We have been to Mazatlan a few times and love to go back to our favorite hidden gem, Stone Beach.
But first we go to town because my sister's love to go to the central market to look at the food. When you get off the ship you will get a shuttle to the entrance of the port where there are indoor shops and out door vendors. The outdoor vendor has the best tequila, but we buy some when we are coming back. My favorite? Cinnamon tequila. I love cinnamon flavored things and know this is hard to get, and it's a reasonable price. I think I paid $36. There are other flavors available and he has plenty of samples. A few more hundred feet there is another indoor market with plenty of vendors. But you can always stop there on the way back. As soon as you head out you will see a ton of Taxis. This is what they look like and what they are called.
Pulmonia taxi
Only in Mazatlan will you find the Pulmonia taxi. Mazatlan's Pulmonias -- the open-air "golf cart" looking taxis -- were invented here; are unique to The Pearl of The Pacific; and make a very enjoyable way to get around Mazatlan Mexico.
They are usually around $20 to get to town. However, one of my sisters makes friends with a local and now we are following him down the block to his Pulmonia hoping we don't get into a Dateline episode. So my sister makes a new best friend and he only charges us $10 to get to town. Then we go into the local market just a few blocks from The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
The Mercado Pino Suarez is the main open-air market in old town Mazatlan. Easy to get there as many bus lines pass by the front or back of the market. One of the market has a number of meat vendors who have everything you might want (and probably a few things you don't, like whole pig's heads).
I'm not gonna lie to you. I'm a vegetarian and can't stand the meat smell or looking at all the dead things. So I bypass that to more interesting stalls. My sisters like to look and say "wow, look at size of those green onions!"
I decided to check out some vendors for some slip on sandals that won't slip on water, because when I was in the Enclave on the ship, I almost bit it like 10 times. Between the small pool/jacuzzi and steam rooms the floors are pretty yet. If anyone is going to fall, it's me! And I'll probably do a cartoon fall where my legs will spin around a few times before I'm flat on my back.
I hate to bargain! There I said it. Some people love it, some people hate it. That's why I hate car dealerships and turn into a Karen because I don't trust anyone. So there are some cute slip on sandals and the seller starts out at over $20, and I'm thinking ...Dang, I can buy these cheaper at Penneys. 😀 Since I'm not in the mood to haggle, and can't speak Spanish, I walk away and go into "3 Hermanos" a block away. It's a shoe store on the corner and I find some cheap slip on sandals for...... Wait for it........$2.50. No haggling, great price and out the door. I showed my daughter when I got home my best bargain and she said...."Oh, those are prison sandals" . 😐 In case you are wondering, they look like this.
I wear these in the Enclave, at the beach, to the ship's pool. I definitely got my moneys worth! And I don't slip or fall anywhere. Bonus.
Now onto Stone Island which is right by the ship. The Pulmonia's are everywhere, so $10 to get back and he drops you off at this rocky driveway. There are no signs pointing so just start walking to the right. You will see a little booth which sells tickets for $2 roundtrip. You get on a little motorboat, put on a life jacket and go across this little canal which takes about another 5 minutes. When you get off, someone will try to sell you lounge chairs and umbrella for $10 for a day. But we want to just walk down to the beach and pick a restaurant. So you turn to the left, look for the walkway, walk past a few houses and wha-lah, you are at the beach. Probably a 5 minute walk to the beach. What restaurant to pick? Well we just walk a little ways and don't want to pick the crowded one because we think it might be the ships shore excursion. So we pick a random one where the locals are. We order Margaritas, Chips and Guac, and sit back, relax and listen to the waves.
The weather is in the 80's and we just enjoy the relaxing afternoon soaking it all in. The vendors will come to you while you are sitting at the table, but I have to say, we got the best deals there more than anywhere else. I like to buy earrings and just put them on right there. I think we all bought jewelry because it was such great prices. Even entertainment comes by and we know they are trying to make a living or just extra money and so we love to tip them to show we appreciate it.
There are many vendors on the beach and one has these GI Joe looking action figures with a parachute looking attachment, so my one sister decides to walk down and get 3 for her grandkids. After eating, drinking, laughing, relaxing and shopping, we decide to walk back to the ship. Down to the beach, walk along the water, take the motorboat back and we decide to walk back to the ship. It's literally a couple blocks. Then into your last shopping experience and this is where we buy the tequila. Try his samples as they are very good.
The ship has a production show called "Rock Opera" which is amazing to say the least. Princess has the best shows for sure. Tried a new drink tonight. "The Butterfly" Changes colors as they pour it and you stir it, found at "Good Spirits at Sea" .
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