Mazatlan, Stone Island or Malecon

[Packman1000]

We are planning to go to Stone Island or the Malecon while in Mazatlan.  Any recommendations on which is better?  I assume the Malecon is better for shopping and Stone Island for beaches.  We would be walking (with water taxi) to either.  Are restaurants/bars similar in both?  Anything to see, like historical areas in either place?  Any issues with safety?

Thanks.

[Faelia]

following! I booked Stone island but would still like to know!

[Mike45LC]

Stone Island is a beach, with a bunch of restaurants and some service providers -- a lady with a string of horses, a few boat rentals.  I remember reading about a tombstone that some people were excited about, but for me, Stone Island is a placed to sit at a table under an umbrella, eat/drink/relax.  You get there by walking (or taking a golf cart if you have walking issues) and then taking a water taxi "ferry" across a narrow waterway.

 

I am not sure what you are referring to as the Malecon in Mazatlán.  I think of Mazatlán as being essentially the downtown area, which has some historic stuff (the Theater and Cathedral and Mercado), and the Golden Zone -- the tourist area.

 

I have never seen any signs of danger against tourists in Mazatlán.

 

[tango55]

the malecon is before the golden zone (shopping).vendors on the beach can be a nuisance.just say no gracias amigo.heading there on ruby .jan26.p.v. has a great malecon.no traffic.have a great trip

[Mike45LC]

Oh, the thatched hut bars on the coast drive, between the Golden Zone and downtown?  I thought those were all abandoned/closed.  Nothing exciting there at all!

 

[wheezedr]

We love Stone island as a place to relax at a beach bar.  Not sure why anyone would “book” it, we just get off the ship and do it on our own.  If you want a Malecon to wander then PV is the place for that.

[ladycanuck]

Taxi to the Stone Island ferry from the cruise ship, then take the water taxi, don't get off at the first stop. Once you get off, take another "taxi" which is a bench in the back of a pickup, to the Stone Island Hotel. The beach is there. Just relax, enjoy the beach for free if you have a drink at one of the restaurants. We ate at Rudy's and got great service, drinks and shrimp.

[Mike45LC]

On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 1:14 PM, ladycanuck said:

Taxi to the Stone Island ferry from the cruise ship, then take the water taxi, don't get off at the first stop. Once you get off, take another "taxi" which is a bench in the back of a pickup, to the Stone Island Hotel. The beach is there. Just relax, enjoy the beach for free if you have a drink at one of the restaurants. We ate at Rudy's and got great service, drinks and shrimp.

Although I have taken a golf cart to the ferry, it was because we had a mobility impaired person with us.  Most people walk it.

 

"Don't get off at the first stop."  Huh?  I am under the impression (having taken the ferry several times) that there is only one stop.  Am I wrong?

 

[goober87]

We have been to Stone Island many times.  We have also only gotten off a the "first stop". Didn't know there were any others. 

 

In Mazatlan, the cruise ship docks at an industrial port. A ground tram (like the ones at theme parks' parking lots), takes you from the ship, through the port to an oasis of bars and shops at the opposite edge of the port.  We  affectionately call the area  "The Demilitarized Zone" given the port security and how it is walled off from the main street. 

 

To get to Stone Island, you walk through the oasis, and exit onto Av. Emilio Barragan.   Turn left  and walk along the port's brick wall and keep going until you get to the end of the street. Here, go straight through the open gate ahead of you. There is a banner on the fence marketing the taxi.   https://www.google.com/maps/@23.1886997,-106.4190329,3a,75y,168.89h,91.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sanogpYjp2UliflesEvsHGA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DanogpYjp2UliflesEvsHGA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D159.77805%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0   

 

There should be a ticket booth (or pay on the taxi) and a dock. Pay for a round trip ticket. 

 

The taxi trip is very short--just across the quay.  Get off, climb up the embankment, and Stone Island beach is stretched our before you.  

 

Enjoy the walk to whatever restaurant or thatched hut looks good.  There are a handful, some are closed.   https://www.google.com/maps/@23.186563,-106.4103203,18z?hl=en&authuser=0    We prefer Lety's now that Victor's is closed.  That's a little less than a half mile walk. 

 

I attached pics of the path, taxi and sign.

