Wednesday March 10, 2010
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A harbor for expatriates
The coastline is among the attractions luring Americans to Mazatlan
By Marla Dickerson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer. October 21, 2007
MAZATLAN, MEXICO - This bustling port was supposed to be just a whistle-stop for Lana and Joe Reid. The San Jose retirees were en route to the tourist hotbed of Puerto Vallarta, where they were planning to buy a home near the water.
But their detour through Mazatlan turned out to be a date with destiny. They were drawn to the street life of the historic downtown. They strolled the oceanfront walkway known as the malecon. They watched the fishing fleets skipping across the bay to the seafood canneries. They liked the cultural amenities, such as the restored 19th century theater, and the good healthcare and other services available in this industrious city of 400,000.
Mazatlan: The Pearl of the Pacific
Mazatlan is appropriately nicknamed the "Pearl of the Pacific", and rumors of lost pirate treasure may not be the only treasure that can be found here. Although not a household name in America, Mazatlan has been attracting tourists since the 1930's and experienced a growth boom in the 70's when several resorts sprung up along the beachfront. Today over a million tourists visit Mazatlan each year. With one of the largest ports in Mexico, Mazatlan has a strong economy powered by the fishing, manufacturing, and tourism industries. Mazatlan's beach front stretches for 16 miles along the Pacific coast, the longest uninterrupted stretch of beach in the country and one of the longest in the world. It is situated at just below the Tropic of Capricorn at approximately the same latitude as Los Cabos and Hawaii, resulting in a warm tropical climate year round. The housing sector continues to grow in Mazatlan, with new developments still sprouting along the oceanfront. Although, very similar in climate to Los Cabos and Cancun, Mazatlan housing prices are generally lower and a great opportunity to consider when selecting a Mexico real estate investment.
Pacific Pearl
A classic Mexican resort town, Mazatlán preserves its old-world charmn
Text by Jeff Book ~ CoastalLiving.com
Watching the waves from the terrace of El Shrimp Bucket, sipping locally brewed Pacifico between swallows of spicy seviche, you can easily picture the postwar years, the first peak of Mazatlán tourism. Early visitors such as John Wayne and Robert Mitchum came to sportfish, and to party in hotels along Olas Altas beach. The crowds that followed, from the 1960s on, lodged at resorts that sprang up along the miles of sand to the north. But recent years have seen a revival of the town's historic center, with restored buildings housing new restaurants and boutique hotels.