Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas

[islandwoman]

We will be in Cabo San Lucas on the Koningsdam April 7 from 11 AM to 11 PM and in Mazatlan on April 9 from 7 AM to 5 PM.  We're wondering what to do in those two ports.  We don't especially want to take a group tour, except possibly a walking tour.  Rather, we might like to go somewhere pleasant where we can listen to Mexican music and have a drink and/or local food.  If not, then we're open to other ideas.  Would anyone like to give us some suggestions? 

[Mike45LC]

Here is my recommendation for self-guided tours in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.  I am assuming we are talking about a relatively short one-day cruise ship visit.

PUERTO VALLARTA:

Known for:  Cobblestone streets, high sidewalks.   Sculptures along the Malecon

Grab a shuttle from the port.  These are mini-vans and cabs offering to drive you “downtown” for $5 per person.  The Malecon (I’ll loosely translate this as “The Boardwalk”) is too far for you to walk, especially compared to a $5 pp van ride.   Make sure the fare is $5 per person.  I recall seeing A-Frame signs by the shuttles.  A lot of posters here talk about walking out to get a city cab, to save a couple of dollars.  I am on a relatively expensive cruise holiday, and will not go out of my way to save a few bucks.

El Malecon Boardwalk:   The shuttle will drop you off near Rosita Hotel.  You can walk down El Malecon from there.  The water to your right is Banderas Bay.    Whenever you get tired, you can take a break at any of the many restaurants, or you can grab a cab back to the ship.  For the return taxi ride, there is no fixed fare – agree upon a price before you get in the cab!   I usually pay $10 to $15 for the return trip, depending on various issues, including how tired I am and how much time and effort I want to put into negotiating!   Remember, the difference between a $15 fare and a $20 fare is only $5 to you out of thousands of dollars on the cruise fare.  For the driver, it is much more significant.  So I will bargain the price down and then pay a lot more in the tip.

As you walk down the Malecon, you will see many sculptures  – the Seahorse, the dolphins, the ladder to the sky (“In Search of Reason”), sea creature chairs (“Rotunda of the Sea”).  There will also be sand sculptures on the Bay side.

Sometimes, the folkloric fliers are performing here on the beach side.

The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is off to the left (as you walk south).  You will see the government building and the Plaza De Las Armas on your left.  Cut through the Plaza and you will come to the Church.  It is a couple of blocks uphill from El Malecon.

Walk as far as you want.  The Malecon used to end at a river, in the middle of which is an island, Isle Cuale.  Nowadays, you can continue walking El Malecon even further.   This area is called Romantic Zone, and Las Muertos Beach.

Las Muertos Beach is at the south end of El Malecon, beyond Rio Cuale.  Plenty of beach-front restaurants, parasailing, banana boats, jet ski rentals, ....

By Las Muertos Beach, there is a street called Basilio Badillo, where you'll find a variety of shops with good quality Mexican items better priced than the stores on El Malecon.

During your walk, you will see some Oxxo stores.  Oxxo is the equivalent of 7-11.  Coke, chips, ....

PV has multiple alternatives – Vallarta Botanical Gardens, zip-lining, Playa las Gemelas, Destiladeras Beach, Playa Las Animas, ....   But the walk along El Malecon is the basic “I want to ‘do” Puerto Vallarta” experience.

MAZATLAN

The ship docks in the middle of a large commercial port.  You need to take a free shuttle bus (tips are gladly accepted!) from the ship to the Visitor’s Center, which is filled with small stores.  Once you get through that (and the stalls outside it), there are taxis and tour busses lined up waiting for you.  Mazatlan has golf-cart style cabs (“pulmonia”).  As always in Mexico, agree upon the price of the cab before you get in!!  There are lots of tourist helpers hanging aroud, sometimes called “Blue Shirts”; these are snowbirds helping us out as a free service.  Many of these snowbirds are Canadians, others are American.  They speak English and know Mazatlan.

My recommendation for a do-it-yourself tour:

Grab a golf cart to the Cathedral downtown.  Explore the Cathedral and then walk to El Mercado (Mercado Pino Suarez, to give it its full name).  Any of the locals will point you in the right direction.  It is only a block or two from the Cathedral.  Wander around El Mercado, get grossed out by the pig heads and other exotic merchandise.  

Then, grab a golf cart and go to the Golden Zone – ask to be let off at Seashell City or Shrimp Factory or Las Flores Beach Resort.  Wander around, go to the beach, shop, enjoy.

When you are done, grab another golf cart to take you back to the ship.  If you want, this driver will stop to let you watch the cliff divers.  

