Average Mazatlan Temperatures

mazatlansource.com

Monthly Average High and Low Temperatures and Rainfall for Mazatlan

	HI	LO	Average Rain (inches)
JANUARY	81	67	1.1
FEBRUARY	82	69	0.2
MARCH	85	71	0.1
APRIL	86	73	0.1
MAY	88	77	0.1
JUNE	89	78	1.0
JULY	91	79	8.4
AUGUST	91	78	8.5
SEPTEMBER	90	77	8.5
OCTOBER	88	75	3.7
NOVEMBER	84	71	0.9
DECEMBER	82	69	1.0
"The Mazatlan Rainy Season": "The Rainy Season" starts sometime in June or July, and generally lasts for 3-4 months. Rainy Season means hot (but humid), beautiful days until mid-afternoon, when you'll notice clouds gathering their strength to break across the mountain ridges. When they do, you'll experience an incredible display of lightning and thunder and a deluge that may last anywhere from 1/2-hour to several hours. The rain cools the air and rinses the dust from the streets, and the clouds usually clear away for a beautiful moon-lit night. During Rainy Season, these displays are a regular occurance...at least once every two- or three-days, and not uncommonly nearly every day for several weeks at a time. 'Locals' and regular visitors regulate their days accordingly, wisely planning to be taking a siesta (nap), or safely covered in their favorite establishment with a frosty margarita to enjoy the show!

Hot and Sunny for Semana Santa

by Maureen Dietrich

10 Apr 14 

mazmessenger.com

 

Hugo Nordahl Valdez of the local meteorological service, said they are predicting hot temperatures, some wind, occasional clouds but no rain, and plenty of sun for the weeks of Semana Santa and Semana Pascua.

Temperatures will range between 29 and 31ºC during the day, with a night time minimum of between 18 and 21ºC.

Nordahl Valdez mentioned that the 2014 hurricane season begins on May 15 and according to preliminary predictions, they expect to register five tropical storms, seven moderate hurricanes and three intense hurricanes during the season. (from Noroeste)

Mazatlan Weather Report

THE all time one hit wonder was actually a "B" side recorded under the name Steam.  It was considered so bad, the artists didn't even bother to write lyrics for the last half.  With a catchy tune working, lead singer Paul Leka was stumped for words after a few lines.

As he said later "everything was 'na na' when you didn't have a lyric."  A drum track was lifted from a previous recording to supplement Leka's keyboards, then another band member came up with "hey hey."  Still without finishing lyrics, they called it a day and dubbed in a canned drum "solo," followed by 8,156 repetitions of what became an anthem to say something's over.

See if this doesn't bring back some memories!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZkYGcz1DgI

We've talked before about "The Blanket," which revisited Maz with a mini whoosh entrance chilling Friday night diners.  Then yesterday it created periods of overcast that will linger over into today.  Appropriately for our anthem from Steam, it also brought insulation for night temperatures, and it was already 70 degrees (17 C.) at dawn.

However it time to cue up Na, Na, Na, Na, and say Goodbye to The Blanket, as it leaves overnight and gives us a bright blue entrance to next week!  We'll also be saying hello to our classic offshore breeze overnight and morning.  Remember this pattern typically holds off any strong winds for afternoons.

Expect highs to continue right at our 80 degree (27.7 C.) standard.  While The Blanket will exit, our lows next week will see temperatures only falling off slightly.  Look for about 67 or 68 (20 C.), leaving us with a small day / night variation of only 13 degrees (7 C.).

Fisherman you've got it going for warm water catch, as there's a huge lane of warm currents almost a quarter way up the Gulf.  The ocean is about 76 degrees (24.5 C.) on the beach, with patches easily to 78 (25.5 C.) in the fishing grounds.  Looking to swim in the rollers or try that boogie board?  You'll have that too.

Already in town or coming in for this week?  You're in for the usual wonderful Maz April / May weather.  So get out that hit list and remember the immortal words from The Hombres (in the world's first rap song).

