We just returned from our first trip to Mazatlan on Wed. April 14, 2004 we had a great time and many memorable experiences. Since this site is so complete and contains so much information on food, lodging, sites and activities, I feel it would be redundant to write about all the same things covered so completely by those who have gone before. I do feel, however, that since the focus of our trip was on surfing and the pursuit of finding those perfect beach hideaways, that I would like to focus on sharing the experiences and insight I gained in this particular area. Two day before departure I was very troubled to learn that I would not be able to take my surfboards on the flight due to airport security for the Easter holiday and the code orange terror alert. This was a major concern that was quickly and easily overcome. I had read about the Palm surf shop (on this site an others) and asked directions to it from a couple of locals, both of whom referred me to the Mazatlan Surf Center next door to Dairy Queen on Ave. Camaron Sabalo. MSC has been in business for just over a year and is run by Alistar and Bongo both top notch world-class surfers. I had the pleasure of meeting Alistar and he gave me a great deal on a long term rental and had a pretty good selection of boards for every size and skill level, he speaks excellent English and gave me very accurate directions and a hand drawn map to a couple of other surf spots a short drive from the city. I never made it to the Palm Surf Shop so I don't know what their selection or prices are like but I got the distinct impression from the locals I talked to and the outside facade of the store that it is more focused on beach wear, swim wear and surf fashion, rather than a hard-core surf shop like MSC. We reserved a car online through Travelocity (National Car rental) for around $175 for a week with unlimited mileage, although I have read on this site and others that a car is not necessary, we found it quite indispensable and very economical for our needs. I checked with my credit card company and since I reserved and paid for the car with a Platinum card, all the insurance, including LDW and damage collision waiver were covered by my card company provided I did NOT purchase any other form of insurance, be sure and check with your own card company to make sure that you are covered in Mexico. The check-in went smoothly and quickly as did rental car return. There was a large 6 foot to 8 foot south swell working the day we arrived. I could even see a river mouth break from the air working due west of the airport with white surf lines extending out four or more sand bars, I was later told this is a break called Little Hawaii and even got directions to it. We drove into town on one of the many streets that run thru the El Centro market and came out on Paseo Claussen near the Marine College just south of Playa Norte, this surf break is known as Los Pinos or Cannons it is a left point break with a great A-frame peak that moves along the reef, the wave is fairly easy to catch. It works best on a high or incoming tide and is very rippable. There is sometimes a crowd with a number of body boarders who sit very deep inside, next to the rocks, there are basically two take-off zones depending on the swell size and angle, I didn't have any hassles with the local surfers but let them all catch waves before I caught one and was just mindful to take turns, this was my favorite wave in Mazatlan, a note of caution -the bottom is sharp rock with thousands of urchins, DO NOT under any circumstances put you feet down on the bottom or try to push off the bottom, when wiping out try to stay in the thickest part of the wave and immediately paddle for the deep water channel away from shore. The next surf spot I checked out was at Valentino's, this is probably Mazatlan's best known surf break for its stadium like location with lots of tourist watching the action from above and below the sea wall and lots of surfers competing for waves. This spot is actually two very different breaks although it is usually just lumped together by most reference sources as a point breaking left and right. The takeoff zones for the left and right are actually about 200 meters apart separated by the point. The right is a very fast, very hollow wave that only works on a decent size swell, the takeoff is steep and ledgy and requires the surfer to aim straight for a rock outcrop and either execute a quick and powerful bottom turn or drop in angled, sort of pre-slotted into the face. This wave is also very rocky with lots of urchins, if you wipeout on the takeoff you WILL be dragged over the sharp rocks, very painful! There is another takeoff spot a little further away from the rocks but most of those waves, at least while I was there, were closeouts, offering only a few second ride before collapsing on your head. The left is much slower, easier and mushier, but also rocky, as for which one is working watch the locals to see which side they are sitting at. Both right and left were crowded and competitive when breaking good. Playa Bruja is basically a beach break with some rock out crops on a west or north swell I would imagine it is a pretty decent right break wrapping around the point (punta Cerritos) I never caught this spot going off good, speaking of Cerritos, the north side of the point is a calm tranquil beach which as I am told holds a fun peeling wave on huge hurricane swells when everywhere else is too big and gnarly to surf. Heading further north about 20 kilometers is a totally uncrowded beach with a left point, reef and beach break, called Marmol. This spot is reached by taking the hwy 15 toll road toward Culiacan, at the last overpass before the tollbooth turn toward the coast (to the west) although the overpass is a cloverleaf affair. The road is dirt and a little rough, travel about 10 kilometers to Marmol go through the town you will pass through another very poor village and then onto a beach with lots of panga launches, wade through the estuary to the sand island and this will give you a good view of this spot and how it's breaking. It takes a good swell to get the point break going but the beach break would probably be OK on any swell. This spot is kinda of sketchy with the poverty and total lack of tourists or outsiders, don't go alone or leave your stuff sitting out. There is a rocky bone yard on the inside, hard to see from the lineup. South of Mazatlan Centro I surfed 2 spots and checked out another, the first and best is the right point off of the tip of Stone Island (isla Piedras) To get there take the water taxi next to the panga fleet near the Navy dock, fare is 10 pesos round trip, hike the 1 Kilometer or so to the point, I believe this is called Escorellos, this wave is fast hollow and challenging. Many consider this the best wave in the area. It has a rock bottom a pitching ledge and breaks over rock, there wasn't a big crowd the day I was there but the few people out were aggressive and very good surfers. Also on Stone Island (which is not actually an island but a peninsula are two more spots I don't know the name for but I dubbed it Restaurants again take the water taxi and hike about 1 1/2 to 2 kilometers past all the palapa restaurants to where the beach curves, someone had just built a very small palapa restaurant with just a few tables and chairs just in front of the break, a fun, sometimes hollow sand bottom beach break, it is best in the morning with offshores it tends to shutdown and close out with side shores that start blowing mid morning, the last spot I only looked at and did not surf was the river mouth break I saw from the plane, take the road leading to the airport and take the last Isla Piedras exit, if you get to the airport exit you've gone about 3 kilometers too far, this road is dirt and doesn't go all the way to the beach, it is a sand bottom break called little Hawaii it stacks up like a triangle breaking a few sand bars out at a narrow peak and expanding out over the inside sand bars and looks to have some potential. I also surfed a little around the Punta Sabalo area south of the new marina - from the Hotel Carravelle north past the Luna Palace to the Point the beach curves and has a few small breakwaters, the three islands break up and reduce the swell which is not a bad thing when the swell is large and closing out at the other better known breaks, these are for the most part sand bottom, short rides with no crowds. Well, there is a brief synopsis on the surf scene in and around Mazatlan I am sure it is in no way a complete and accurate picture since I was there for only a week but I did draw upon all the local knowledge I could as well as all the written resources I could get my hands on.