 

[XRunner7]

On 1/3/2019 at 2:20 PM, Packman1000 said:

We are planning to go to Stone Island or the Malecon while in Mazatlan.  Any recommendations on which is better?  I assume the Malecon is better for shopping and Stone Island for beaches.  We would be walking (with water taxi) to either.  Are restaurants/bars similar in both?  Anything to see, like historical areas in either place?  Any issues with safety?

Thanks.

My wife and I enjoyed Stone Island.  Exit the pier drop off and go left on the sidewalk.  About a half mile walk along truckers who are waiting in line to drop or pick up their loads at the pier.  They were all friendly, hard working men.  No problems.  At the end of the sidewalk you need to hit the sand path (about 30 yards) and you will find the water taxi dock.  Another walk (about 50 yards to the beach where you will find food and fun.  Nice place to get away from it all and enjoy yourself.

[riffatsea]

Stone Island is beach.

If you want to see any "historic areas" of the city you can walk the blue line(painted on the road) to the main square where there is a church and museum and marketplace with stalls.

You could then take a pulmonia(open air taxi) to the malecon which is the seaside walkway and stroll and see the cliff divers if you like.

Whether you do Stone Island or the city is up to you!

[MMChris]

On 1/15/2019 at 12:36 PM, goober87 said:

We have been to Stone Island many times.  We have also only gotten off a the "first stop". Didn't know there were any others. 

 

In Mazatlan, the cruise ship docks at an industrial port. A ground tram (like the ones at theme parks' parking lots), takes you from the ship, through the port to an oasis of bars and shops at the opposite edge of the port.  We  affectionately call the area  "The Demilitarized Zone" given the port security and how it is walled off from the main street. 

 

To get to Stone Island, you walk through the oasis, and exit onto Av. Emilio Barragan.   Turn left  and walk along the port's brick wall and keep going until you get to the end of the street. Here, go straight through the open gate ahead of you. There is a banner on the fence marketing the taxi.   https://www.google.com/maps/@23.1886997,-106.4190329,3a,75y,168.89h,91.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sanogpYjp2UliflesEvsHGA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DanogpYjp2UliflesEvsHGA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D159.77805%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0   

 

There should be a ticket booth (or pay on the taxi) and a dock. Pay for a round trip ticket. 

 

The taxi trip is very short--just across the quay.  Get off, climb up the embankment, and Stone Island beach is stretched our before you.  

 

Enjoy the walk to whatever restaurant or thatched hut looks good.  There are a handful, some are closed.   https://www.google.com/maps/@23.186563,-106.4103203,18z?hl=en&authuser=0    We prefer Lety's now that Victor's is closed.  That's a little less than a half mile walk. 

 

I attached pics of the path, taxi and sign.

 

Regarding the ferry to Stone Island & all the bars and restaurants on the beach - do they accept us dollar &/or credit cards or do I need to get some pesos?

[Mike45LC]

30 minutes ago, MMChris said:

Regarding the ferry to Stone Island & all the bars and restaurants on the beach - do they accept us dollar &/or credit cards or do I need to get some pesos?

The ferry will charge 30 pesos or US$2 per person.  I paid US$8 for my party of four, which works out to ABOUT 150 pesos.  If I'd had pesos, it would have been 120 pesos.  So I overpaid about $1.50 by paying in US$.  Not a big deal!

 

I have always paid the restaurant/bar tabs on Stone Island in US$.  

 

I would GUESS that they take major credit cards, but I have never asked.  And I cannot find the menu photos I should have from Stone Island, so I can't see if there are any credit card logos on the menus.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

We were just at Stone Island 2 weeks ago, rode the water taxi with the beach vendors, had many cervesa ( about a buck 50 for beer), chips and guacamole, nice people there, bought from the beach vendors, cheap jewelry, chicklets, handmade straw beer bottle holder, etc. watched people swim had a great time very relaxing.  We used US dollars for everything

Edited April 2, 2019 by Buck Turgidson

[James4me]

For those who have trouble walking, is there help?  Meaning getting to the booth for Stone Island and then walking the beach to a restaurant?  Is it difficult for a mobile impaired person?

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, James4me said:

For those who have trouble walking, is there help?  Meaning getting to the booth for Stone Island and then walking the beach to a restaurant?  Is it difficult for a mobile impaired person?

 

As I said above, we took a golf cart from the port to the water taxi dock.  My mobility impaired traveling companions would have had a hard time walking it.

 

On the Stone Island side, we had to walk.  By walking to the left, we kept on a relatively smooth path and we did NOT climb over the rocks (straight ahead).