Why Live, Work, Retire and Invest in Mazatlán
The Durango-Mazatlán Highway is one of Mexico’s greatest engineering feats, 115 bridges and 63 tunnels designed to bring people, cargo and commerce safely through a mountain range known for an accident-prone road called the Devil’s Backbone.
Also called the Carretera Interoceánica (Interoceanic Highway) the road beginning at Reynosa, Tamaulipas, just west of the Port of Brownsville, Texas, and ending at Mazatlán on the Pacific coast. It passes through Monterrey, Nuevo León; Saltillo, Coahuila; Torreon; Gómez Palacio and Durango City
The driving time from Monterrey or South Texas to Mazatlán will be reduced to less than a day. This will revive Mazatlán as a major tourist and international commerce destination after a little more than a decade of relative stagnation.
Autopista Durango-Mazatlán (Photo: Manuel Parra Lopez /Durango Oficial)
The Pacific Ocean port of Mazatlán and north-central Mexico (population about 12 million) and most of Texas (about 20 million). The impact from increased trade in finished products (especially those which are relatively light and suitable for truck transport) will be significant. Linking the pacific with the gulf and east coast will cut 14 days off of the trip from China, to Texas, via the Panama Canal. It will be the fastest way to ship a container from China to Chicago.
‘It will change the landscape of this part of the country,’ Sinaloa state tourism Secretary Francisco Cordova said. ‘It’s an opportunity to develop these areas and diversify the local economy.’
Why Mazatlán?
Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning “place of deer.” The city was founded in 1531 by an army of Spaniards and indigenous settlers. By the mid-19th century, a large group of immigrants arrived from Germany.
These new citizens developed Mazatlán into a thriving commercial seaport, importing equipment for the nearby gold and silver mines. It served as the capital of Sinaloa from 1859 to 1873.
The German settlers also influenced the local music, Banda, which is an alteration of Bavarian folk music. The settlers also established the Pacifico Brewery on March 14, 1900.
Mazatlan in 1958 (Photo: laurelcottagegenealogy.com)
Mazatlán is socially diverse, and attracts people from many different countries and races. There is a strong contingency of Chinese, Italian Americans, Canadians, and European people living here; attracted and where looking for an authentic Mexican town without the hyper commercialism of some other resort areas in Mexico.
Mazatlán: “Pearl of the Pacific”
Also known as the “Pearl of the Pacific “and once a heaven for Hollywood elite it have been Mexico’s best kept secret. Mazatlán is still considered a resort city ‘off the beaten track’ by most foreign investors and those who are looking to live, work, invest and retire in Mexico. This situation provides a unique opportunity and affordability factor that other coastal cities on Mexico’s coast don’t offer anymore due to their popularity. In addition to being one of a few original Spanish colonial cities on the ocean, this city is totally authentic in style: the real Mexico lives and breathes here every day of the year.
The Centro Historico (Historic Center) has been undergoing a remarkable renaissance in recent years as property investors have bought up derelict colonial buildings and restored them to their former 18th Century glory. The city authorities are doing their part, too, by improving essential infrastructures such as water, drainage and the local electricity supply grid.
In addition to some fine residences, the historic center is also developing into a lively commercial and cultural center, offering art centers, theater, boutique stores, and fine restaurants situated alongside beautiful tree and flower-laden plazas and patios.
Centro Histórico del puerto de Mazatlán (Photo: Portal linea Directa)
Mazatlán is one of Mexico’s most affordable vacation destinations and many Mexicans arrive here every year for their family holidays. The Zona Dorada (Golden Zone) is a stretch of sea-front properties — mostly hotels and condominiums — extending along some four miles of beach. It’s here where the tourists come to stay and spend their vacations, and some expats purchase condos with stunning views across the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortes.
To the south, this vibrant port city faces the Pacific Ocean, and facing north, the Sea of Cortes, a body of water shielded by Mexico’s Baja peninsula. The city’s geographical location — on the same latitude as Hawaii — provides year-round warmth without extreme heat or humidity.
