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    Isla de Venados seen across the water from Mazatlán's shore, Sinaloa

    Photo by DogeGamer2015MZT, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Deer Island just offshore from the Zona Dorada beach in Mazatlán, Isla de Venados, Sinaloa

    Photo by David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Isla de Venados

    Island Mazatlán, Sinaloa Municipality of Mazatlán Mazatlán and southern Sinaloa

    The middle and largest of Mazatlán's three protected islands, a short boat ride off the Zona Dorada, with a calm beach for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking.

    Reached by boat from Playa Gaviotas, Zona Dorada (beach by Hotel El Cid Castilla): 15 min each way. How to get there ↓

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    Plan your visit to Isla de Venados

    Where to stay near Isla de Venados

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Isla de Venados.

    Hotels in Isla de Venados Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Isla de Venados

    Day trips and guided outings from El Rosario often include Isla de Venados; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Mazatlan Old Town Mazatlan Segway Tour ★ 5.0 (396) · From US$72
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Isla de Venados

    • Reached by boat from Playa Gaviotas, Zona Dorada (beach by Hotel El Cid Castilla): 15 min each way.
    • From Mazatlán: about 10 min by road (~7 km)
    • Nearest airport: Mazatlán (MZT), 45 min by car to El Rosario
    Rent a car at MZT Flights to MZT

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Mazatlan, near Isla de Venados

    Old Town Mazatlan Segway Tour ★ 5.0 (396) 2 h From US$72
    Mazatlan City Sightseeing Tour with Shopping Time and Lunch ★ 4.6 (307) 5 h From US$40
    Mazatlan Sightseeing and Golden Zone ★ 4.6 (172) 4 h From US$30
    Mazatlan Sightseeing and Beach Activities All Inclusive ★ 4.3 (184) 6 h From US$76
    Barrio Bites tour ★ 5.0 (155) 3 h From US$88

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Isla de Venados

    Isla de Venados, Deer Island, is the middle one of the three islands that rise out of the sea in front of Mazatlán's hotel zone. From north to south the group is Isla de Pájaros, Isla de Venados and Isla de Lobos (some local sources call the third one Isla de Chivos), and locally they are simply called Las Tres Islas. Venados lies about 2.3 km off the Zona Dorada beach; it is roughly 1.85 km long and 250 to 700 m wide, covers about 54 hectares and climbs to about 178 m. Of the three it is the largest and the only one where ordinary visitors come ashore.

    The islands of Mazatlán Bay belong to the Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Islas del Golfo de California, protected by federal decree since 1978. Venados is covered mostly in thorn forest with patches of grassland, scrub and salt-tolerant plants, and a birding outing once described it as having the most plant species of any island in the Sea of Cortez. Birds and reptiles are everywhere, and mammals such as badgers, squirrels, opossums and feral goats live on it. Researchers who surveyed the bay's islands in 2014 and 2015 walked Venados to record its land birds, and saw species such as brown pelicans, herons and American oystercatchers around it.

    Visits center on the small beach on the island's sheltered side, with fine sand and calm, clear water that suits swimming, snorkeling and diving; many people also paddle over by kayak. Because the island is a protected area, it can only be visited through authorized tour operators, between 9:00 and 17:00, and a normal stay is two to four hours. There is nothing on the island: no food or drink for sale and no toilets. In 2022, after complaints about trash and too many boats, the port captain warned that access could be restricted, with the final say resting with CONANP, so going with a registered operator and taking everything back out matters here.

    How to get to Isla de Venados

    Drive from Mazatlán to Playa Gaviotas, Zona Dorada (beach by Hotel El Cid Castilla): 10 min, 7 km

    Boats leave from the beach in the Zona Dorada, between the Hotel El Cid Castilla and the Posada Freeman on Playa Gaviotas, about 2.3 km from the island; operators use amphibious vehicles, catamarans, sailboats and kayaks, and many sell 3-island snorkeling tours. The crossing by launch takes about 15 minutes; kayak tours paddle part of the way, with about 45 minutes in the kayak. The Zona Dorada itself is along Avenida Camarón Sábalo, reached by taxi or bus from anywhere in Mazatlán.

    Reached by boat from Playa Gaviotas, Zona Dorada (beach by Hotel El Cid Castilla): 15 min each way.

    Directions to Isla de Venados on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Best with a guide Tours to Isla de Venados on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Isla de Venados

    • Mazatlán · 7 km by road, 10 min to Playa Gaviotas, Zona Dorada (beach by Hotel El Cid Castilla), then 15 min by boat
    • Culiacán · 218 km by road, 2 h 50 min to Playa Gaviotas, Zona Dorada (beach by Hotel El Cid Castilla), then 15 min by boat
    • Tepic · 282 km by road, 3 h 35 min to Playa Gaviotas, Zona Dorada (beach by Hotel El Cid Castilla), then 15 min by boat

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Isla de Venados: hours, prices and tips

    Hours
    Visits only between 9:00 and 17:00. Luz Noticias · checked Oct 2026
    Time needed
    About two to four hours on the island. Luz Noticias · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    Visits must be made with an authorized tour operator. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide Luz Noticias · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Water, sunscreen and anything you need: nothing is sold on the island and there are no toilets. Luz Noticias · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    No pets, outside food, fires, speakers or bands; do not disturb wildlife, damage plants or take anything away. Luz Noticias · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Isla de Venados: what to see and do

    Snorkel in the calm, clear water off the island's beach.
    Paddle across from the Zona Dorada in a kayak, or join a catamaran or sailboat trip.
    Look for pelicans, herons and oystercatchers on the rocks and along the shore.
    Combine the visit with a boat tour of the other two islands, Pájaros and Lobos, which are seen from the water only.
    In winter, look out for humpback whales, which pass near the Tres Islas.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Isla de Venados

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Isla de Venados.

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from El Rosario often include Isla de Venados; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at MZT (Mazatlán): about 45 min by road to El Rosario, then 67 km more to Isla de Venados, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mazatlán (MZT), about 45 min by road from El Rosario, the base for Isla de Venados.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from El Rosario: download a map of the way to Isla de Venados before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    Photos

    When to go to Isla de Venados warm

    Isla de Venados shares the climate of El Rosario, 67 km away. The best months to visit are January, March, November, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of El Rosario

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: El Rosario

    Ornate stone gateway of the Panteón Español in El Rosario, Sinaloa warm
    Sinaloa El Rosario

    El Rosario is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Isla de Venados, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Isla de Venados

    Near Isla de Venados

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.