Let It All Hang Out !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWN65nAkk20  

Mazatlan Weather Report

The Busy Sky

Apr 04, 2014

Mazatlan has seen a very long run with no more than two consecutive days of overcast.  In fact even that's been rare, however there's a development I want to show you that could change everything.  A very extensive weather pattern arrived in Mexico a day ago, and it may line up to create a major affect on Maz.
It's a little different from the Intertropical Convergence Zone activity that brought The Blanket last week. Instead it's related to a common theme where a large area of the ocean is covered with moisture and clouds then heads for the mainland, usually near California. In fact this pattern has a name..."The Pineapple Express."
However this time instead of originating near Hawaii then angling toward California / Arizona / Northern Baja...it's taking an unusual track almost straight west. The other thing unique, in fact almost never seen, is the length of this thing. It's stunningly long, and here are links for different angles of what we're talking about:
weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_west.gif

http://www.weatherimages.org/data/imag6.html
I'm not sure when we've seen anything like this virtually unbroken front, starting in the far western Pacific then reaching all the way past Hawaii to Mexico's interior! Fortunately this will consists mostly of high white clouds, and I don't see it coalescing enough for rain.  However if it stays on the current course (which is too early to call), it could take three or more days to clear Maz.

Moisture and warm air coming in over the cooler ocean water could create some morning fog, although the ocean is probably warm enough to avoid that.  In addition I don't expect much in the way of temperature changes.  Possibly a couple degrees cooler, but with more humidity to make the air feel about the same.  Also the wind could pick up just slightly, but again just a mild difference.

Hang on, this could get interesting.

Mazatlan Weather Report

From The Blanket...Back To Boring (Weather Update)

 

Mar 28, 2014

 

Over the last two days our temperature variation drew down from the usual narrow gap...to pretty much no gap. Two days ago the high temperature on the beach was 78, and the low 71 (25.5 and 21.7 C.). Yesterday recorded at 78 and 70.5 (25.5 and 21.4 C.), making the difference between day and night more about light and darkness than anything else.



This was caused by "The Blanket," and our last weather update mentioned it will be in force this week. So what exactly is The Blanket, and how does it affect Mazatlan? To answer that question we first need to consolidate and review information discussed over time. (This will be long, but stick with it and considering saving this post. It will help you get more out of future updates)



Maz is uniquely situated, more or less half way between the harsh Sonora Desert, and tropical Southern Mexico. It's also an area where two major weather patterns are reaching their farthest point of influence, and overlap.



1. The fringe of North Pacific storm fronts (which can hammer the U.S. and Canada) just barely reaches Mazatlan. The most active time for this pattern is winter, from very late November through March. However these fronts are unlikely to reach Maz unless they push to the Gulf of California's mouth. This allows token resistance going southward.



Without a La Nina / Jet Stream condition forcing cold air far, far southward, no more than a handful of North Pacific fronts reach Maz each season. During this same winter time period the tropics are in their quiet mode. Consequently in the wintertime Mazatlan's weather is typically quite uneventful, and what we jokingly (and lovingly) call "boring."



2. Conversely the National tourist season from June through October sees our other weather pattern dominate. This coming from the south - southwest, and created by activity in the Intertropical Convergence Zone, just north of the equator. Weather from The Zone can reach northward of Maz depending on ocean water temperatures. Hence the overlap. (Here's an excellent breakdown of The Zone from Wikipedia):



…wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertropical_Convergenc…



In short what we have is an annual battle for supremacy of the skies over Mazatlan.  More dominant from the north in winter, then shifting power the opposite direction for summer. Then during the transition months of November, April, and May, weak fronts will come from both directions.  This create a stalemate calm area, and is the very reason many people say those months have the best weather.



When The Zone sends weather into Maz it takes many forms, from mild (The Blanket) to wild (Hurricanes). During the NOB season we get the mild version, with skies full of clouds containing a lot of water vapor, but flying too high or not carrying enough moisture to drop rain. Instead they envelop the city with a moist warm cover (The Blanket) that insulates the air and suppresses change.



Just as often happens, a high pressure ridge is currently pushing the bulk these clouds to the northeast. As I write this Maz has broken high white clouds and plenty of people on the beach. Meanwhile Cabo is in the cross-hairs, with a dark, dreary, and heavily overcast sky.