Due to its latitude, Mazatlán’s climate is more moderate than Mexican coastal cities located further south.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
High °C 25 25 26 27 29 31 32 32 32 32 29 26
High °F 77 77 79 81 84 88 90 90 90 90 84 79
Low °C 15 15 16 18 20 25 25 25 25 24 19 16
Low °F 59 59 61 64 68 77 77 77 77 75 66 61
Mazatlan Carnival 2016 (Photo: YouTube)
Among the Most Affordable Beach Locations in Mexico
Living or retiring in Mazatlán is affordable – possibly the most affordable beach resort city on Mexico’s coast. Property prices have been depressed for the last decade, but this is a city still in the early stages of a renaissance; in and around the historical center there still exists a mixture of developed and undeveloped colonial properties; and around the edges of the historical center are neighborhoods with ‘fixer upper’ properties being offered for sale — a sure sign that there is much more growth and development to come. The other affordability factor in Mazatlán are living costs: local shops, stores and prices are lower than other beach resorts in Mexico and smaller budgets stretch further: not just at the point of purchasing a property — but also when residents move in and start paying day-to-day living expenses.
The signs of development are apparent to those who have lived in Mazatlán for a decade or more; and the growth story appears to just be starting. Foreigners who are looking for a variety of property styles, a low cost of living and who want to live among an authentic Mexican environment will do well to consider Mazatlán — clearly an overlooked location on the cusp of a 21st Century renaissance.
Mazatlán is experiencing a new surge of inward investment with completion of new highway: from Mexicans as well as foreigners. This is demonstrated in the renaissance of the historic center as well as the arrival of some new major hotel brands that are building and opening major new resorts golf courses, marinas and residential developments north and south of Mazatlán.
Mazatlán, Sinaloa (Photo: Hotel Playa Mazatlán)
At present, only two cities in Mexico can offer extensive conference facilities: Cancun and Mexico City. A new convention center recently opened in Mazatlán is Mexico’s largest, and it will attract a huge number of visitors to the city for expos and conferences; the expo center is spear-heading the efforts as Mexico positions itself as world-class venue for large meetings and expositions.
A number of large developers are already creating luxury beachfront condos (Las Gavias Grand) in northern Mazatlán close to new convention center, and extensive projects, like (Estrella de Mar) with 5.5 kilometers of beachfront and only PGA Golf Course on the pacific situated south of the city and just a ten minute drive from the airport, offers the region’s best golf course, luxury condos, villas and land plots facing the golf course and/or the Pacific Ocean. It is a prime example of the massive and continuous commitment that major investors are making in this region — and Mazatlán
Prices for real estate will and are starting to rise, with Mazatlán already being a Mexican favorite and now being rediscovered by Canadians and American investors and baby boomers are taking advantage of Mazatlán being the most affordable beachfront city in México. That can be easily reach by car and Rv and only a couple of hours direct flight from many American and Canadian cities.
Mazatlán Beach ♥ L4C (Photo: L4C.me)
The Sinaloa delegation participating in the Tianguis Turístico 2016 in Guadalajara have confirmed new flights to Mazatlán and in some cases, an extension of winter charter periods with more frequent flights.
According to a press release from the Sinaloa Secretary of Tourism, the changes are as follows:
WestJet will fly to Mazatlán for ten months of the year instead of six in the 2016-17 winter season
Suncountry will continue its five weekly flights from Minneapolis, beginning in November 2016 Sunwing has confirmed that beginning December, it will operate a non-stop flight from Winnipeg, Canada to Mazatlán Negations are underway with Aero México to establish two new routes: Denver-Mazatlán and Chicago-Mazatlán.
Mazatlan International Airport (Photo: Panoramio)
Current flights
13 cities with non-stop flights To Mazatlán (MZT)
- Calgary, Canada 4h 25m WestJet
- Chihuahua, Mx 1h 25m Polet
- Dallas, USA 2h 45m American
- Edmonton, Canada 4h 50m WestJet
- Guadalajara, Mx 1h 15m Aeromar, Polet
- La Paz, Mx 1h 5m Polet
- Los Angeles, USA 2h 35m Alaska airlines
- Los Mochis, Mx 1h 25m Aeromar
- Mexico City, Mx 1h 40m Aeromexico, InterJet, VivaAerobus,
- Monterrey, Mx 1h 25m VivaAerobus
- Phoenix, USA 2h 20m American
- Tijuana, Mx 2h 25m Volaris
- Vancouver, Canada 4h 30m WestJet