Alternative: There is a blue line painted down the sidewalk/in the middle of the roadway, from the Cruise Passenger Terminal to downtown.  You can easily walk to the downtown area by simply following the blue line.  The Tourist Advisors will help you find the Cathedral and Mercado. [Update: there are also signs on posts pointing you along the “Blue Line”.]

My personal way to enjoy Mazatlan includes a trip to Stone Island.   This does not need an organized excursion or tour guide.  

Stone Island has a nice beach, with lots of bars/restaurants.  The restaurants have chairs and tables and umbrellas.    The café you are spending money at will allow you to use a table/chairs/ umbrella as long as you make a reasonable minimum spend.  I’ve never known the minimum spend, because it has never been an issue.  The beach has many vendors (cheap jewelry, candies and other Mexican stuff.)  There are ATVs for rent; horses; banana boats; seadoos; etc.  
To get to Stone Island:  A short walk from the Passenger Terminal, there is a “ferry” that takes you across a small inlet to Stone Island.  From the entrance/exit of the Cruise Terminal (after the tram ride from the ship), turn left and walk down the street, about four blocks.  The street curves to the right just beyond the entrance to the Naval facility.  Continue straight onto a dirt road, about 50 yards, to a ticket booth (small yellow building).    Round trip ticket costs 30 pesos per person – they will charge you $2 per person if you pay in $US.   After you reach Stone Island, there is a path off to the left, to the beach and restaurants.   I usually spend a couple of hours on the beach at one of the restaurants

CABO SAN LUCAS:

This is a tender port.  Many ships spend only a few hours here, so don’t get adventurous!!   Others spend overnight here.  On some ships, the tenders run all night; on others, the tenders stop from around 9 or 10 p.m. and resumed tender service at 8 a.m. or so.  I have not stayed ashore all night.

The tenders bring you to the Marina, which is filled with restaurants, bars, shops.  Some people don’t even leave the marina area.  If you wander a little bit, you will find more restaurants and bars – Giggling Marlin, Cabo Wabo and similar places.

Cabo is very much a “party city” for California’s youth.

When you first get off the tender in Cabo, there will be a huge crowd of locals trying to sell tours.  They all offer the glass-bottom boat tour to the Arch.  It includes a  drive-by of Lovers' Beach, the stinking sea lion rock, the Arch, Divorce Beach -- these are all just drive-bys.  The captain will do a drop-off at Lovers' Beach upon request.   Warning:  there are no services at Lovers’ Beach.  You will climb off the boat and wade ashore.   I have heard of one local who sets up with a cooler to sell beverages, but I don’t know how often he is there.

After seeing the Arch, upon request, the Captain will also do a drop-off at Medano Beach.  You need to wade ashore; if a wave catches you wrong, you might take a dunking.  There are full services at Medano Beach -- food, drinks, bathrooms, chairs, umbrellas, water sports, parasailing, ATVs, jet skis, etc.  And vendors; lots of vendors.

If you want to parasail, I recommend doing one that launches from the boat instead of from the beach.  

If you get off at Medano Beach, you have already paid for the return to the Marina, but that requires you finding the same boat that you had taken.  I have never tried this -- I will walk, grab a land-based taxi or a pedi-cab instead.   I don’t want to try to find the same captain and then wade out in the surf and climb aboard the boat. 

If you stay in your tour boat, the boat returns you to the Marina, near the tender dock.

My last glass bottom tour, I think I paid $25 for two of us.  Pre-Covid, I would pay $8 to $10 per person, but I am more generous now!  When I am paying thousands for a cruise, I no longer want to negotiate over $10!  

This “tour” is no-frills, no soda, beer, drinks.  There are lots of other tours -- pirate ships, open bars, lunch buffets, etc. --  but the basic one is what I take every trip to Cabo.
 

[Urban trekker]

Thanks for the write up - I will be stopping in all three of those ports in late March - have been to Cabo several times and PV once but never to Mazatlán so you have given me some ideas what to do at that port.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

Warning: be prepared for a lot Spring breakers in Cabo during March and April.  Since the drinking age is 18 it's a hot spot for high school and college kids from the southern US.  We were in Cabo early June and it was crazy with drunk high school graduates, mostly from So CA, NV, and AZ.      

[RCmommy]

On 12/28/2023 at 4:23 PM, Mike45LC said:

CABO SAN LUCAS:

This is a tender port.  Many ships spend only a few hours here, so don’t get adventurous!!   Others spend overnight here.  On some ships, the tenders run all night; on others, the tenders stop from around 9 or 10 p.m. and resumed tender service at 8 a.m. or so.  I have not stayed ashore all night.

