Adventure
Regions...
Baja California l Sea of Cortes
l Copper Canyon
Across the Sea of Cortes from Baja California
lie the states of Sonora and Sinaloa in northwest Mexico. Here much of the
wildness once associated with the American southwest still survives in this
sparsely populated section of the mainland. Largely undiscovered by the tourist
masses, this region of the country boasts, cloud forests, canyons, waterfalls,
beaches and resorts that cater to the upscale modern traveler.
Flamingos
in flight in the State of Sonora
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Guaymas
The city of Guyamas in the state of Sonora
boasts Mexico’s seventh largest port and a large commercial
fishing fleet that brings in some of country’s most prized
seafood. Although not a major tourist destination, it is not without
its charms. Its surrounding bay islands can be explored on various
tours that expose the natural beauty of the region and some of
the area’s oldest communities. One of the best times to
visit the city is during Carnival, held the week before lent or
during the Dia de la Marina, when homage is paid to mariners lost
at sea.
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Sunset at the beach in Mazatlan |
Mazatlan
Occupying the Mexican mainland’s
western shore at the mouth of the Sea of Cortes is the state of
Sinaloa, better known by the sunny destination of Mazatlan. As
Mexico’s second largest coastal city with nearly 700,000
residents, Mazatlan balances two identities – as Mexico’s
largest west coast port and as one of the country’s most
popular beach resorts.
It is divided into three distinct zones
with the port and downtown area located at the end of a peninsula
that separates the Pacific from an enormous saltwater estuary.
To the north is the zona dorada, home to nearly all of Mazatlan’s
visitor attractions. Between the two is a long curved stretch
of mostly undeveloped beach that serves as a buffer and allows
the resort community to coexist nicely with one of Mexico’s
busiest ports.
Since the 1950’s, Mazatlan has been
a major component in Mexico’s visitor industry. Cancun and
Ixtapa were deserted sandbars when Mazatlan began earning a reputation
for affordable and friendly fun-in-the-sun vacations. As time
has passed, the city has seen resurgence in its infrastructure
with the addition two new marina developments, new golf courses
and hotels, which has led to a kind of tourism renaissance.
Dining, especially for seafood, and its nightlife are excellent.
Shopping is also first rate, with several fine art galleries and
handicraft markets. Sightseeing combines a few colonial-era sites
with more contemporary attractions. For the sports enthusiast,
Mazatlan offers the usual assortment of water sports along with
some of the world’s finest deep-sea fishing.
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Marketplace in the State of Sinaloa |
Los Mochis
Atop the flat coastal plains of northern
section of the state of Sinaloa lies Los Mochis. This lively city
is a support center for the state’s northern agriculture
economy and sits amidst two prolific valleys with three major
dammed rivers providing abundant irrigation. Despite having few
historic points of interest, Los Mochis still possesses and interesting
past. In pre-Hispanic times, it was home to several indigenous
tribes and then to Jesuit missionaries in the 16th century and
even 19th century American idealists who attempted to establish
utopian societies in the area. The city now serves as the transit
point for visitors seeking to explore the Sierra Tarahumara and
Copper Canyon.
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