Playa Cerritos

Playa Cerritos is the long beach on Mazatlán's northern shore, beyond the hotel zone. It begins at the entrance to the newer marina, where the Zona Dorada ends, and runs north to Punta Cerritos, a rocky point just before the Emerald Bay resort, with a hill separating it from Playa Brujas on the other side. Together with Brujas and the stretch some call Playa Pato Blanco, it forms one continuous beach of roughly 5 km, lined with resorts and condominiums along Avenida Sábalo-Cerritos.

This is a beach for long walks. The sand is smooth and packed hard, with a few patches of broken shell, and the tide moves about 1.3 m, uncovering up to 50 m of extra beach at low water, the best time to walk, jog or look for shells. Waves break all year, mild to medium on most days, which suits bodyboards, paddleboards and surfboards, with surfers gathering at the north end and kiteboarders using the open beach; on weekends and holidays parasailing boats tow riders high above the sand in front of the big resorts. Red flags go up on days with strong surf, and the waves are not safe for small children. Sea turtles nest on this beach, and pelicans, shorebirds, sea lions and the odd dolphin are often seen.

Unlike the malecón, Cerritos has few restaurants right on the sand. The Cerritos Resort, about a 15-minute walk along the beach, has a restaurant open to the public, a small grill sets up a bit further on, and at Punta Cerritos there are Mr. Lionso, The Last Drop and Roy's; vendors walk the beach selling hats, jewelry, carvings and fresh fruit drinks, and mariachis play most days. At the point, the rocks shelter tide pools that fill at low tide. The sun sets straight over the Pacific, and the beach stays quieter than the Golden Zone to the south.