The tenders bring you to the Marina, which is filled with restaurants, bars, shops.  Some people don’t even leave the marina area.  If you wander a little bit, you will find more restaurants and bars – Giggling Marlin, Cabo Wabo and similar places.

Cabo is very much a “party city” for California’s youth.

When you first get off the tender in Cabo, there will be a huge crowd of locals trying to sell tours.  They all offer the glass-bottom boat tour to the Arch.  It includes a  drive-by of Lovers' Beach, the stinking sea lion rock, the Arch, Divorce Beach -- these are all just drive-bys.  The captain will do a drop-off at Lovers' Beach upon request.   Warning:  there are no services at Lovers’ Beach.  You will climb off the boat and wade ashore.   I have heard of one local who sets up with a cooler to sell beverages, but I don’t know how often he is there.

After seeing the Arch, upon request, the Captain will also do a drop-off at Medano Beach.  You need to wade ashore; if a wave catches you wrong, you might take a dunking.  There are full services at Medano Beach -- food, drinks, bathrooms, chairs, umbrellas, water sports, parasailing, ATVs, jet skis, etc.  And vendors; lots of vendors.

If you want to parasail, I recommend doing one that launches from the boat instead of from the beach.  

If you get off at Medano Beach, you have already paid for the return to the Marina, but that requires you finding the same boat that you had taken.  I have never tried this -- I will walk, grab a land-based taxi or a pedi-cab instead.   I don’t want to try to find the same captain and then wade out in the surf and climb aboard the boat. 

If you stay in your tour boat, the boat returns you to the Marina, near the tender dock.

My last glass bottom tour, I think I paid $25 for two of us.  Pre-Covid, I would pay $8 to $10 per person, but I am more generous now!  When I am paying thousands for a cruise, I no longer want to negotiate over $10!  

This “tour” is no-frills, no soda, beer, drinks.  There are lots of other tours -- pirate ships, open bars, lunch buffets, etc. --  but the basic one is what I take every trip to Cabo.
 

We want to do some whale watching in Cabo.  I have read several times that people have said you can see some whales from the cruise ship.  We were going to do a tour.  However, I’m wondering if the boat tour to the Arches and Lovers’ Beach is enough to do for a whale tour,…or does that trip not venture far enough out?

[Theosprey247]

We saw some whales and dolphins from the cruise ship in December.  We also did a boat trip to the arches and Lovers/Divorce beach, however we didn’t see any whales (but plenty of fish and sea lions).

[whataboutport]

On 12/28/2023 at 1:23 PM, Mike45LC said:

Here is my recommendation for self-guided tours in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.  I am assuming we are talking about a relatively short one-day cruise ship visit.

PUERTO VALLARTA:

Known for:  Cobblestone streets, high sidewalks.   Sculptures along the Malecon

Grab a shuttle from the port.  These are mini-vans and cabs offering to drive you “downtown” for $5 per person.  The Malecon (I’ll loosely translate this as “The Boardwalk”) is too far for you to walk, especially compared to a $5 pp van ride.   Make sure the fare is $5 per person.  I recall seeing A-Frame signs by the shuttles.  A lot of posters here talk about walking out to get a city cab, to save a couple of dollars.  I am on a relatively expensive cruise holiday, and will not go out of my way to save a few bucks.

El Malecon Boardwalk:   The shuttle will drop you off near Rosita Hotel.  You can walk down El Malecon from there.  The water to your right is Banderas Bay.    Whenever you get tired, you can take a break at any of the many restaurants, or you can grab a cab back to the ship.  For the return taxi ride, there is no fixed fare – agree upon a price before you get in the cab!   I usually pay $10 to $15 for the return trip, depending on various issues, including how tired I am and how much time and effort I want to put into negotiating!   Remember, the difference between a $15 fare and a $20 fare is only $5 to you out of thousands of dollars on the cruise fare.  For the driver, it is much more significant.  So I will bargain the price down and then pay a lot more in the tip.

As you walk down the Malecon, you will see many sculptures  – the Seahorse, the dolphins, the ladder to the sky (“In Search of Reason”), sea creature chairs (“Rotunda of the Sea”).  There will also be sand sculptures on the Bay side.

Sometimes, the folkloric fliers are performing here on the beach side.

The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is off to the left (as you walk south).  You will see the government building and the Plaza De Las Armas on your left.  Cut through the Plaza and you will come to the Church.  It is a couple of blocks uphill from El Malecon.

Walk as far as you want.  The Malecon used to end at a river, in the middle of which is an island, Isle Cuale.  Nowadays, you can continue walking El Malecon even further.   This area is called Romantic Zone, and Las Muertos Beach.