That trend will continue with Maz on the fringe, getting mild overcast and The Blanket keeping things copacetic on the weather front. Not too hot, not too cool, not too breezy, and not too overcast. In short not enough to worry about, or affect your vacation.



While the major weather services see today and tomorrow still being cloudy, I'm more inclined to think this breaks up by Saturday afternoon. Then Sunday look for a return to our magical weather season, with nothing but blue skies and fair temperatures through mid next week. The highs will go up a tad, and lows drop off a couple degrees. However the humidity will disappear as The Blanket moves on, so things will feel the same to your skin.



Breeze will continue to be so gentle you'll barely notice it, and likewise the ocean will be calm with small soft waves and water temperatures about 75 degrees (24 C.). In short the weather will be wonderfully "boring" again.

 

 

Mazatlan Weather Report

The True Test (Weather Update)

 

Mar 25, 2014

 

All season Mazatlan has been blessed with beautiful blue skies. Surprise rain fell during Christmas and New Years, yet skies were mostly clear. Rain would come, only to pull back into the mountains and regroup. A southern system was poised to blanket the sky last week, however a high pressure ridge spun that system northward. Only Sunday's International Week Beach Party had clouds.

Another front's headed our way, and this will be THE true test for days bathed in blue. It's not packing much power, so don't expect rain or gusty winds. However the size is massive, and could take several days moving by. This system's incredible length is more than 3,000 miles (4,830 K)!. It's also 1,500 miles (2,415 K) in depth, (roughly the height and length of the continental U.S.), so chances it will be pushed away are nil.

You can get a good look at it in the link below, where you'll see an long extended finger reaching for Baja, while the main body mass goes clear to the opposite side of Hawaii:

weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_west.gif

While it's true there's no rain associated with this system, there is a lot of moisture in it. Expect higher humidity levels as clouds create a classic "blanket effect." Here's a satellite feed that shows water vapor, and you'll see how pronounced it is:

http://www.goes.noaa.gov/browsw3.html

Unless the warden gets a last minute reprieve from the governor...LOL, you can expect this system to dominate skies from Wednesday to possibly Saturday. The ending of this particular movie isn't written yet, and depends how fast the system passes over. Currently it's moving a very good clip, but the main body could stall and extend the time for white skies.

Otherwise things aren't changing much. The small high / low temperature window continues, as well as the trend for slight day to day changes. Expect highs to reach for 80 (26.7 C.) through Friday, with mild lows at 65 or slightly above (18.5 C.). The "blanket" will make you feel warmer. Winds will be mild too, but not our usual offshore night / northwest afternoon pattern. This time winds will move all around the clock, albeit without much velocity.

Overall this is a ho hum weather change which shouldn't affect your vacation at all. We're moving from blue skies to a mixture of white and blue for a few days, and that's it. Besides, consider the alternative. Toronto's headed for a snow / rain mixture, while Edmonton gets snow all week. Chicago has snow on tap for Saturday, then cold rains next week as temperatures drop to the freezing mark!

So maybe a few days with clouds isn't so bad after all.....;^)

Mazatlan weather report

It Was The First Day Of Spring!....Or Maybe Not

 

Mar 21, 2014

 

This was the first day of spring, so how did we fare? Not so good in Calgary and Edmonton, where snow was falling today and it looked a lot like winter. Ontario gets next, as both Toronto and Ottawa look to have white stuff tomorrow or Saturday...or both. Further east Quebec will be blessed with a double dose of "spring." They had snow today, and get a second helping for the weekend.

The other side of the border also saw a lot of what we'll call season confusion. Temperatures ran below normal for the entire Northwest, and along the coast through Seattle and Portland it was about 5 degrees below norms. The eastern parts of Oregon and Washington were more like 8 degrees below their usual temperature.

In the meantime the snow that hit Alberta and Saskatchewan visited areas of Idaho through North Dakota. Maine got hit with sleet again, and they'll join Quebec for weekend snow. The Midwest won't be spared as the Twin Cities get a dose of ice and sleet tomorrow, then catch snow on Monday or so. This is Spring??

