Mazatlan Travel Guide

Mazatlán, the first major resort town on the Pacific coastline, has a split personality. At the northern end of town is the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone), where the hotels (and the prices) rise high and the pace is frenetic. The streets are jammed with tour buses shuttling cruise-ship passengers to dozens of jewelry shops. At the southern end of the malecón (the seaside promenade) is Viejo Mazatlán (Old Mazatlán), the city's historic center, a gorgeous and low-key area of colorful postcolonial buildings—some restored, some still idyllic piles of chipped stucco—where you'll find a few hip restaurants, art galleries, and shops, and a totally different scene from the touristy Golden Zone.