Las Muertos Beach is at the south end of El Malecon, beyond Rio Cuale.  Plenty of beach-front restaurants, parasailing, banana boats, jet ski rentals, ....

By Las Muertos Beach, there is a street called Basilio Badillo, where you'll find a variety of shops with good quality Mexican items better priced than the stores on El Malecon.

During your walk, you will see some Oxxo stores.  Oxxo is the equivalent of 7-11.  Coke, chips, ....

PV has multiple alternatives – Vallarta Botanical Gardens, zip-lining, Playa las Gemelas, Destiladeras Beach, Playa Las Animas, ....   But the walk along El Malecon is the basic “I want to ‘do” Puerto Vallarta” experience.

MAZATLAN

The ship docks in the middle of a large commercial port.  You need to take a free shuttle bus (tips are gladly accepted!) from the ship to the Visitor’s Center, which is filled with small stores.  Once you get through that (and the stalls outside it), there are taxis and tour busses lined up waiting for you.  Mazatlan has golf-cart style cabs (“pulmonia”).  As always in Mexico, agree upon the price of the cab before you get in!!  There are lots of tourist helpers hanging aroud, sometimes called “Blue Shirts”; these are snowbirds helping us out as a free service.  Many of these snowbirds are Canadians, others are American.  They speak English and know Mazatlan.

My recommendation for a do-it-yourself tour:

Grab a golf cart to the Cathedral downtown.  Explore the Cathedral and then walk to El Mercado (Mercado Pino Suarez, to give it its full name).  Any of the locals will point you in the right direction.  It is only a block or two from the Cathedral.  Wander around El Mercado, get grossed out by the pig heads and other exotic merchandise.  

Then, grab a golf cart and go to the Golden Zone – ask to be let off at Seashell City or Shrimp Factory or Las Flores Beach Resort.  Wander around, go to the beach, shop, enjoy.

When you are done, grab another golf cart to take you back to the ship.  If you want, this driver will stop to let you watch the cliff divers.  

Alternative: There is a blue line painted down the sidewalk/in the middle of the roadway, from the Cruise Passenger Terminal to downtown.  You can easily walk to the downtown area by simply following the blue line.  The Tourist Advisors will help you find the Cathedral and Mercado. [Update: there are also signs on posts pointing you along the “Blue Line”.]

My personal way to enjoy Mazatlan includes a trip to Stone Island.   This does not need an organized excursion or tour guide.  

Stone Island has a nice beach, with lots of bars/restaurants.  The restaurants have chairs and tables and umbrellas.    The café you are spending money at will allow you to use a table/chairs/ umbrella as long as you make a reasonable minimum spend.  I’ve never known the minimum spend, because it has never been an issue.  The beach has many vendors (cheap jewelry, candies and other Mexican stuff.)  There are ATVs for rent; horses; banana boats; seadoos; etc.  
To get to Stone Island:  A short walk from the Passenger Terminal, there is a “ferry” that takes you across a small inlet to Stone Island.  From the entrance/exit of the Cruise Terminal (after the tram ride from the ship), turn left and walk down the street, about four blocks.  The street curves to the right just beyond the entrance to the Naval facility.  Continue straight onto a dirt road, about 50 yards, to a ticket booth (small yellow building).    Round trip ticket costs 30 pesos per person – they will charge you $2 per person if you pay in $US.   After you reach Stone Island, there is a path off to the left, to the beach and restaurants.   I usually spend a couple of hours on the beach at one of the restaurants

CABO SAN LUCAS:

This is a tender port.  Many ships spend only a few hours here, so don’t get adventurous!!   Others spend overnight here.  On some ships, the tenders run all night; on others, the tenders stop from around 9 or 10 p.m. and resumed tender service at 8 a.m. or so.  I have not stayed ashore all night.

The tenders bring you to the Marina, which is filled with restaurants, bars, shops.  Some people don’t even leave the marina area.  If you wander a little bit, you will find more restaurants and bars – Giggling Marlin, Cabo Wabo and similar places.

Cabo is very much a “party city” for California’s youth.

When you first get off the tender in Cabo, there will be a huge crowd of locals trying to sell tours.  They all offer the glass-bottom boat tour to the Arch.  It includes a  drive-by of Lovers' Beach, the stinking sea lion rock, the Arch, Divorce Beach -- these are all just drive-bys.  The captain will do a drop-off at Lovers' Beach upon request.   Warning:  there are no services at Lovers’ Beach.  You will climb off the boat and wade ashore.   I have heard of one local who sets up with a cooler to sell beverages, but I don’t know how often he is there.

