Malecon in PVR vs Golden Zone (Maz)

[mexico5]

Hi, we will be cruising a week from today! We have been to PVR many times and are just going to take a cab to the start of the Malecon and spend the day drinking, eating, shopping and just sit by the ocean people watching!

 

Never been to Mazatlan and want to do pretty much the same thing...I would like to know how the "Golden Zone" compares to the Malecon. Are there enough restaurants, bar and shops to make an afternoon of it? Also is the water right next to it just like in PVR?

 

Thanks!

[BEFdoc]

Hi, we will be cruising a week from today! We have been to PVR many times and are just going to take a cab to the start of the Malecon and spend the day drinking, eating, shopping and just sit by the ocean people watching!

 

Never been to Mazatlan and want to do pretty much the same thing...I would like to know how the "Golden Zone" compares to the Malecon. Are there enough restaurants, bar and shops to make an afternoon of it? Also is the water right next to it just like in PVR?

 

Thanks!

 

Golden zone other side of the bay need to take taxi or better yet open taxi or Pulmonias. Will cost $10 usd one way. Also, taxis and Pulmonias outside of the port enclosure are much cheaper. Lot's of shops, resorts, restaurants. It is a tourist area. Won't get exceptional prices on items but, is fun.:)

[mexico5]

Thanks for the info! Have to also been to PVR to compare the two? Wondering if there is as much to see in the Golden Zone vs the malecon in PVR...if not maybe we should take a 2 hour city tour of some kind on an open air vehicle? Don't want to be in an air conditioned bus!

[VikkiGarcia]

Went to the Gold Zone in Mazatlan from our cruise in June. I was surprised how run down it has become in the last 5 years. Many storefronts were closed and it took a total of 30 minutes to walk the whole area. Nothing seemed to be owned or run by locals anymore. It was a complete disappointment compared to PV. There is not a water view like PV either.

[lovevacadays]

I don't think the Malecon in PV and the Golden Zone in Mazatlan are at all alike. I love the Malecon area in PV. Much nicer than the Golden Zone. The Golden Zone is very crowded and not too clean in many places - no charm in my opinion. My suggestion would be to either book a private tour guide to see Mazatlan or arrange a tour with one of the taxi drivers outside the cruise terminal (be sure and agree on prices before you get in). You might ask them to take you to Old Mazatlan to see the Cathedral and market(this area is also very busy and crowded but at least these two places are interesting) Then you could have them take you to the Plaza Machado area, the Peralta theater, and the neighborhood surrounding those that they have been renovating. There is also a really nice lookout at the top of a hill that you can see the ships from, the city of Mazatlan and a couple of the islands of the coastline. you could also have them take you to see the Cliff Divers (not anything like the ones in Acapulco but nice to see). If you are curious about the Golden Zone you could have them take you for a quick ride through it and if you see something that strikes your interest you could stop. I would agree on an hourly price should you decide to do a taxi tour over a private guided tour.

[quincytoo]

I don't think the Malecon in PV and the Golden Zone in Mazatlan are at all alike. I love the Malecon area in PV. Much nicer than the Golden Zone. The Golden Zone is very crowded and not too clean in many places - no charm in my opinion. My suggestion would be to either book a private tour guide to see Mazatlan or arrange a tour with one of the taxi drivers outside the cruise terminal (be sure and agree on prices before you get in). You might ask them to take you to Old Mazatlan to see the Cathedral and market(this area is also very busy and crowded but at least these two places are interesting) Then you could have them take you to the Plaza Machado area, the Peralta theater, and the neighborhood surrounding those that they have been renovating. There is also a really nice lookout at the top of a hill that you can see the ships from, the city of Mazatlan and a couple of the islands of the coastline. you could also have them take you to see the Cliff Divers (not anything like the ones in Acapulco but nice to see). If you are curious about the Golden Zone you could have them take you for a quick ride through it and if you see something that strikes your interest you could stop. I would agree on an hourly price should you decide to do a taxi tour over a private guided tour.

