bus ride ? , whole day travel ? 
Any tips ?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

expat-seeker said:


> I am Mexican / Canadian , living in Montreal, QC
> Presently spending winters in resorty Cancun, but due to age , seeking a city with good climate where I can establish permantly ,
> will start by spending winters but eventually (5 y) will stay permanently
> 
> ...


You can look at the bus schedules to get the time. The intercity buses are very comfortable. Look at PrimeraPlus or ETN for schedules and travel time. It 7 hours from Guadalajara, must be similar from Puerto Vallarta.


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

sure I already checked , but ...... at 80 y , 1, hr to get to aiport + 3 hrs at airport before the flight + 6:40 hrs flight + other 7 hrs bus + 1 hr to reach home 

18+ hrs ???? 

seems more traveling + inconvenience of dragging luggage than going al the way to Russia 

just adding all this has already discourage me


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

expat-seeker said:


> sure I already checked , but ...... at 80 y , 1, hr to get to aiport + 3 hrs at airport before the flight + 6:40 hrs flight + other 7 hrs bus + 1 hr to reach home
> 
> 18+ hrs ????
> 
> ...


If an airport is important, then you need to look at Sayulita or Bucerias or Boca de Tomatlán.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> If an airport is important, then you need to look at Sayulita or Bucerias or Boca de Tomatlán.


I suppose it is, along with non-stop flights and no needed ground transportation. IDK what requirements the OP has that necessitate a "commute" between Montreal and Cancún, but Air Canada indeed offers cheap direct flights on that route, along such runs to PV and Ixtapa. I'd forget about Mazatlán. Just trying to be helpful.
BTW, I love Mexican buses also, but the route from PV to Mazatlán doesn't offer much unless one is willing to board a _pollero_. They each offer frequent, direct, and comfortable service to Guadalajara but don't connect well to each other.


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## expat-seeker (Aug 7, 2020)

perropedorro said:


> I suppose it is, along with non-stop flights and no needed ground transportation. IDK what requirements the OP has that necessitate a "commute" between Montreal and Cancún, but Air Canada indeed offers cheap direct flights on that route, along such runs to PV and Ixtapa. I'd forget about Mazatlán. Just trying to be helpful.
> BTW, I love Mexican buses also, but the route from PV to Mazatlán doesn't offer much unless one is willing to board a _pollero_. They each offer frequent, direct, and comfortable service to Guadalajara but don't connect well to each other.


I really appreciate it Perro....
the combination Montreal / Mazatlan at "my" moment, is not working 
I am not ready to take the decision to live permanently in either Canada or Mexico , I still want BOTH , 

Pretty soon , life will oblige me to chose 

Thank you all , echanges have been quite enlightening


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

perropedorro said:


> I suppose it is, along with non-stop flights and no needed ground transportation. IDK what requirements the OP has that necessitate a "commute" between Montreal and Cancún, but Air Canada indeed offers cheap direct flights on that route, along such runs to PV and Ixtapa. I'd forget about Mazatlán. Just trying to be helpful.
> BTW, I love Mexican buses also, but the route from PV to Mazatlán doesn't offer much unless one is willing to board a _pollero_. They each offer frequent, direct, and comfortable service to Guadalajara but don't connect well to each other.


I didn't check the connections for direct buses between PV and Mazatlán. I have taken buses to both from Guadalajara, but it didn't occur to me that they would not have direct connections between them. It looks like TAP has one bus that leaves PV at 19:00 daily and gets to Mazatlán at 02:00*. Going the other way, it leaves Mazatlán at 23:00 and gets to PV at 07:30*. TAP is a luxury bus line but those times don't look very good unless you can sleep well on a bus (I can). 

*There is a time change so it is 8 hours going north and 7-1/2 going south.


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## MazCanuck76 (Mar 30, 2021)

expat-seeker said:


> I am a retired woman looking into establishing in Mazatlan
> Any comments , tips , activities , volunteering , new friends
> will be VERY appreciated





expat-seeker said:


> Hi "Tundra"
> I visited the Prescott's site , are you one of them?
> which big city do you live in now ?
> 
> ...


I just stumbled onto this site and will now attempt to answer a question that was posted 8 months ago. Hopefully someone finds it of use. 