After seeing the Arch, upon request, the Captain will also do a drop-off at Medano Beach.  You need to wade ashore; if a wave catches you wrong, you might take a dunking.  There are full services at Medano Beach -- food, drinks, bathrooms, chairs, umbrellas, water sports, parasailing, ATVs, jet skis, etc.  And vendors; lots of vendors.

If you want to parasail, I recommend doing one that launches from the boat instead of from the beach.  

If you get off at Medano Beach, you have already paid for the return to the Marina, but that requires you finding the same boat that you had taken.  I have never tried this -- I will walk, grab a land-based taxi or a pedi-cab instead.   I don’t want to try to find the same captain and then wade out in the surf and climb aboard the boat. 

If you stay in your tour boat, the boat returns you to the Marina, near the tender dock.

My last glass bottom tour, I think I paid $25 for two of us.  Pre-Covid, I would pay $8 to $10 per person, but I am more generous now!  When I am paying thousands for a cruise, I no longer want to negotiate over $10!  

This “tour” is no-frills, no soda, beer, drinks.  There are lots of other tours -- pirate ships, open bars, lunch buffets, etc. --  but the basic one is what I take every trip to Cabo.
 

Thank you for this thorough post! Are there any beaches within walking distance in any of these ports? We are travelling with our tiny 5 yr old. Yes he's 5 but very small(short legs), we aren't bringing a car seat, so don't really want to get in a taxi, and thinking about bringing a travel stroller. Are the roads good enough for a small stroller or are they too bumpy/cracked? We bought this specific stroller for the cobblestone streets in Rome but never got to try it out due to COVID shutdowns in 2020. Looking for a beach where you can just lay a towel down and not have to pay for a chair or entrance fee, since we don't know how long he will want to be at the beach. 

[Mike45LC]

I've never seen a whale from the cruise ship, but I saw a commotion amongst the passengers when one person in the buffet claimed to have sighted a whale -- I saw nothing except a crowd of people pointing.

 

I have taken many of the "glass bottom pangas" to the Arch, and have never seen a whale during the tour.  However, I would consider paying the panga captain for a detour out to look for whales.  Or, rather to cruise out to where the whale-watching tour boats have congregated, on the theory that they know where the whales are to be found.

 

The most whales I have seen was on a Hornblower's whale watching cruise out of San Diego.

[Mike45LC]

2 minutes ago, whataboutport said:

Are there any beaches within walking distance in any of these ports?

 

Looking for a beach where you can just lay a towel down and not have to pay for a chair or entrance fee, since we don't know how long he will want to be at the beach. 

Cabo:  Medano Beach is a long walk from the tender dock.  I walk it, but it is far.  Are you willing to take the kiddo on a pedicab without a car seat?  That would be my recommendation.  Will that stroller work on sand?

 

Mazatlan:  I posted about Stone Island.  No cab ride needed.  And I don't think kiddie seats are need for the boat ride.  The ferry should have child-sized life jackets.

 

Puerto Vallarta:  There is a public beach just a short walk from the cruise ship's docking area.  This is not a great beach, but I walk here to kill an hour or two while waiting for my wife to be ready to go ashore.  When you are walking through the Cruise Ship Terminal area -- this is complicated.  The name of the Cruise Passenger Terminal is Puerto Magico.  Lots of stores.  They want you to turn left to go into the store area, but if you go straight ahead to the driveway, it is more direct.  You might need to ask one of the locals for directions.  Once you get to the roadway/driveway, there is a large flea market visible, off to the right.  There is a large plaza in front of it.  The market stalls and a restaurant are across the plaza.  Kind of straight ahead there is a fence with a large opening and a red banner "TO THE BEACH" with a large arrow pointing to the right.  The walkway runs along a condo building's exterior wall.  Walk along the walkway (to your right) and you will come to a small stairway to the beach.  The beach is called "Playa De Oro."  If you walk far enough along the beach, there will be lounge chairs under palm frond umbrellas, but those areas are roped off (and patrolled by very polite staff) for residents/guests only.  I don't know of any services for cruise passengers, but I usually buy a soda from one of the flea market stall operators before and after my beach visit.  

 

[whataboutport]

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said:

Cabo:  Medano Beach is a long walk from the tender dock.  I walk it, but it is far.  Are you willing to take the kiddo on a pedicab without a car seat?  That would be my recommendation.  Will that stroller work on sand?

 

Mazatlan:  I posted about Stone Island.  No cab ride needed.  And I don't think kiddie seats are need for the boat ride.  The ferry should have child-sized life jackets.

