Mazatlan Diving

Mazatlan Scuba Diving, Mazatlan Snorkeling,
Mazatlan Beach Activities

Mazatlan diving is pretty good, but truth be told, Mazatlan is not considered a dive destination. If you are on vacation to this fabulous vacation spot and enjoy diving, you will find a dive or two, worthwhile.
Whether you are scuba diving Mazatlan or snorkeling, don’t expect a Caribbean scuba diving experience.

There are no coral reefs; however there are numerous interesting rock reefs and cliffs. Depending on where you are, the bottom is generally sandy with boulders strewn about and shells, plentiful marine life, lobsters, colorful fish and other curiosities.

There are a few options offered for Mazatlan diving by various entrepreneurs in the area.

There are a couple of dive shops in town that can provide information and there is a dive operation from the beach just south of the El Cid towers, between El Cid and the Inn at Mazatlan named "The Aqua Sports Center".

The operators speak English, have good equipment, know the area and waters and seem to be a safe, knowledgeable dive operation.

Most Mazatlan diving is fairly close the mainland, just offshore at Deer, Bird or Goat islands. You don’t spend a lot of time on a boat getting there! We dove off Deer Island in 25 to 40 feet of water, just offshore from a vertical cliff face. There is also a rocky reef / rock formation that is about a hundred yards long with lots to explore. Visibility ranged from 25 to 30 feet depending on the degree of wave action; not the Caribbean but certainly good enough to see things well and worth a couple of tanks.

There was a great number of very colorful fish, some silver and neon blue, some with vivid yellow and black stripes, blowfish (puffer fish) all sorts of species I’m not familiar with. I spotted a couple eels with their heads protruding from a crevasse, I believe they were Morays, whatever they were, they had gnarly enough teeth that I made sure I gave them their space.

Another popular Mazatlan diving spot is off of Stone Island. This is not really an island, but a peninsula on the far side of the harbor. GREAT day trip!
 
You should be able to find a basic Mazatlan diving trip with all of the equipment included, single tank on a 16 foot panga (skiff) boat for about $50-$60 US. The location varies depending on the season and where the best diving is at the time.

Snorkeling

Another Mazatlan diving option is snorkeling. There are several snorkeling tours readily available or you can venture out on you own. You can rent snorkeling equipment for around $8 per day. Many of the resorts provide all sorts of rental services right on the beach.

There are several ways to get to the offshore islands where the water is calm and the snorkeling is enjoyable. There is an amphibious vehicle that leaves from El Cid Towers, small Hobie Cats from Costa del Oro, Royal Villas and most others hotels on the Golden Zone and larger catamaran half-day tours that leave from the marina.

Here is one of our favorite day trips…. We highly recommend it as a fun get away.

We load up our backpacks with necessities, few beers and sandwiches, sunscreen and snorkeling gear. For $20 the skipper will take you on a Hobie Cat from the mainland and drop you off on Deer Island. Tell him what time you want to be picked up and he will come back for you later in the afternoon at the designated time.

             

This is the view of the mainland from the beach on Deer Island. If you notice, there are certainly no crowds here!

            
Here is a close-up of some of the hotels. On the left is the Inn at Mazatlan, in the center is the Costa del Oro and on the right is the Royal Villas and Balboa Towers. There is good snorkeling off of the tide pools at the south end of the beach. A great Mazatlan diving spot and beach experience.

Even more enjoyable is the total quiet you experience and the incredible view of all of Mazatlan from the lighthouse to the north end of the Golden Zone. In the distance you see the entrance to the harbor, the lighthouse up on the hill. "Stone Island" is around the harbor entrance. There is some fairly good diving near Stone Island.

 Swimming

During spring and fall Mazatlan ocean water temperatures are in the low to mid 80’s and most agreeable. During mid-winter it is a little cooler, upper 70's but still very pleasant. Mid-summer water temperatures are in the 80's and feel almost like a bathtub. The beaches along the Golden Zone have a very shallow slope and you can walk out quite a distance before getting in over your head. The wave action is fairly mild due to the islands blocking a good portion of the swell.
 
Caution: At times there are many jellyfish in the ocean, particularly in late summer. However we have experienced them at other times also. This isn't any different than most any beach destination, so just be aware. Pay attention to the warning signs on the beach. They will tell you if the Jellyfish are present. Jellyfish don’t swim per/say, they are at the mercy of the currents. You can usually tell by observation whether or not there are a lot of them in the water where you are at. Should you happen to get stung, don't panic! The stings are painful but not dangerous. (by the way, the ammonia treatment does work!)

Of course, there are many beautiful pools in the hotels and resorts. Waterfalls, landscaping with rock formations and other themes abound. Some have swim-up bars. A number have multiple pools, many have organized activities during the day and others reserve a pool for adults only. Several, such as the El Cid Marina have salt water pools.

Water sports are an all day - every day attraction in Mazatlán. The beaches are teeming with Jet Ski’s and Waverunners, parasailing, inflatable banana rides, Hobie Cats and sea kayaks you name it!

If you are staying in the Golden Zone your favorite water sport is probably just a few steps away, water toys, parasailing to Mazatlan diving, everything is offered directly from the beaches.