 

I so agree with you :)

 

For us the last vist through the Golden Zone.....the highlight was the restrooms at the Golden Arches....AKA Micky D's. We caught a taxi to the divers then caught another cab to the water taxi at Stone Island.

 

Last vist we went to old Mazatlan and walked around the market and church then caught an open aired taxi to the water taxis to Stone Island.

Next vist we are going to do what you suggested to the rest of this amazing city :)

[mexico5]

Thanks guys! Sounds like the Golden Zone will disappoint after being to PVR and the Malecon. When you go to the cathedral and market do you have the ocean in view or not? While I know it's not beautiful like the Caribbean I still want to see the ocean/beach without having to go to Stone Island, if that is possible. In the location of the market/cathedral are there restaurants too?

 

Also, can we arrange an open air taxi when we get off the ship and does it have more than just us in it? We like it when they are more like "open air busses" with about 8 or so people!

 

I wish every Mexican port was like PVR...water on one side...bars/restaurants/shops on the other side of the street! Love it!

 

Thanks again...only a few more sleeps!

[VikkiGarcia]

Plenty of "open air" taxi's. I just don't recall any that can hold as many as 8 people.

The market/cathedral area is really neat to explore but is in the middle of "downtown" and does not have any view of the ocean.It has alot of hussle and bussle with locals doing all their shopping. I have not seen any restauants downtown that looked appealing. I would have a taxi take you there first. Once you are done exploring then head off to a beachside/ oceanview restaurant for a nice long meal. Or head over to the water taxis for Stone Island for eating/drinking/ people watching.

[lovevacadays]

I so agree with you :)

 

For us the last vist through the Golden Zone.....the highlight was the restrooms at the Golden Arches....AKA Micky D's. We caught a taxi to the divers then caught another cab to the water taxi at Stone Island.

 

Last vist we went to old Mazatlan and walked around the market and church then caught an open aired taxi to the water taxis to Stone Island.

Next vist we are going to do what you suggested to the rest of this amazing city :)

 

Too funny! I hope those bathrooms at Micky D's were clean. Stone Island is a nice, relaxing place and also good for those that might be a bit overwhelmed by the crazy, crowded and industrial parts of Mazatlan.

 

We also went out to the new marina area and looked at the new hotels and marina which was interesting and then had our guide take us through some of the neighborhoods and town area that were up towards that area. The neighborhoods and shopping centers there were what I would call what a lower middle to middle class neighborhood might be. We also went through a gated development in Mazatlan that had very expensive homes. So we really got to see from poverty to wealthy areas.

 

Not sure what my niece and I will do our next trip. Really looking forward to Puerto Vallarta as it's my favorite MR port.

[lovevacadays]

Thanks guys! Sounds like the Golden Zone will disappoint after being to PVR and the Malecon. When you go to the cathedral and market do you have the ocean in view or not? While I know it's not beautiful like the Caribbean I still want to see the ocean/beach without having to go to Stone Island, if that is possible. In the location of the market/cathedral are there restaurants too?

 

Also, can we arrange an open air taxi when we get off the ship and does it have more than just us in it? We like it when they are more like "open air busses" with about 8 or so people!

 

I wish every Mexican port was like PVR...water on one side...bars/restaurants/shops on the other side of the street! Love it!

 

Thanks again...only a few more sleeps!

 

As the previous poster stated the Cathedral area doesn't have an oceanview but, of course, where the cliff divers are does as well as the lookout hill. Also, you could eat at one of the restaurants lining the beach in the Golden Zone to get that oceanview (you could do this between exploring parts of the city). I don't have any suggestions as the last several times I've been there we have either eaten on Stone Island, Tony's on the Beach (which is north of the Golden Zone) or in one of the Colonial Villages we visited. Plus, as you drive from the cruise terminal to the Golden Zone the road runs along side the ocean.