I'd like to tell you this was a fluke, and warm sunny days are right around the corner for our beleaguered friends NOB. No can do unfortunately. Remember our last report where we talked about back to back to back to back storms over the North Pacific? Only one of them has made landfall, so we've got at least three more potential named storms to ride out.

Mazatlan also has an oncoming front to contend with, but fortunately this is a warm system. I'll link a couple different types of satellite feeds below this paragraph, so you can see what we're talking about. You may recall this system as the one I mentioned would be coming from south of Hawaii, and expected to end our phenomenal run of beautiful clear skies every day.

weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_west.gif

http://www.weatherimages.org/data/imag6.html

Notice how deep this front is from front to back...wider than Mexico itself, and a full two days worth to pass by. The saving grace is its' current direction, which may end up largely passing Maz by. I had expected things to develop more or less straight in. However just like our mini-front over last weekend, this system also turned Northeast.

 This morning Cabo San Lucas had a significant overcast working, which looked to be heading straight for Maz. However the clouds moved up toward central Baja throughout the day, and by late afternoon the sky over Cabo was clear. The major thrust of this front is now moving toward central Baja and through Chihuahua into Texas. The key will be if the tail end catches Mazatlan over the weekend, and my guess is it will.

So what appeared to be a noticeable weather change, may now only affect Maz in a relatively insignificant way. Our primarily remaining change will be somewhat higher humidity, with clouds creating what I call "the blanket effect." This will warm up our days a degree or two, and make the nights particularly mild. Look for it to push into the very low 80's (28 C.), with nights at 68 (20 C.) and feeling warmer than that.

Hopefully the southwest to northeast push of this front will also bring warm currents to elevate the ocean temperature back up. It fell a little bit from the mini-whoosh winds the other night. The other primary weather change will consist of periods when clouds dominate the sky, but even that will be a fly by where bands of rather high clouds move through with little fanfare.

In short I'll bet you hardly even notice this one, and Mazatlan will just have to settle for a continuation on some of the best weather in North American!

Mazatlan Weather Report

March 19th, 2014

As expected the wind is calm this morning, and for the rest of the week it's going to be especially nice in Maz.  That being said nice doesn't come close to describing la vista (the view) today.....let's try stunning, and even that may not be good enough!

The clear ski is a triple shade of blues. Power blue coming off the top of the lighthouse and downtown. A middle shade radiating outward from there, then a third very bright blue above that (which you'll only see in the right corner of the linked picture below).

However our ongoing Beauty Contest has to go to the ocean. The sea is also calm, and where sand turns to water the color is a gorgeous shade of emerald green. Where waves would normally break it's a deep shade of royal blue, and the ocean glistens all the way to the horizon.

Add in the amphibious vehicle entering the water for a trip to Deer Island, with it's golden crescent beach, and forget a thousand words....this image is worth a million!

webcamsdemexico.net/mazatlan1/…1000.jpg

Mazatlan Weather Report

The upper section of our mini-front - that left town with quite a mini-whoosh last evening - has moved on through the mountains. It shouldn't be a factor anymore, but the next couple days could see a little more wind than last week. That is coming primarily from the lower half of the front which is still out in open ocean well below Maz.

We're not talking about any whoosh factor here, just moderate wind coming from a varying direction. Since this will be combined with very clear skies and warm air temperatures, it's likely to be so pleasant you'll hardly notice. In addition because the wind direction is going to be moving around the compass, sometimes you'll feel it...and sometimes not, depending on where you are.

By Wednesday we should return to our typical light offshore nights / moderate onshore afternoons, breeze pattern. Let me add all week should see a rather calm ocean with barely there small waves. This will lead to very clear ocean water, and a continuation of our fight to see which of the clear blues....air or water...is most beautiful on a particular day.

There is a lot, and I mean a LOT of action out in the Pacific. For example back to back to back to back (yes, I'm serious) fronts in the North Pacific are headed for the US and Canada. However they should only affect those NOB, and winter sure isn't over there. The action that will affect Maz is coming from the south and west by the weekend. Mostly in terms of moderate waves for boogie boarding, and a little cloud activity for Saturday and Sunday.

Nothing major in either case. The changes are more likely to be potential fun in the water and possible light up the fire clouds sunsets, than do any real damage.

