Surf spots in Mazatlán
4 spots within 10 km of Mazatlán: 3 beach breaks, 1 point break. 1 suit beginners.
Live forecasts for every spot →
Best spots today in Mazatlán
- Intermediate: Olas Altas (Good, 1.2 m, cross-shore around 09:00), Playa Bruja (Good, 1.1 m, offshore around 07:00)
- Beginners: Playa Bruja (Fair, 1.1 m, offshore around 07:00), Olas Altas (Fair, 1.2 m, cross-shore around 09:00)
- Advanced: Olas Altas (Fair, 1.2 m, cross-shore around 09:00)
Forecast updated 20 Oct, 12:50 UTC.
The spots
- Los Pinos · point break, intermediate, best on SW/S/SSW swell with E/ESE/SE wind, mid to high tide. A left point over rock and sand at Playa Pinitos, the small cove between Olas Altas and the Malecón in old Mazatlán. It needs a solid south or south-west summer swell…
- Olas Altas · beach break, intermediate, best on S/SW swell with E/NE wind, mid tide. Historic city-front break below the old-town malecon in Mazatlan, with peaks over sand and rock that work on south swells.
- Stone Island (Isla de la Piedra) · beach break, beginner, best on SW/S/SSW swell with NE/ENE/N wind, all tides. Sand peaks along the long beach of Isla de la Piedra, a short water-taxi ride across the harbour mouth from old Mazatlán. Small days suit beginners, and a summer south…
- Playa Bruja · beach break, intermediate, best on S/SW/W swell with E/NE wind, all tides. Mazatlan's main surf beach at Cerritos on the city's north side, with peaks over sand and rock that pick up south and west swells.
When to surf in Mazatlán
Good days per month for intermediate surfers; tap a month for where else to surf then.
Best months for intermediate surfers: May to September. For beginners: August to September. The water goes from about 23 °C in March (Springsuit 2 mm or vest) to 32 °C in August (Boardshorts / rash vest). 1 of the 4 spots suit beginners, such as Stone Island (Isla de la Piedra).
| Month | Rideable days | Good days | Beginner days | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 °C |
| Feb | 3 | 1 | 4 | 23 °C |
| Mar | 11 | 0 | 7 | 23 °C |
| Apr | 16 | 0 | 9 | 25 °C |
| May | 23 | 0 | 10 | 27 °C |
| Jun | 22 | 1 | 9 | 30 °C |
| Jul | 21 | 4 | 13 | 32 °C |
| Aug | 25 | 6 | 17 | 32 °C |
| Sep | 24 | 7 | 19 | 32 °C |
| Oct | 17 | 2 | 9 | 31 °C |
| Nov | 10 | 1 | 10 | 27 °C |
| Dec | 3 | 0 | 3 | 24 °C |
Days per month at the best third of the 4 spots for each level, from three years of wave and wind model data.
Lessons and boards in Mazatlán
One or two surf schools, few places to rent a board. Lessons are mostly private, with local instructors who meet at Playa Bruja in Cerritos, a beach break that can get big; board rentals come from vendors on that beach and a few spots in the Golden Zone, and there are no lifeguards on most beaches, so check the flags.
Prices change; check with the school. Sources: Mazatlán – Wikivoyage, Mexico travel advice – Government of Canada.
Staying in Mazatlán
- Car
- Not needed: Uber, the open-air pulmonía taxis (agree the fare first) and the green beachfront buses along the Malecón link the old town, the Golden Zone and Cerritos; Playa Bruja, the main surf beach at the north end, is a short Uber ride.
- Remote work
- Good: Fast home and café internet, with 5G in the centre and along the Malecón; formal coworking is thin, so most remote workers use apartments and cafés in Centro Histórico.
- Travelling solo
- Popular with solo travellers and long-staying expats in the tourist areas; Canada advises avoiding non-essential travel to Sinaloa except Mazatlán's tourist zones (old town, Malecón, Golden Zone, Cerritos) when arriving by air or sea, warns of clashes in parts of the city outside them, and Wikivoyage suggests not walking alone after dark.
- Vibe
- Lively Pacific port city with a restored colonial old town, a long Malecón, big beach resorts in the Golden Zone and a large winter crowd of North American snowbirds; surfing is a local scene rather than the town's main draw.
- Where to stay
- Centro Histórico and Olas Altas suit walkers, café workers and city life; the Golden Zone has resort hotels and beach bars; Cerritos in the north is quieter and closest to the surf at Playa Bruja.
- Getting there
- Mazatlán airport (MZT) is south of the city with direct flights from several US and Canadian cities; take an authorised taxi or Uber to the hotel zones, about 20–30 minutes. Arriving by land via the Culiacán highway is outside Canada's exception.
- Budget
- $$ (mid-range)
- Busy and quiet months
- The dry, mild season runs about November–June and is the busiest, with big crowds at Carnival (February) and Semana Santa; summer is hot, humid and rainy, with hurricane risk from roughly June to November.
From travel guides, government travel advice and nomad sites (Mazatlán – Wikivoyage, Mexico travel advice – Government of Canada, Why digital nomads love Mazatlán – Travel Off Path). Check current conditions before you travel.
Questions
What are the best surf spots in Mazatlán?
The best-known are Playa Bruja, Olas Altas, Los Pinos, Stone Island (Isla de la Piedra). In all, 4 spots lie within 10 km: 3 beach breaks, 1 point break.
Where can beginners surf in Mazatlán?
Stone Island (Isla de la Piedra): sandy, more forgiving spots. Surf them on small days, ideally with a lesson or near the lifeguards.
When is the best time to surf in Mazatlán?
For intermediate surfers May to September. For beginners August to September.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in Mazatlán?
The sea goes from about 23 °C in March (Springsuit 2 mm or vest) to 32 °C in August (Boardshorts / rash vest).
Do I need a car to surf in Mazatlán?
No. Uber, the open-air pulmonía taxis (agree the fare first) and the green beachfront buses along the Malecón link the old town, the Golden Zone and Cerritos; Playa Bruja, the main surf beach at the north end, is a short Uber ride.
Can I work remotely from Mazatlán?
Fast home and café internet, with 5G in the centre and along the Malecón; formal coworking is thin, so most remote workers use apartments and cafés in Centro Histórico.
Are there surf schools and board rental in Mazatlán?
One or two surf schools, few places to rent a board.