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Author	Topic: Mazatlan, Mexico...ever been there?	Topic is locked Back to Topics

ramtuff Champion Author Minnesota Posts:2,014 Points:391,920 Joined:Nov 2002	Message Posted: Dec 8, 2006 8:27:29 AM Ignore ramtuff Report Abuse I'm going at the end of the month for the first time and would welcome any tips, info or suggestions from your recent trip. [Edited by: ramtuff at 12/8/2006 8:29:22 AM EST]

ramtuff

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Minnesota

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Message Posted: Dec 8, 2006 8:27:29 AM

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I'm going at the end of the month for the first time and would welcome any tips, info or suggestions from your recent trip.

[Edited by: ramtuff at 12/8/2006 8:29:22 AM EST]

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Captainfingy Champion Author Columbus Posts:2,780 Points:459,125 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: May 13, 2007 9:54:42 AM Ignore Captainfingy Report Abuse Was there 10 years ago, pretty dirty but alright overall I guess. Puerto Vallarta is much better, was just there in December and I was beautiful.
FishingInIdaho All-Star Author Idaho Posts:670 Points:102,570 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Apr 17, 2007 9:49:41 AM Ignore FishingInIdaho Report Abuse No.
Zamolxes Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,743 Points:417,270 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Mar 18, 2007 1:20:44 AM Ignore Zamolxes Report Abuse Not yet.
eddmac Champion Author Washington Posts:5,526 Points:1,234,975 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Dec 29, 2006 12:27:11 PM Ignore eddmac Report Abuse My wife and I enjoy the open air jeep taxis, the beaches, shopping centers and resorts there. I really don't know why, but we do like it over Cabo, Acapulco, or Porta
hongr3 Veteran Author Ontario Posts:346 Points:122,715 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Dec 15, 2006 12:47:06 PM Ignore hongr3 Report Abuse Jeannemarie has some good tips for you. I like to venture where the locals go and get to know the locals. Treat them with all the respect that you wish to be treated with and they will be the most open and friendly people you'll come across. Some of the best food is found at the little local "holes in the wall", but if you don't have the constitution for it, I would advise you to stick to the "americanized" touristy places. In case you're wondering, I have been travelling extensively throughout Mexico since 1981 and lived there for 5 years.
Dale Jr. Champion Author Illinois Posts:16,214 Points:3,234,125 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2006 9:47:04 AM Ignore Dale Jr. Report Abuse No. Don't plan on going to any part of Mexico soon.
dakine Champion Author Orange County Posts:19,575 Points:3,587,975 Joined:Feb 2003	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2006 9:25:39 AM Ignore dakine Report Abuse Never been there.
Bus Jockey Champion Author Tennessee Posts:16,754 Points:2,992,490 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2006 8:03:16 AM Ignore Bus Jockey Report Abuse NO! I will spend my money in the good ole U.S.A.
Byrde Champion Author Ontario Posts:7,818 Points:1,577,275 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2006 5:32:15 AM Ignore Byrde Report Abuse Never been to Mexico
stevieyz19 Champion Author Michigan Posts:14,482 Points:2,744,210 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2006 1:11:22 AM Ignore stevieyz19 Report Abuse Only been just across the border once in my childhood.
dam_pup Champion Author Charlotte Posts:25,791 Points:2,291,460 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Dec 12, 2006 1:56:43 AM Ignore dam_pup Report Abuse Do NOT exchange money before you go. They will deal in American dollars and you should insist they give you US dollars for change. Don't pay the price tag, your US dollar is worth more to them than to you. [Edited by: korndog29 at 12/12/2006 2:00:06 AM EST]
Jeannemarie Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:27,700 Points:2,035,640 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Dec 12, 2006 1:45:30 AM Ignore Jeannemarie Report Abuse We love Mazatlan so much we go there for five weeks every year. We have been to Cabo and will not return. It is too noisy, too commercial, too crowded, too honky-tonk, too expensive by far, and too Americanized. We have been going to Mazatlan since the 1960s and we love it. Not to say we haven't been elsewhere, we have - Cancun, Cozumel, Puerta Vallarta, Guaymas, Monterey, Mexico City, Guadalajara, and ports all over the Caribbean but still prefer Maz. We have been to Spain to the Costa de Oro and still prefer Maz. We stay at Pueblo Bonito where you can drink the water from the tap as it is triple purified but it might be a good idea if you are elsewhere to use bottled water. Inn at Mazatlan can be trusted to have good water as well. You might enjoy Casa Country which has a floor show with the dinner. The food there is outstanding, try the goat. We