Mazatlan Weather Report

The Electric Blue / Blue-Green Beauty Contest

 

Mar 16, 2014

Dawn broke in Maz with a few clouds on the horizon, but it was a clear electric blue overhead. A few stragglers moved in later, but they're just strings of high wispy clouds that do nothing but add character to the view. The sky is contrasted with a particularly cool and lovely shade of blue-green the ocean is wearing for Sunday.

That mini-front yesterday was such a non event that I'm almost embarrassed to have forecast it. Yet it was a perfect example of the stable and non eventful weather Mazatlan has been blessed with this season. Other than our surprise Posada (Christmas) and New Year's rain, it's been a (really, really nice) bore....;^)

However things are still crazy elsewhere. We have back to back major North Pacific storms coming in to ravage many of the poor folks NOB praying for winter to end. The link will show you these two storms as white bands running on a 45 degree angle. The first one is zeroed in on the US / Canada border, with a tail running all the way to Hawaii. The second is out in the ocean right behind it, just off Alaska.

http://www.weatherimages.org/data/imag6.html 

Vancouver Island is almost scary today, with 20 to 25 foot (6 to 8 meter) waves smashing the coast line, and tonight 30 M.P.H. (50 K.P.H.) winds will howl. Washington state has them beat with open ocean swells up to 30 feet (9 meters) and overnight winds to 35 M.P.H (56 K.P.H.)! Over the next week these twin storms will be given names as they sweep across the continental US and Canada raising havoc.

In the meantime I'm scratching to find something "different" about the weather in Maz for the coming week, and I found TWO things....Thank God! That "dropping" temperature trend, of a whopping one or two degrees, is going buh-bye. Also the ocean water has gone back up from the slight drop it saw last week (and these two things are not at all unrelated). That's IT...a couple of degrees?? OK, OK but we're talking the Pacific Pearl here. You were expecting a Polar Vortex...LOL

This week the electric blue skies / blue-green water beauty contest will continue until at least Saturday, when a little overcast may come in. You can also expect our temperatures to move back to the Maz bench mark, right at 80 degrees (27 C.). The big surprise is night time lows are also moving up, but an additional degree or two. It will only drop to maybe 67 (19.5 C.), and toward the end of week the low could be as gentle as 69 (20.5 C.).

OK I lied. There's a third change in the weather, as you can see our day / night variation is closing. Some days it could approach as little as a 10 degree swing (sorry I don't know how to figure that in Centigrade....;^) Did I mention the weather in Maz has been extraordinarily stable?

Atencion Fisherman (and Fisherladies??)!. Remember when I mentioned the warm water lane from southern waters was starting to move up and expand last week? Well it all but exploded in the last couple days. Over in Cabo they have only a couple of tiny patches where the water offshore is barely 76 degrees (24 C.).

Whereas it's all of that right on the beach in Maz, and waters in the fishing grounds offshore run up to 80. The topper is this area is HUGE, as in some parts reaching half way to Baja! If you're looking to catch species that like warm water and chase smaller fish up to Mazatlan, call your favorite captain...now.

Mazatlan Weather Report

OK, We're On Mexican Time

3/15/14

The predicted semi-overcast for today is running a little late (hey, this is Mexico remember...:^).  It's still coming onshore, and those of you staying on upper floors may see it as cloud bank way, way out on the horizon. The heavier clouds that count are at the back end of this mini-front, and may not get to Maz until tomorrow on Sunday.

Here's a link to an infrared satellite camera that distinguishes water vapor in the air. When you click on it you'll see a heavier section of clouds (which shows up as a more dense and lighter color of white) is headed straight for Central American. Then the upper section of the moisture that will affect Maz (which looks more like a light gray color) is spinning at about a 30 degree angle to the Northeast and breaking up.

Look to the west of this moisture and you'll notice it's rather clear all the way to, and then even well past the Hawaiian Islands. Once we get through this oncoming section of clouds, that distant weather will end up bringing clear skies for Mazatlan until the end of next week. Enjoy!

weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_west.gif

Mazatlan Weather Report

Samo Samo Is The New Ditto Ditto 

I forgot to mention the winter storm we talked about Monday is named Vulcan (and did you notice we're all the way up V on the alphabetical list to name storms!)  Of course I consulted with Dr. Spock, who's the expert, and he informed me the worst is over for the Midwest.  However during a mild meld as the storm passed over Cleveland, Spock learned that Vulcan intended to hammer New England...big time.