I've lived in Mazatlán for a year and a half. I came down in Septemer 2019 for a month, kept extending it and finally took the plunge. I've had a funny relationship with Mazatlán in my time here. 

There are essentially 3 areas you'd consider living and I've lived in 2 of them. Centro, or downtown, is where I started. I had a pretty decent 1BR apartment about a 10 minute walk to the beach. Within about a 3 block radius, I'd estimate there were 50 different food establishments - mostly taco stands but also some great little mom and pop places. 

The most touristy spot in Centro is the section known as Centro Historico. The best way I describe the architecture here is European tropical. I love it. Mazatlán was in the dumps not that many years ago, but the city and state have poured a bunch of money into revitalizating certain sections, and Centro Historico is one of these. There are amazing restaurants, a beatiful cathedral, every type of shop and store you could imagine, and a lot of history (Mazatlán was first founded in 1571). The drawback to Centro on the whole, and the reason I moved, is the seemingly never ending noise from the buses. There are parts of Centro like Playa del Sur that aren't as loud, however. 

I then moved near Zona Dorada or the Golden Zone. My condo is fantastic, I have an unobstructed 180 degree ocean view etc etc. 

But... 

There's always a but. If I thought Centro was loud, I was mistaken. Mazatlán is famous for its pulmonías which sort of resemble golf carts, but here they're an alternative to taxis. They're great to ride in but some of the drivers do not give a damn what time it is and they'll crank their stereos to prove it. Add to this the dune buggy rentals (called RZRs) with their insanely loud stereos and lack of mufflers, and it's enough to make you scream. Or complain to the authorities which I've done a few times. 

In the city's defense, they are actually trying to crack down on the noise complaints and it has gotten slightly better. But fair warning - it's loud, especially at night. 

Outside of Zona Dorada there is Marina Mazatlán and further afield you'll find Cerritos. They are much quieter and more upscale - it's the direction the city is growing. 

If you like seafood, specifically shrimp and ceviché, this might be the best place in the world for both. If you love polka music and wish there was a loud Mexican version, good news because Sinaloa is the home of banda. Yes, the cartel presence can be noticed the odd time, but thus far for me, I've only seen the occasional narco. That sounds more dramatic than I'm intending. If you stick to tourist areas and don't become indebted to any nefarious people, you'll be just fine. 

I used to live in PV and what I like about Mazatlán is that it's not a city that exists solely for tourists. It was here a long time before any gringos showed up, and I came to Mexico to see Mexico, not a glorified Miami Beach (Cancun, I'm looking at you). 

It's a great city, with a few caveats, but they're mostly tolerable. Oh, I forgot - the weather here is amazing 9 months a year. Yes, it's bloody humid in the summer but that's what AC is for. The rest of the time it's perfect. 

Good luck in your search.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

MazCanuck76 said:


> Mazatlán was in the dumps not that many years ago, but the city and state have poured a bunch of money into revitalizating certain sections, and Centro Historico is one of these.


That's nice to know. I stayed in an old hotel there years ago that was really run down (I'm a budget traveler, so I don't have high expectations and the only thing that bothered me was the old, loud rattling AC window unit that barely cooled the place) , but you could tell that it had been quite classy at some point.

The ocean climate is so hard on things, it takes constant maintainance and $ to keep things up.

And a few years ago I stayed at a little bungalow hotel on tbe north end (is that the Zona Dorado?) It wasn't on the water, but across the beach road street. It was really basic, but just fine for an o'nite stay.

I did like the vibe in Mazatlan, but ended up in Sayulita, which has become a major tourist trap, but I live out in the countryside and ignore the madness. ( Plenty loud in town and plenty of banda, which I can't stand) There's several beaches a 15 minute drive away that tourists don't know about.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

The good thing about loud fans and AC units is they drown out the street noise. Street noise keeps me awake, fan noise doesn't. But no noise is certainly best.


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## Eamon (Mar 5, 2009)

expat-seeker said:


> I am a retired woman looking into establishing in Mazatlan
> Any comments , tips , activities , volunteering , new friends
> will be VERY appreciated


I lived in Maz for about 3 years. It is without doubt, one of the most humid destinations I have lived in. Winter months, ie, Dec to March are lovely, but rest of year, humidity is stifling


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