Its multiple, complex nature make boredom impossible. Wandering through the city and its historic center, sunbathing on its magnificent beaches, traveling to the islands using every imaginable form of transport, and gazing at the horizon from hills such as El Faro and El Cerro de la Nevería, enjoying one of the most elaborate regional seafood cuisines, participating in the carnival, sailing or sport fishing are some of the things that have made Mazatlan famous the world over.

The region now occupied by Mazatlan has been populated since long before the Spanish conquest. Nuño Beltrán and Francisco de Ibarra subdued the local indigenous groups and then divided up the vast plots of land on the coast between themselves.

The Spaniards called it Mazatlan Island, in honor of the three islands facing the bay. During the colonial era, it was a major port from which ships laden with gold set off for Spain on long journeys round Cape Horn.

Mazatlan, located in the south of the state of Sinaloa, on the Pacific Coast, is a city with a 17 km shoreline under a brilliant sun, with a rainy season in summer followed by a long dry period. Its marine fauna and sea birds make Mazatlan ideal for nature lovers. The islands facing the wide bay and Crestón Island, the site of the world's highest lighthouse (157m above sea level) are two of Mazatlan's distinctive symbols, together with its spectacular sunsets.