Mexico's Rising Star

By Darcy Rhyno

Travellers discover why Mazatlán is emerging as one of the country’s top sun destinations

It’s the bottom of the seventh. One on base, two out. At the plate, a Venados batter wallops the next pitch over the left field fence. I jump to my feet, joining thousands cheering the home team hero who just gave them a two-run lead over rivals, the Yaquis.

This could be a scene from any Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium, but the mariachi band playing behind me and the fiery spice on my hotdog say Mexico. Here in the Teodoro Mariscal Stadium, the Mazatlán Venados (Deer) host games from October to January.

THE WATERFRONT PROMENADE

Baseball isn’t what jumps to mind when considering a winter getaway, but Mazatlán’s unique attractions and recent improvements make it a top emerging sun destination. Mazatlán is Mexico’s only colonial city on a beach. In the Golden Zone resort area, 14,000 hotel rooms just became available. And as a culinary destination, Mazatlán calls itself the shrimp capital of the world.

GOBERNADOR TACOS

To test the claim, I take the Pata Salada Food Tour by Tomatl. Former chef Paola Osuna leads a small group around town, first to La Palapa Efren, a six-table kitchen overlooking Mazatlán’s shrimp market a few blocks from the shrimp fishing fleet. I bite into a cheesy taco gobernador as Osuna fills us in on the origin of this local specialty. The combination of shrimp and Oaxaca cheese dressed with a salsa of poblano peppers, tomatoes and cilantro is named for a former governor of Sinaloa (home state of Mazatlán), who ordered it on every visit.

MAZATLAN'S COLOURFUL OLD STREETS IN CENTRO HISTORICO

Strolling the streets through Mazatlán’s colonial heart or Centro Historico, we pass heritage buildings painted in sunny yellow, salmon and periwinkle. During the pandemic pause, the city carried out US$400 million in infrastructure upgrades. The recently renovated Plaza Machado, named for the wealthy merchant who financed the construction of its cathedral in 1837, is lined with restaurants and shops, shaded by palm and orange trees. Because Day of the Dead is approaching, families are building elaborate shrines near the cathedral of flowers, food, prayer flags, eggs painted like skulls and photos of the departed.

DAY OF THE DEAD FAMILY SHRINE

˝ DARCY RHYNO

From Plaza Machado, it’s a pleasant walk to the El Faro lighthouse built in 1890, overlooking the harbour entrance. The climb up 336 steps to the highest natural lighthouse in the Americas is worth it for the view through the glass floor lookout installed in 2021 and views of the city along the seven-kilometre seaside boardwalk or malecón linking the Centro Historico to the Golden Zone.

ENTRANCE TO THE GOLDEN ZONE

Back at street level, I hail a pulmonia to my hotel. This open-air taxi is unique to Mazatlán and resembles a golf cart with a back seat. After a siesta and a reinvigorating swim, I catch another ride for an evening on the town. Given the significant expat community here, friends gather in the Centro Historico most evenings for coffeehouse open mics, karaoke and standup comedy.

OPEN-AIR TAXI KNOWN AS PULMONIA

At a café, I strike up a conversation with a Manitoban who has lived downtown for the past 11 years. “We’re absolutely in love with Mazatlán, especially this area, Centro Historico,” she says, adding that she enjoys the casual feel of the city. “On Friday night, people sit with their families on the malecón, listen to music and watch cliff divers.”

CLIFF DIVER

As much as it has to offer, there’s one new addition that will supersize Mazatlán as an emerging destination: the opening of its world-class aquarium expected in 2023. With three levels, 19 exhibition spaces and a huge ocean tank, it will be the largest aquarium in Latin America and the only one in the world to focus on the Sea of Cortez, the enormous gulf between the Baja California peninsula and mainland Mexico. Mazatlán sits at its mouth.

Back at the baseball game, the Yaquis score in the eighth inning to pull within a run, but the Venados relief pitcher holds off the rivals in the ninth for the win. I cheer the Deer to the last pitch. On my way out, I pass the mariachi band, still performing, again confirming that this was no ordinary game. The Venados playing in Teodoro Mariscal Stadium is major league entertainment in a top-notch, emerging destination.