 

As occasionally happens, this Canadian Clipper wreaked more of its' damage on the American side of the border.  Edmonton was all but unaffected.  Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec will get snow Friday and Saturday, but only about 2.5 to maybe 5 cm (an inch or two).  However the temperatures and wind chill won't be too bad, about 2 (mid 30's F.) with moderate winds.   

 

In the meantime 700 flights were canceled in Chicago as The Windy City officially hit the third snowiest winter on record.  Detroit has already hit their all time record for the white stuff.  Then tragedy struck in Ohio, as near white out conditions caused a 50 car pileup and three people lost their lives.

 

Snow totals really picked up as Vulcan moved East / Northeast.  The Killington, Vermont ski resort tweeted they were getting 1" of snow an hour (2.5 cm) yesterday, with 24 inches (61 cm) already and it's still falling today!  Many areas of New Hampshire and up-state New York will see at least two feet of snow, while Bangor, Maine had a dose of sleet.   

       

In the meantime Mazatlan continues to have weather conditions so stable that it's bordering on the ridiculous.  Yesterday was like the day before, and today will be just like tomorrow.  Warm, clear, and beautiful, with the variation in temperature from day to day so minor you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.  Samo Samo has become the new Ditto Ditto.

 

In a shocking turn of events we may actually see a slight change...gasp!  Oh wait, we're talking about some partial overcast for one day on Saturday?  Well, at least that will help you distinguish it from Sunday...LOL  Let me add those larger waves we thought might come in for your viewing pleasure Sunday at Mr. Lionoso's?  Not happening, but a potentially large storm near Antarctica is developing, so the following weekend could see a lot of surfers heading to Playa Bruja. 

 

I'm sorry the weather is so boring, and wish I could offer you something other than Pacific Pearl Paradise.  Somehow we've got to stick together and deal with the trials and tribulations of this numbing sameness...;^)  P.S. Keep the sun tan oil handy, because after Saturday they'll be several straight days of Ditto Ditto crystal blue skies and hardly a cloud in sight.  Drat! 

 

 

Mexico – Where Adventure Travel Never Ends

By Mike Cooney Chief Explorer, Cooney World Adventures

“Aren’t you afraid to travel there?” That’s usually the first question I’m asked when I tell people I’m going to Mexico. And to be honest, it pisses me off every time. That’s when I ask them if they’ve watched the local news lately; they respond with an uncomfortable chuckle as if to say, “Gee, I hadn’t looked at that way.”

Following my dissertation about the country’s natural beauty, its history, and the fact that Mexicans are among the most warm and hospitable people in the world — I’ve been to more than 50 countries, so I have a fairly good frame of reference — I always win them over to adding Mexico to their bucket list.

Sure, we all know about the all-inclusive resorts with their eat-and-party-until-you-drop philosophy. They can be fun too, but in small doses. Then there are the historical relics and temples scattered throughout Mexico that remind us of once mighty civilizations that rivaled Rome, Greece, and all other empires of note. And let’s not forget the culinary delights, which have been exported around the world from Beijing to Boise. But did you know that Mexico is one of the great adventure tourism destinations on the planet?



Everything from soft adventure to full-on adrenaline-fueled sports activities are available throughout many states and regions of Mexico. Some of the more well known include whitewater rafting, rappelling or canyoning, mountain biking, zip lining, sandboarding, hang-gliding, hiking, swimming with whale sharks, mountain climbing, skiing (yes, snow skiing) and much more. The only limitations are your own, and how far you are willing to push the adventure envelope.

