Mexico - Cabo via Mazatlan

Hey Guys, I need to go to Cabo for a wedding. Thinking of flying into Mazatlan and spending a few days there and then getting on the overnight ferry to La Paz and renting a car and driving 2 hours south to Cabo. Has anyone ever been to Mazatlan? Thoughts? And has anyone taken the overnight ferries from Mazatlan to the Baja Penninsula? Thanks.:confused:

Mazatlan's been a popular tourist destination for many years, but I probably wouldn't, personally, visit in the near term. There are other destinations that are less volatile. But, if you do choose to go - American Airlines announced today the addition of a Dallas > Mazatlan daily flight, beginning maybe the second week of June. When is your trip? I haven't used the ferry service, so I'm no help there.

Thanks for your reply. I'm thinking of going from May 28th to June 1st or 2nd. Do you think Mazatlan is a fringe place to visit in terms of issues that have been going on in Mexico? Coming from NYC so not sure if the Dallas flight would help... most flights from here connect in PHX.

I go to Mazatlan a lot. My wife´s family lives there. The tourist areas are ok, but there are occurances in other areas. A coulple of nights ago, someone shot up a disco that the Mexicans frequent, and killed a bunch of people. If you stay on the strip and the tourist areas, there is no real danger. We stay at the Royal Villas which is a beautiful place....on the beach, good food, great pool, American t.v., hi speed internet.......and great staff. I have no worries about Mazatlan, but I don´t go looking for drugs in strange places in the middle of the night.
The ferry to La Paz is 16 hours....I think it leaves about 4:00 pm and gets into La Paz at about 8:00 am.
As an alternative, there is a flight from Mazatlan to Cabo and La Paz. Here is the link http://www.aereocalafia.com.mx/index.php?section=destinos They are a good little airline, and fly well maintained equipment. Enjoy your stay in Mexico

There have been serious problems in the tourist zones, recently - and that's the reason why all but one cruise line has canceled port calls in favor of visiting elsewhere. Cruise passengers and crews have been victimized. There have also been shoot-outs and a recent massacre in the tourist zone. There were more than 340 murders in Mazatlan last year - a city with about 430,000 population and more than 70 this year. The other day dead bodies were strung from overpasses on two sides of the city. Some travelers are risk takers and enjoy a tinge of danger. I find that behavior foolish. As foolish as chamber of commerce like remarks telling people visiting the area doesn't include an increased risk as compared to prior years.

Curious......Several cruise lines have stopped going to Mazatlan.....the port is not in the best part of the city. But I understand from this thread that American Airlines has added a Mazatlan flight for people who I assume would be in the tourist area. I guess there are differing opinions on the safety in Mazatlan....even in the corporate world. I feel just as safe in most parts of Mazatlan than I do in many parts of Chicago, New York, or Vancouver.

I'm not sure where GoMexico is getting those stats as I've just been doing research for a travel trade pub and the only "shootout" was between narcos who were from Culiacan (a truly dangerous city) and were passing through. That's what caused the cruise lines to cancel. I just spent a week there and did not see or hear of anybody having any problems and I was in multiple parts of the city. I also interviewed a lot of residents who say they feel safer there than they did in the U.S.

Also, all the business owners in Mazatlan said the cruise companies REALLY canceled because the port raised its rates. They'll get lowered again and then suddenly the lines will declare it to be safe again. Money is driving the decision, not reality on the ground.

It's also half the price of Cabo for hotels and restaurants, so your plan sounds like a good one.