Best Mazatlan shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Mazatlan is "Mazatlan: City Tour in a Traditional "Pulmonia" Open-Air Car" (4.6★ from 118 reviews, from $50). The biggest saving against the ship is ruins / history: $223 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Mazatlan are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazatlan: City Tour in a Traditional "Pulmonia" Open-Air CarCity / island tour | $50 | 4.6★118 reviews | 5/5 |
| 2 | Mazatlan: Old Town Sightseeing and Golden ZoneCity / island tour | $33 | 4.7★53 reviews | 5/5 |
| 3 | Mazatlán: Shekinah Beach Club Access to 3 PoolsBeach break / beach club | $29 | 4.7★47 reviews | 5/5 |
| 4 | From Mazatlán: ATV Tour into Sierra Madre with LunchATV / buggy / jeep | $116 | 4.6★24 reviews | 5/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruins / history | NCL | $276 | $53 | $891 |
| Food & tasting | NCL | $177 | $85 | $370 |
| Ruins / history | Carnival | $129 | $53 | $302 |
| Beach break / beach club | Carnival | $100 | $56 | $176 |
| Beach break / beach club | NCL | $99 | $56 | $169 |
| City / island tour | Carnival | $71 | $50 | $85 |
Without a tour: near the pier
- Old Mazatlan plaza: ~20 min walk (1.0 km).
- El Faro lighthouse: ~10 min by road (1.2 km).
- Stone Island: ~10 min by road (3.2 km).
- Golden Zone beaches: ~20 min by road (6.8 km).
Old Mazatlan is 10 minutes away. Pulmonia open-air taxis are the local way around.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Mazatlan?
On ratings, "Mazatlan: City Tour in a Traditional "Pulmonia" Open-Air Car" leads with 4.6 stars from 118 reviews. On value, ruins / history saves the most against the ship ($223 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Mazatlan?
"Mazatlán: Shekinah Beach Club Access to 3 Pools" from $29 per person (4.7★, 47 reviews).
What can you do in Mazatlan without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Old Mazatlan plaza (~20 min walk), El Faro lighthouse (~10 min by road), Stone Island (~10 min by road), Golden Zone beaches (~20 min by road).
All Mazatlan prices and pier guide · Carnival in Mazatlan · NCL in Mazatlan