Yvette’s Trip to Mazatlan

My family and I have recently traveled to Mazatlan Mexico in March 2010 for two weeks at Spring Break. We booked through West Jet Vacations and stayed at the El Cid Castilla resort. We had a wonderful 2 weeks and enjoyed Mazatlan and would certainly return.

Warm and clean beaches

West Jet Vacations made our trip effortless and stress-free. The flight was direct from Calgary and was only 4 hours, making the flight bearable. We were picked up at the airport and shuttled to the El Cid Castilla. Check-in was fine and a welcome drink was waiting for us. Right after check-in, a lady asked us to come with her for some information, but knowing ahead of time that this was a time-share set-up, I said “No time-share thank you.” She then left us alone. They will want you to go for a 45-minute presentation, (which by the way will be more like 6-7 hours), not the way I want to spend my vacation. The pool view rooms are in an older section and dated, but clean, comfortable and close to everything, the ocean view rooms are newer and offer a beautiful view. The staff at the El Cid was excellent, very friendly and would always go out of their way to please.

There are two pools at the El Cid Castilla with one that has a small waterslide and a rock structure with waterfalls to jump off of. These were fun for the young and the young at heart.

The food was very good and plentiful at the buffets, even the pickiest eaters can find something. The A La Carte restaurants need a 24-hour advance reservation for dinner and you can book each night of your stay if you wish, my favorite was the Italian restaurant, but they were all very good! The A La Carte restaurants can also be dined at for breakfast and lunch without a reservation, a great alternative to the buffet. Senior Frog’s restaurant/nightclub is attached to the El Cid Castilla but is not included in the All-Inclusive. This is easy access for the adults who are looking for some nightlife. I would stay at the El Cid Castilla again, but would upgrade to an ocean view room the next time.

Market in Mazatlan

I went to the new 5 star Riu Emerald Bay resort for an agent visit the second week of my vacation. This resort is very impressive with a beautiful modern décor. I did not get the chance to view the rooms as the staff was too busy but all of the rooms are ocean view. The pool area was separated with small individual pools. One was for activities, one was shallow and had loungers sitting in the water. The one pool that I enjoyed had the swim-up bar and individual benches and tables within the pool, a very fun pub atmosphere. There is a great children’s section with waterslides, playhouses and a small pool located on the right hand side of the resort, many families were taking advantage of this area. For the people who like shade, the pools have plenty of Palapa’s and shaded areas, but there was virtually no shade on the beach. I would stay at the Riu Emerald for one week, tops, as this resort is further away from town, but a good choice for someone who would like to just relax and enjoy the resort.

Always selling something!

There are many fun things to do in Mazatlan. You could take a tour to one of the islands just off of the coast, do some golfing or take a city or country tour. It is easy to get around in Mazatlan with the bus service and many “Pulmonia” or taxis. Hop on one and take a ride down the Sea Wall to town and go to the market, quite an interesting experience. We also enjoyed the many restaurants and shops along the “Golden Zone” resort area, just steps outside of the El Cid Castilla. The highlight of my trip was Deep Sea Fishing with the Aries Fleet. We saw sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, a whale shark and a 101-pound Marlin, which I happen to catch!! What a way to end an already great vacation.

My fish!

I could go on and on about my vacation in Mazatlan and all the wonderful things that we experienced but that would take way to long, so please call or email me if you have any questions, and I would be happy to answer them.

Happy vacationing!!!!!

Yvette Kohut
Travel Consultant
GO Travel & Cruises American Express
Tel: 250-489-4788
Fax: 250-489-4798

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E-mail yvette@gotravelandcruises.ca

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