have never had a bad meal there. It is also well within one's pocketbook. We often take our extended family there and can easily manage the bill. El Tunel down at Plaza Machado is fun, run by a lot of little old ladies, try drinking horchata there - they make their own and you won't get ill. They make fabulous pozole as well. Also Lola & Pepes is good on Plaza Machado. Any of the Panama restaurants are good. No problems with the food or the drink there. We have found it hard to get ill in Maz unless you drink too much tequila. That is the big problem, not the water. People drink a lot of margaritas and blame the water when they get sick. Tequila is an acquired usage, not a once in a while fling thing. Beware tequila shooters - they will jump you from behind and you will wonder what happened. It tends to get coolish just before and around Christmas - that is their winter too. The sunsets are generally worth writing home about and if there is anything else you want to know call me at Pueblo Bonito as I will be there December 18th and on to January 22. We will be at Pueblo Bonito (the original) then at Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Nueva Mazatlan for the rest of the trip. The concierge usually knows where we can be found. Don't worry about exchanging money. They accept gringo money and will give you change in Mexican. There are money exchangers all over the place and often they are cheaper than the bank. What they do is hold the money until they can get a great rate at the bank and make their extra that way. Just check the rates. The Peso is running about 11 to the dollar just now and may go to 10.80 or so. Seems to generally do that. I have some Euros from last European trip and some pesos from last Mexican trip (last year) and don't worry too much about either. Actually I bought those Euros for less than they cost now. My pesos are about the same. It stays pretty even. At first you will be shocked when you see prices on things. They use $ just as we do and you will see something for $300 and you will go into sticker shock but that is only about $30 US> Any more questions just ask - I am on my own thread "Say Hi to Jeanne-Marie" so you can drop by there if you have more questions on anything pertaining to Maz. We cook in our apartment and have had great success with everything. We don't go out and get drunk as that is one way to spoil the whole trip. I am looking forward, however, to Noche de Buena beer which is only made at this time of year for Christmas which is what Noche de Buena is - Christmas Eve. Our family down there celebrate all night Christmas Eve but we are such old fogies we cannot keep up with that. There are a lot of traditions and the Mazalatecans are generally to be found observing them. We spend our New Year's Eve every year at Casa Loma which is a very nice place. I think they would go into shock if we didn't show up. That time may come one day. By the way, my husband is from Minnesota and he loves Mexico even more than I do and I am a Californian by birth and raising but we are both Las Vegans and have been for over 50 years now. Ok ramtuff, if we run into you down there we will give you lots more pointers - this page is not long enough for that.
Glasman Champion Author South Carolina Posts:6,188 Points:750,000 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Dec 11, 2006 11:00:17 AM Ignore Glasman Report Abuse Cabo is way better.
pstrom Champion Author Dallas Posts:16,025 Points:3,607,330 Joined:Jul 2002	Message Posted: Dec 11, 2006 9:34:55 AM Ignore pstrom Report Abuse Have fun
HS6348 Champion Author Buffalo Posts:6,624 Points:681,925 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Dec 11, 2006 7:55:38 AM Ignore HS6348 Report Abuse No, but they always have good vacation specials there.
Bus Jockey Champion Author Tennessee Posts:16,754 Points:2,992,490 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Dec 11, 2006 7:54:54 AM Ignore Bus Jockey Report Abuse NO!
ramtuff Champion Author Minnesota Posts:2,014 Points:391,920 Joined:Nov 2002	Message Posted: Dec 11, 2006 7:52:39 AM Ignore ramtuff Report Abuse Thanks Korny...do you exchange money before you go, or not?
dam_pup Champion Author Charlotte Posts:25,791 Points:2,291,460 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Dec 8, 2006 1:43:36 PM Ignore dam_pup Report Abuse Been to other parts of Mexico, but not there. Stick to bottled water, even to brush your teeth. Most resorts have purified water they use to make ice and such, but stay away from the little hole in the wall places with signs that say "we have purified water"...trust me!
chocolateflash Champion Author San Diego Posts:14,684 Points:2,683,645 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Dec 8, 2006 11:25:57 AM Ignore chocolateflash Report Abuse I've been all over the world but not to Mexico. Will stay and explore the US rather than make Mexico rich. But enjoy, it's supposed to be warm there this time of year.
nojsts Champion Author St. Louis Posts:14,048 Points:2,829,905 Joined:May 2002	Message Posted: Dec 8, 2006 10:09:23 AM Ignore nojsts Report Abuse Can't help you.