 

Puerto Vallarta:  There is a public beach just a short walk from the cruise ship's docking area.  This is not a great beach, but I walk here to kill an hour or two while waiting for my wife to be ready to go ashore.  When you are walking through the Cruise Ship Terminal area -- this is complicated.  The name of the Cruise Passenger Terminal is Puerto Magico.  Lots of stores.  They want you to turn left to go into the store area, but if you go straight ahead to the driveway, it is more direct.  You might need to ask one of the locals for directions.  Once you get to the roadway/driveway, there is a large flea market visible, off to the right.  There is a large plaza in front of it.  The market stalls and a restaurant are across the plaza.  Kind of straight ahead there is a fence with a large opening and a red banner "TO THE BEACH" with a large arrow pointing to the right.  The walkway runs along a condo building's exterior wall.  Walk along the walkway (to your right) and you will come to a small stairway to the beach.  The beach is called "Playa De Oro."  If you walk far enough along the beach, there will be lounge chairs under palm frond umbrellas, but those areas are roped off (and patrolled by very polite staff) for residents/guests only.  I don't know of any services for cruise passengers, but I usually buy a soda from one of the flea market stall operators before and after my beach visit.  

 

Thank you so much for this. You are a gem 

[MochiiOwl]

On 12/28/2023 at 2:23 PM, Mike45LC said:

Here is my recommendation for self-guided tours in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.  I am assuming we are talking about a relatively short one-day cruise ship visit.

PUERTO VALLARTA:

Known for:  Cobblestone streets, high sidewalks.   Sculptures along the Malecon

Grab a shuttle from the port.  These are mini-vans and cabs offering to drive you “downtown” for $5 per person.  The Malecon (I’ll loosely translate this as “The Boardwalk”) is too far for you to walk, especially compared to a $5 pp van ride.   Make sure the fare is $5 per person.  I recall seeing A-Frame signs by the shuttles.  A lot of posters here talk about walking out to get a city cab, to save a couple of dollars.  I am on a relatively expensive cruise holiday, and will not go out of my way to save a few bucks.

El Malecon Boardwalk:   The shuttle will drop you off near Rosita Hotel.  You can walk down El Malecon from there.  The water to your right is Banderas Bay.    Whenever you get tired, you can take a break at any of the many restaurants, or you can grab a cab back to the ship.  For the return taxi ride, there is no fixed fare – agree upon a price before you get in the cab!   I usually pay $10 to $15 for the return trip, depending on various issues, including how tired I am and how much time and effort I want to put into negotiating!   Remember, the difference between a $15 fare and a $20 fare is only $5 to you out of thousands of dollars on the cruise fare.  For the driver, it is much more significant.  So I will bargain the price down and then pay a lot more in the tip.

As you walk down the Malecon, you will see many sculptures  – the Seahorse, the dolphins, the ladder to the sky (“In Search of Reason”), sea creature chairs (“Rotunda of the Sea”).  There will also be sand sculptures on the Bay side.

Sometimes, the folkloric fliers are performing here on the beach side.

The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is off to the left (as you walk south).  You will see the government building and the Plaza De Las Armas on your left.  Cut through the Plaza and you will come to the Church.  It is a couple of blocks uphill from El Malecon.

Walk as far as you want.  The Malecon used to end at a river, in the middle of which is an island, Isle Cuale.  Nowadays, you can continue walking El Malecon even further.   This area is called Romantic Zone, and Las Muertos Beach.

Las Muertos Beach is at the south end of El Malecon, beyond Rio Cuale.  Plenty of beach-front restaurants, parasailing, banana boats, jet ski rentals, ....

By Las Muertos Beach, there is a street called Basilio Badillo, where you'll find a variety of shops with good quality Mexican items better priced than the stores on El Malecon.

During your walk, you will see some Oxxo stores.  Oxxo is the equivalent of 7-11.  Coke, chips, ....

PV has multiple alternatives – Vallarta Botanical Gardens, zip-lining, Playa las Gemelas, Destiladeras Beach, Playa Las Animas, ....   But the walk along El Malecon is the basic “I want to ‘do” Puerto Vallarta” experience.

MAZATLAN

The ship docks in the middle of a large commercial port.  You need to take a free shuttle bus (tips are gladly accepted!) from the ship to the Visitor’s Center, which is filled with small stores.  Once you get through that (and the stalls outside it), there are taxis and tour busses lined up waiting for you.  Mazatlan has golf-cart style cabs (“pulmonia”).  As always in Mexico, agree upon the price of the cab before you get in!!  There are lots of tourist helpers hanging aroud, sometimes called “Blue Shirts”; these are snowbirds helping us out as a free service.  Many of these snowbirds are Canadians, others are American.  They speak English and know Mazatlan.

