Such a fun and tasty afternoon spent with Wendy on the Barrio Bites tour!…read more We've done a bunch of food tours I've the last few years and this has been among the best. We very much wanted this tour, which wasn't offered when we needed it (we had one day in town as we were arriving via cruise). I sent an inquiry and Maaike cheerily replied that she would make it available for us! From there we received thoughtful and helpful information to plan accordingly for our tour. A+ for communication! Touring with Wendy was like visiting with a cousin. She shared history and stories, watched out for our comfort and safety, and took us to amazing places. Everywhere we went, the locals knew and greeted her and then us, sharing pictures and stories as well. There is too much to mention, and all was fabulous! An extra perk was having our own vehicle - the red truck. Our driver kept us safe, watched out for bumps, helped us on and off. And even dropped us back at the port. Wendy told us her goal was for us to fall in love with Mazatlan and be eager to return. She was successful! We hope to go back to visit again soon and will definitely do another tour with her! Mucho gracias Maaike, Wendy and Flavor Teller!

This is a fantastic activity for everyone! It was exciting, adventurous and delicious. So much…read moreamazing food and history all over. My friend and I intend on doing another food tour next year when we visit. Looking forward to it!

I've been fishing Mexico's Lake El Salto with Anglers Inn International for 20 years. Recently I've…read morebeen able to visit Lake Picachos. These folks provide the very best service, accommodations, food, guides and fishing. I've lost count but I've been at the lake with Anglers Inn around 40 times and never have had a single disappointment. My biggest largemouth bass is 11 pounds 2 ounces but have caught more than my share of double digit fish. Every angler should have El Salto or Picachos on their bucket list.

Review for "Deer Island Snorkling and Beach BBQ" Tour. This tour is boring AF, and costs $90 CDN…read more($65 USD) - AVOID!!!! Total rip-off!!! The catamaran takes you to some islands to see birds ("bird poop island") and sea lions, and then takes you to Deer Island where there is nothing to do but sit on the beach and drink. Cuz you can't do that anywhere else. Don't waste your time snorkelling, the small reef is long dead and there's only a few brown fish hanging around. We brought our own gear, I certainly wouldn't trust the cleanliness of their gear based on the condition of the catamaran. The catamaran (the Kolonahe) is poorly maintained, the men's toilet didn't flush, and one of two struts for the top structure of the catamaran (you know, where people walk and sit) was completely rusted out and broken off. For the price they're charging, that boat should be impeccably maintained. There's little to no guide interpretation (in english anyhow) as you sit on the catamaran listening to much loathed 1990s classics like Céline Dion's "My Heart Will Go On". Nothing says good times on a boat like the Titanic Soundtrack. Of the 25 people on board, 4 were Mexican, and two of them spoke english fluently, yet with my limited spanish I overheard the "guide" speaking to them at length about the Mazatlán coastline while ignoring the rest of the guests. The beach BBQ is a sad showing of the worst food the El Cid resort has to offer, runny refried beans, chicken skewers, salad. Why would anyone pay $90 for this, especially as all the guests were staying at all-inclusives anyhow (telltale wristbands). To top it off, I overheard the "guides" talking to the El Cid food server and laughing at the guests and calling them gordas (fatties). To add further insult, we waited over an hour at the dock (El Cid Marina) for the catamaran to be ready, and then again for 45 minutes for the shuttle (one 8 seater van for everyone) to take us back to the hotel. Total waste of a vacation day. An older couple said the Stone Island tour was much better, like the guides actually talked to them in english and told them about some of the area history. Personally based on my experience, I would avoid anything the Aries Fleet has to offer, they're just ripping off tourists as far as I can tell. You can rent a sea kayak and paddle yourself over to Deer Island in probably 20 minutes if you really want to check it out.

Great experience with this tour provider! I had pre-booked an excursion arriving on a cruise ship…read more Once checked in and waiting for others to arrive for the city tour, I explained to the tour guide that I wasn't feeling well and might want to skip Stone Island. He said he could bring me back to the crust port if necessary. He gave a great city tour explaining the buildings and new versus old section of Mazatlan. All in all, a great tour and much more reasonable than booking through the cruise line. Highly recommend!!

We booked a tour of classic Mazatlan sites and our driver was excellent. However, just as a few…read morepeople have mentioned below, we were taken to the worst restaurant I've ever eaten at. I believe someone compared it to Taco Bell. I'd eat Taco Bell a thousand times before going back to Costa Marinera. Obviously, they are partnered with this restaurant because last year we were taken here as well and we walked out. Ask to go somewhere else for lunch. What people wrote about the vendors, is an underestimation. They hound you from the second you sit down.

We went on a wonderful semi private tour with Pauola yesterday. We had a great time learning and…read moreeating our way through Mazatlán Centro Highly recommend it, next time we're going to do a cooking class

Don't hesitate one second for booking anything w Pauola and her company. Our group of 4 friends…read morefrom the Midwest did the taco cooking class and a walking food tour of old Mazetlan. The staff is engaging, fun, knowledgeable, professional, and easy to be with. Food is unbelievable in both experiences!!

