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Stone Island Mazatlan |
Stone
Island Tour : Mazatlan's most
famous tour. Spend the day at the finest beach club on Stone Island,
for the best price in town. Perfect for a cruise shore excursion
or day in paradise.
Stone Island Mazatlan( Isla de la Piedra ), really a peninsula,
is located south of Mazatlan, just a short boat ride across Navigation
Channel. With about 4,000 residents, Stone Island Mazatlan has a
lot to offer, but without the crowds of mainland Mazatlan. Mexico's
third largest coconut grove follows the length of the southern beach,
which seems to disappear on the horizon as it stretches eastward.
Gentle waves make for a refreshing swim, and the sandy beach is the
perfect place to take in the hot Mexican sun. Palapa restaurants
run one right after the other for a good length at the beginning
of the beach. Often animated by roaming vendors and mariachis, these
open-aired restaurants are a pleasant way to cool off in the shade
and enjoy an ocean view. While seafood is sure to be on every menu,
chicken, quesadillas, soups, salads, and coconuts are also local
favorites. Most of these restaurants also offer umbrella-shaded areas
with lounging chairs and hammocks if you'd just like to enjoy a margarita
or some fresh limeade. Many of these restaurants also rent out ATVs,
catamarans, banana boats, and horses. Showers and volleyball courts
are sometimes available free of charge if you find the right place.
Getting to Stone Island :
 There are two embarcaderos that offer boat service
to Stone Island Mazatlan. One is located on the eastern side of the
peninsula of Mazatlan near the end of 21 de marzo Street and drops
you off a little more west on Stone Island. This embarcadero operates
24 hours a day. The other is located on South Beach on the south-eastern
tip of Mazatlan and operates from about 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You will disembark
a little more east on Stone Island. We recommend this one, as a walk
straight ahead upon reaching shore will lead you to an array of palapa restaurants
and many choices for fun in the sun (or shade). If you wish to reach
Stone Island from South Beach, the air-conditioned Sabalo Centro bus
goes right there for 8 pesos, and bus drivers do give change. If you
accidentally get off at the larger La Paz Ferry Building, don't worry.
Just walk back another block east and go to the small yellow building
on the waterfront. There you will find a water taxi for 15 pesos, round
trip. Their last trip back from Stone Island is 5 p.m. Be sure to hold
onto your ticket, as it will be collected upon your return to mainland
Mazatlan.
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Stone Island Attractions:
 See
above for our recommended disembarking location. Behind the middle
of the strip of restaurants along the
beach you will find a concrete road. Follow this northward for
a look at real Mexico. Small stores are set in
among houses, and people ride by you on horses as roosters crow.
Follow this road for a view of the Pacifico Brewery across
the channel or to take a rest at the Plazuela en
Memoriade de J. Jesus Moreno. Just off this small
park is a carnival, complete with ferris
wheel and games that starts every day at 7 p.m.
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Stone Island Hotels
RV Park : No owners were there when we
stopped by this seaside RV Park, but from what we could tell, there
are 17 units, water hook-ups, electricty hook-ups (110/220), and
sewage hook-ups. Phone: 914-1444.
Restaurant Elvira : Restaurant Elvira
at the beginning of Stone Island beach offers on-site camping after
the resaturant closes. Cabanas,
with two beds, go for about $10 USD per night or you can just hang
a hammock for much less. Seafood is the usual fare
for the evening meal.
Chabela Camping : For those travelers who
are more used to the laid back hostel experience, Camping Chabela
is for you. Trinidad and Chabela have a beautiful layout just yards
from the beach. A cabana with a loft is about $10 USD per night and
includes access to the shared kitchen, showers, and bathrooms. You
can set up a tent or hang your hammock for about $3.50 per night.
Rentals of more private rooms are avilable, even by the month. Chabela
Camping is a unique place that relies on the coconut for many uses,
including using its shell for crafts (which you can help make in
a work-share program). To get there, walk east along the the southern
beach and turn left towards the end of the row of restaurants, just
before the Restaurant Union de Ejidatorios.
Stone Island Restaurants:
Carmelitas' : Stone Island has many great restaurants,
but one stands out in particular . . . Carmelitas'. Carmelitas' Restaurant
is very clean and fresh fish is caught daily. They have excellent
hamburgers and ceviche (must try). We have had many
good times eating and talking with friends as we enjoy the beach
and Carmelitas' Great service . They have hammocks as well as lounge
chairs and I can communicate in English if need be. This is the
locals choice. Great service, good vibes, nice people, and wonderful
food.
 Lety's
: Lety
is the sweet matriatch of this family-run palapa restaurant
located right on the beach on Stone Island. She
is from Stone Island, and in fact lives in the house where she
was born. Hers is the only restaurant that serves
home-made tortillas on all of Stone Island, and her ingredients
are always fresh. Chicken, fish, soup, quesadillas, or combination
plates can all be yours from 45 to 85 pesos (about $4.50- 8.50
USD). After your meal, enjoy her home-made limeade, relax in
a hammock, play some volleyball, or even take a shower. Her restrooms
are clean and always stocked with toilet paper and even include
changing rooms, which makes this the ideal place to recoup while
out of the sun. A local favorite, you must try Ley's!
Restaurant Cardon : This
restaurant with full bar also offers banana boat rentals ($5), horseback
rides, ATVs ($25/ 30 min. or $35/ hour) and stalls selling jewelry
and clothes.
Estrella del Mar : This restaurant is
always rocking with its jukebox and casual atmosphere. A variety
of coconut treats are offered along with seafood, seafood, and more
seafood! Meals range in price and size. Expect to pay
just $6-7 for a single meal or up to $30 for the ultimate
seafood platter that feeds up to five. Open 7 days a
week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
***If Mariachis find their way to your table at
any of these restaurants, the going rate these days is 3 songs for
$10. |