For the second year in a row, I was invited to participate in Adventure Travel Mexico (ATMEX), which is sponsored in part by Adventure Travel Trade Association. In addition to several Familiarization (FAMs) tours, there is also a large three-day trade show where virtually every state and many travel tour operators converge to promote their region and adventure-filled itineraries. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

Whitewater rafting options range from tubing on a placid river with minor drops to make-sure-your-insurance-is-paid class 5 rapids.  One of the best places to experience whitewater rafting is at Mexico Verde Expeditions, which is located on Rio Pescados northwest of Veracruz. The lodge offers glamping (glamorous camping) accommodations, excellent food, and a variety of adventure activities.



Ymbigapan is a tour company located in San Andrés Tuxtla also not far from Veracruz. They offer customized itineraries for all levels of adventure travel including caving, rappelling, bird watching, horseback riding, and experiencing awe-inspiring waterfalls that are off the beaten path.

Rappelling beside a raging 120-foot waterfall is both exhilarating and a bit unnerving, even for the most devoted adventure-seeker.  First, it requires getting geared-up in a thick wetsuit that’s like putting on a full-body girdle, strapping on a helmet, zip lining across a gorge, crossing a swift moving river on foot to the point where everyone begins the descent to the bottom of the waterfall. The wetsuit serves two purposes: First, it protects against abrasions when coming in contact with the jagged sides of the cliff, and two, it provides some protection against the freezing cold water plummeting to the rocks and deep pool below.




I’ve experienced my fair share of adventure travel, but one of the most exhilarating was riding an ATV on the sand dunes at Playa Chachalcas. The massive dunes come right up to the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. They are constantly shifting and creating new windswept vistas. Even the powerful ATVs have a hard time cresting some of the huge piles of sand along the beach. Believe me, I know. It took me four
 attempts to conquer a formidable dune that seemed to rise at a 45-degree angle. Once at the top, I was treated to picturesque views of the Gulf’s azure waters and surrounding area.

Mexico offers adventure enthusiasts countless options and locations to experience what they love best. Whether you are new to adventure travel or have lived an adventurer’s life, new and exciting experiences await you in Mexico. What are you waiting for?




Interesting Facts About Mexico

·      Mexico’s official name is Estados Únidos Mexicanos, which translates to United Mexican States.

·      Chocolate, corn and chilies are all originally from Mexico.

·      The first printing press in North America was used in Mexico City in 1539.

·      Chihuahuas are named for a Mexican state.

Best Times to Visit Mazatlan

The best time to visit Mazatlán is the fall, specifically October or November. The rainy months of summer are over, and the expensive, hectic winter travel season has yet to start. Beginning your search early is crucial; if you're lucky you could book a weeklong trip to Mazatlán for less than $700 per person (airfare, hotel and taxes included). You can also save a buck by visiting in April or May. 

°F | °C

Temperature (°F)

in | mm

Precipitation (in)

December-March	Mexico's "Pearl of the Pacific" is beautiful at this time of year -- average high temperatures rest in the upper 70s and there's very little rain -- but this is when you'll pay the most to visit. This is also a peak season for cruise routes to the area, so expect afternoon crowds. If you don't mind the inflated rates, consider visiting in March for Carnaval.
April-May	Mazatlán's peak season is beginning to dwindle, leaving pleasant weather, hotel discounts and lower airfare in its wake. Average temperatures range from the mid-60s to the low 80s during these two months, plus its right before the summertime rain begins to pour.
June-September	Mazatlán becomes a soggy mess come June, with temperatures that spike to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately, hotel prices dip to less than $40 a night at some properties. Visit in early summer if you want to avoid the most frequent rainstorms.
October-November	Planning a Mazatlán vacation for late fall will come with a few perks: 1) the city wrings itself out after a relentless rainy season, ushering in temps in the high 80s; and 2) Many hotels still offer rooms for less than $100 a night. For the best deals of this season, begin searching for accommodations at least a month in advance.

Entry & Exit Requirements

Located in Sinaloa on Mexico's northwest side, Mazatlán's surrounding area has been plagued with narcotics-related crime. Visitors should be particularly cautious when traveling along the highways outside of town; the U.S. Department of State has issued a Travel Advisory against unnecessary travel in some areas. Still, you'll most likely arrive in the area via the General Rafeal Buelna International Airport (MZT) in Mazatlán proper, or at the city's cruise harbor. Both locations are safe entrées to the tourist areas.