Mazatlan is one of the ports of the Mexican Riviera cruise route. So naturally, there's a port with…read moretourist focused shops. Once you're off the ship, and you want to say, take a walk into town, you'll need to go through a building with shops, the main one being duty free. Obviously, the prices are the biggest here but it's very convenient and has AC for those hot Mexican summers. Once you come out of the main building, there are more shops in an open courtyard and a bar. This is also where the persistent taxi drivers are offering you rides anywhere and everywhere. If you do hire one, negotiate a price before even getting in their car. It's a small terminal and besides one or 2 photo ops and shops, there's isn't much more.

If you're cruising into Mazatlán Cruise Terminal, this port makes a not-so-great first impression,…read morebecause your ship will be docked right in the middle of a busy working industrial zone with hundreds of commercial cargo containers. It's not beautiful, but beyond this area a lovely city awaits. The process to get from your ship to the main tourist terminal is pretty simple. There's no tender required. Once you step off the ship, you hop on a quick and free open-air tram that shuttles you through the industrial area straight to the terminal. It's efficient, easy, and kind of fun. Once you arrive in the terminal, you can tell it is geared towards cruisers. The indoor area feels festive and welcoming, almost like a mini marketplace. There are dozens of shops selling everything from local crafts and souvenirs to silver jewelry. It's a great place to browse or pick up gifts without even leaving the port. There's also a small restaurant, bars, and vendors if you want a quick bite or drink, and an open air market with cheap booze, food, and other trinkets to buy. Again, I do not recommend you only stay at the terminal because Mazatlan is a gorgeous and friendly city with tons of culture (and way better and cheaper food, beaches, and more outside the touristy zone). The terminal has all the practical amenities, like restrooms, ATMs, and a tourist information desk with maps and helpful volunteers who can point you in the right direction. Everything feels safe, organized, and easy to navigate. Right outside the gate, you'll find official taxis, tour operators, rental options, and the iconic pulmonias (open-air taxis that are basically Mazatlán's version of a golf cart ride). They're a fun and breezy way to get around. You can also walk to Old Town (my fave area of the city) by following the "Blue Line" that's literally painted on the sidewalk. While the industrial setting might not be glamorous at first glance, the Mazatlán Cruise Terminal delivers where it counts. Even if you don't venture outside the gates, this is a surprisingly enjoyable and stress-free port stop.

A wonderful day in Siñaloa! One of the best tours I have been on anywhere in the world! First…read moreoff, David is wonderful and the tours can be in English or Spanish. On my way to Mazatlán, literally sitting at the airport I tried calling tour Guide Mazatlán after finding it on Trip Advisor. I spoke to a wonderful guide named David and told him what tour I was looking for. I told him I would book online through Trip Advisor and hung up. He texted me and asked just to book through him and I am glad I did! Our guide was David. He picked my sister and I up from our Hotel on the day we scheduled and arrived right on time. When we got in the tour van, David stated he brought a cooler and had refreshments for us to help ourselves to. It was a wonderful thought. We took a drive past a local cemetary. He explained Dia De Los Muertas to us and explained the structures and what they meant. He also drove us by a rooster farm where roosters are trained to fight. I am an animal lover and hate to think this exists but David reminded us how traditions have lived in this part of the country for a long time and while the practice is slowing down, it is still active. It was interesting to see. We next went to La Noria which is a small town where we toured a local craftsman who fashioned leather belts and shoes. We also stopped by a local jeweler and I bought a beautiful ring that the shop owner sized and brought to my hotel later that night. While at this stop, David was wonderful and made us tamarind margaritas. How awesome! Next, we went to Los Osuna, a blue agave distillery. David explained to us the original process for distilling the blue agave and showed us the methods. He also showed us the way it has been modernized and how the drink is now made. After the very cool tour, we were able to taste a couple different flavors. David then made us Mango Margaritas!. The distillery was really nice and is set in a scenic and beautiful. It was a great afternoon. Next we went to another small town, El Quelite. We visited a local restaurant and learned to make traditional salsa and corn tortillas, what a blast! We then had a very nice lunch, had a visit with an iguana and then had some free time to tour the town. We next went to a local bakery and were able to buy some very affordably priced goodies. David then took us back to our hotel. Our tour lasted about 6 hours and was filled with a lot but didn't feel rushed or exhausting. He kept it light, upbeat and let us go at our own pace. We had 5 people on our tour which was great. A few more wouldn't have hurt but I am glad that David keeps it smaller. It was more tailored to us and went with our flow. As I saw some of the other tours that day, they each had 20+ people. I think with a tour that large, it wouldn't have been as personal. David is a true professional and made our day absolutely amazing. He goes above and beyond for his clients/passengers. I would absolutely recommend Tour Guide Mazatlán and David to anyone looking for a great half day or day long trip. You will not be disappointed!!

I was very impressed with the service I received on our airport transfer…read more David was waiting for us with a sign flagging us to him. He immediately grabbed a couple of our bags and whisked us away to the van. We were traveling in a group of 7 but space was not an issue at all. A/C is a must at this time of year in Mazatlan and his van did not disappoint. He also had a variety of drinks in a cooler (water, soda, juice, beer) to help cool us down. Before we arrived I was able to make arrangements through email with David for a quick stop at a supermarket, as we were staying in a house in the El CID Marina area. Depending on the distance he can provide a quote for you. He not only kept the van running with the A/C during my shopping spree, but he immediately jumped out of his van to load all while we comfortably sat back down in the A/C. Details is what I watch for, and David does a very good job exemplifying great service. I did not have any second guesses booking a tour with him there on the spot. Keep up the great work David!