My recommendation for a do-it-yourself tour:

Grab a golf cart to the Cathedral downtown.  Explore the Cathedral and then walk to El Mercado (Mercado Pino Suarez, to give it its full name).  Any of the locals will point you in the right direction.  It is only a block or two from the Cathedral.  Wander around El Mercado, get grossed out by the pig heads and other exotic merchandise.  

Then, grab a golf cart and go to the Golden Zone – ask to be let off at Seashell City or Shrimp Factory or Las Flores Beach Resort.  Wander around, go to the beach, shop, enjoy.

When you are done, grab another golf cart to take you back to the ship.  If you want, this driver will stop to let you watch the cliff divers.  

Alternative: There is a blue line painted down the sidewalk/in the middle of the roadway, from the Cruise Passenger Terminal to downtown.  You can easily walk to the downtown area by simply following the blue line.  The Tourist Advisors will help you find the Cathedral and Mercado. [Update: there are also signs on posts pointing you along the “Blue Line”.]

My personal way to enjoy Mazatlan includes a trip to Stone Island.   This does not need an organized excursion or tour guide.  

Stone Island has a nice beach, with lots of bars/restaurants.  The restaurants have chairs and tables and umbrellas.    The café you are spending money at will allow you to use a table/chairs/ umbrella as long as you make a reasonable minimum spend.  I’ve never known the minimum spend, because it has never been an issue.  The beach has many vendors (cheap jewelry, candies and other Mexican stuff.)  There are ATVs for rent; horses; banana boats; seadoos; etc.  
To get to Stone Island:  A short walk from the Passenger Terminal, there is a “ferry” that takes you across a small inlet to Stone Island.  From the entrance/exit of the Cruise Terminal (after the tram ride from the ship), turn left and walk down the street, about four blocks.  The street curves to the right just beyond the entrance to the Naval facility.  Continue straight onto a dirt road, about 50 yards, to a ticket booth (small yellow building).    Round trip ticket costs 30 pesos per person – they will charge you $2 per person if you pay in $US.   After you reach Stone Island, there is a path off to the left, to the beach and restaurants.   I usually spend a couple of hours on the beach at one of the restaurants

CABO SAN LUCAS:

This is a tender port.  Many ships spend only a few hours here, so don’t get adventurous!!   Others spend overnight here.  On some ships, the tenders run all night; on others, the tenders stop from around 9 or 10 p.m. and resumed tender service at 8 a.m. or so.  I have not stayed ashore all night.

The tenders bring you to the Marina, which is filled with restaurants, bars, shops.  Some people don’t even leave the marina area.  If you wander a little bit, you will find more restaurants and bars – Giggling Marlin, Cabo Wabo and similar places.

Cabo is very much a “party city” for California’s youth.

When you first get off the tender in Cabo, there will be a huge crowd of locals trying to sell tours.  They all offer the glass-bottom boat tour to the Arch.  It includes a  drive-by of Lovers' Beach, the stinking sea lion rock, the Arch, Divorce Beach -- these are all just drive-bys.  The captain will do a drop-off at Lovers' Beach upon request.   Warning:  there are no services at Lovers’ Beach.  You will climb off the boat and wade ashore.   I have heard of one local who sets up with a cooler to sell beverages, but I don’t know how often he is there.

After seeing the Arch, upon request, the Captain will also do a drop-off at Medano Beach.  You need to wade ashore; if a wave catches you wrong, you might take a dunking.  There are full services at Medano Beach -- food, drinks, bathrooms, chairs, umbrellas, water sports, parasailing, ATVs, jet skis, etc.  And vendors; lots of vendors.

If you want to parasail, I recommend doing one that launches from the boat instead of from the beach.  

If you get off at Medano Beach, you have already paid for the return to the Marina, but that requires you finding the same boat that you had taken.  I have never tried this -- I will walk, grab a land-based taxi or a pedi-cab instead.   I don’t want to try to find the same captain and then wade out in the surf and climb aboard the boat. 

If you stay in your tour boat, the boat returns you to the Marina, near the tender dock.

My last glass bottom tour, I think I paid $25 for two of us.  Pre-Covid, I would pay $8 to $10 per person, but I am more generous now!  When I am paying thousands for a cruise, I no longer want to negotiate over $10!  

This “tour” is no-frills, no soda, beer, drinks.  There are lots of other tours -- pirate ships, open bars, lunch buffets, etc. --  but the basic one is what I take every trip to Cabo.
 

