Mazatlan Showcases Numerous Shopping Options

Shopping is a popular activity for many visitors to Mexico and Mazatlan offers the perfect opportunity to not only take home some wonderful examples of Mexico's skilled artisan work but also to soak up the charming culture of the country as well.

There are numerous opportunities in Mazatlan for shopping, ranging from open air markets to quaint shops and boutiques. One of the most popular areas for shopping is La Zona Dorada. Here, you can find arts and crafts as well as a wide variety of souvenirs and even general commodities.

If you are looking for something more unique and interesting, you might consider checking out the Centro Historico. You will find a variety of different handcrafts from all over the country. More than 20 different shops are located inside Centro de Artesanias, offering the opportunity choose from a wide selection of handicrafts as well as watch artisans at work.

Sea Shell City is one of the most unique shopping areas in the city, with an unbelievable array of ornaments and accessories; all adorned with shells. For something more traditional, make your way over to Ocampo & Juarez, where you will find a large selection of traditional Mexican arts and crafts in a traditional Mexican market. The market is open every Sunday.

Centro Comercial El Mercado is one of the premier shopping centers for leather goods, clothing, pottery and fine silver. Fresh food is also sold in stalls beneath brightly colored umbrellas. If you want to bring home some of the best vanilla in all of Mexico, this is the place to look.

La Gran Plaza is located approximately three blocks from the waterfront and consists of numerous department stores, a large supermarket and several specialty shops.

Casa Etnika is one of the best places in Mazatlan to purchase authentic Mexican works of art. The store offers excellent examples of traditional Mexican craftsmanship as well as jewelry and clay sculptures. Each of the pieces in the shop is created individually.

Regardless of whether you are interested in picking up some gifts and souvenirs from your trip, one of the best ways to spend some of your time in Mazatlan is to browse through the many shops and soak up the market atmosphere.

Throughout the city, you will find numerous street vendors as well, all displaying a wide variety of unique wares. Souvenirs are abundant throughout the city ranging from t-shirts, to hats and small wooden sculptures.

Many of the shops offering leather goods, pottery, locally made baskets, wood carvings and blankets are an easy walk from the resorts and hotels in Mazatlan. If you want to spend to some time shopping at the Mercado Central, it is easy enough to catch a ride on one of Mazatlan's open air taxis, a pulmonia.

When visiting the shops, feel free to bargain for a lower price as this is quite common and even expected.

When shopping in Mazatlan, be aware that many shops open around 9am in the morning and remain open until around 8pm at night. Some shops do still observe the tradition of closing briefly during the afternoons for a siesta period.