Hi Mike, when you mention the "glass bottom" boats in Cabo, are these the ones with the little viewing port to the bottom and not the all clear boats?  Are there a lot of vendors for the all clear boats at the marina in cabo?  Trying to decide if I should book ahead or grab a tour when we get there.

[Mike45LC]

On 2/9/2024 at 8:42 PM, MochiiOwl said:

Hi Mike, when you mention the "glass bottom" boats in Cabo, are these the ones with the little viewing port to the bottom and not the all clear boats?  Are there a lot of vendors for the all clear boats at the marina in cabo?  Trying to decide if I should book ahead or grab a tour when we get there.

Mochii, Cabo has both the "small window in the bottom of the boat" type of boats [lots and lots of these] and the "all clear boats".  You need to fight off the people selling tours in the "small window in the hull" boats.  I suspect that all of the hucksters sell the "all clear" boat rides as well, but I am not sure.  

 

The way these salesmen work is that if you want an ostrich ride, the salesman will know someone who has an ostrich and a saddle, and he will set it up for you.  The salesmen all know who runs the "all clear" boats and will be able to act as the intermediary on the transaction.  

 

I don't care for the "all clear" boats; the "window in the hull" is enough for me!

[mitsugirly]

On 12/28/2023 at 4:23 PM, Mike45LC said:

Then, grab a golf cart and go to the Golden Zone –  go to the beach, shop, enjoy.

When you are done, grab another golf cart to take you back to the ship.  If you want, this driver will stop to let you watch the cliff divers.  

 

Do you know about how much it cost for the cart to the Golden Zone? Do they charge per person?

 

Once you get to the Golden Zone and the beach, do they have people with boats that would take you over to Deer Island and then come and get you at a certain time?

[Mike45LC]

My vague recollection is that the driver wanted $15 or $20 US for the ride to Golden Zone from the Mercado.  For the cart load (comfortable for three), not per person.  

 

I never tried to grab a boat from the Golden Zone, except for a parasailing boat.

[mitsugirly]

10 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

My vague recollection is that the driver wanted $15 or $20 US for the ride to Golden Zone from the Mercado.  For the cart load (comfortable for three), not per person.  

 

I never tried to grab a boat from the Golden Zone, except for a parasailing boat.

 

Thank you for your response. So 4 people would not fit it in? We have 2 adults and 2 teens, all fairly thin.

[Mike45LC]

10 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

 

Thank you for your response. So 4 people would not fit it in? We have 2 adults and 2 teens, all fairly thin.

We once crammed four people in, two of whom are very large.  It was not comfortable!  You can probably fit.  If the teens are brother and sister, they might not like being crowded together, so one in front seat, and Dad, Mom and other kid squeezed into back seat.

[3girlsmom]

On 1/6/2024 at 1:46 PM, whataboutport said:

Thank you for this thorough post! Are there any beaches within walking distance in any of these ports? We are travelling with our tiny 5 yr old. Yes he's 5 but very small(short legs), we aren't bringing a car seat, so don't really want to get in a taxi, and thinking about bringing a travel stroller. Are the roads good enough for a small stroller or are they too bumpy/cracked? We bought this specific stroller for the cobblestone streets in Rome but never got to try it out due to COVID shutdowns in 2020. Looking for a beach where you can just lay a towel down and not have to pay for a chair or entrance fee, since we don't know how long he will want to be at the beach. 

There is a nice little beach very walkable from the Cabo tender port. We did it with our 4 & 6 year old grandsons. It's called "Playa Public Cabo San Lucas" on Google maps. Flat sandy beach with shallow, calm water. No facilities when we were there so bring your towels, water etc. I hear sometimes vendors do set up there but we didn't see any the day we were there. Have fun!

[ober134]

following... will be at all these stops for the first time later this year. 

[2funtime]

Great review of the ports.   Does anyone have an update on the cost of the carts in Mazatlan?  We are going in October on the Radiance.  They have a group tour,  but we prefer other options.  Also once we go from the port at Mazatlan to visit these different location  are their carts we can get back on to go to the next?  

[Mike45LC]

2fun, I have never seen a lack of the golf carts.  You get out of one cart at any of the main drop-off areas, and another cart driver will be soliciting you before you take three steps.  This can actually be annoying.

[2funtime]

After some searching this is what I found on prices 
 

• Mininium price to even get in: MX$60?
• Within the Golden Zone: MX$60-100
• Golden Zone to Olas Altas : MX$150+
• Golden Zone to Historic Old Town: MX$150+
• Golden Zone to Marina Mazatlán: MX$150+
• Golden Zone to Cerritos: MX$150+
• By the hour (up to 4 people): MX$500?