Stone Island experience-Mexico

[Gingee]

Has anyone done the Stone Island experience? I see that you can go by yourself or with a tour. I see there is horsebacking riding, banana boats etc. If you go on your own, how much do these activities cost? I am just wondering what is the better route to go?

 

Thanks

[shives]

Several weeks ago we went to Stone Island. Took the water taxi over, first thing in the morning. Stayed there most of the day in front of Mokolays (spelling??) Enjoyed chairs, umberllas, good food and drinks and a lovely beach! We rented ATVS. It was 35 per hour. A more mellow beach than most of the other ports.

Awesome day! Highly recommend.

[bobnsofi]

We suggest - go on your own

 

Water Taxi $2 round trip

 

Stone island

 

lots of cafe's, atv's and horses nearby

 

Stone Island

 

Stone Island

 

Stone Island

[bobnsofi]

oh yea, you asked about the cost. You will pay about 50% less overall if you go on your own; yet when you go with a group, you will have a more social time. If you are social folk and frugal, go on your own. If you can well afford it and have a reserved personality, go on a tour

[DRMizzou]

It is much more economical to go on your own. We were on the Sapphire Princess a few weeks ago and the ship's excursion was about $50+ per person (if I am remembering correctly) to take another boat over to Stone Island with a group. In fairness, I believe food is included. However all other activities would have been own your own. As has been mentioned, the water taxi which is only a couple of blocks (easy walk) from the terminal is $2 per person roundtrip. You then can enjoy Stone Island on your own and choose whatever activities you like. Unfortunately for us, we had bad weather the day we were there and could not really enjoy.

[xeriod]

Has anyone done the Stone Island experience? I see that you can go by yourself or with a tour. I see there is horsebacking riding, banana boats etc. If you go on your own, how much do these activities cost? I am just wondering what is the better route to go?

 

Check out ;

http://www.mazatlantours.org/stone-island-tour.htm

 

You can have the best of both worlds for just $36 pp. Pick up at the ship and back , bay tour , 2 out of a choice of 6 activitys ,lunch and drinks . We had a great day with them and did the horse back rideing and banana boat thing.

[GinDon]

We did exactly the same as the previous poster, only through a different tour company. We used Puesta del Sol. Chose them because they also took us to see the Cliff Divers and the Cathedral, before the Stone Island Tour started. The catamaran ride in the harbor (approx 1 hr) was wonderful, on a beautiful sunny day. We did the horse back riding through the town and the sea kayak. Our friends did the banana boat ride...............and boy, did they get a ride! Well worth the $35 dollars we felt.

[X2M]

Check out ;

http://www.mazatlantours.org/stone-island-tour.htm

 

You can have the best of both worlds for just $36 pp. Pick up at the ship and back , bay tour , 2 out of a choice of 6 activitys ,lunch and drinks . We had a great day with them and did the horse back rideing and banana boat thing.

 

We did this tour last week. I felt that it was not well organized and was disappointed.

[Gingee]

I wonder if there is some site to check the prices on Stone Island?

[yiching]

X2M Quote: "We did this tour last week. I felt that it was not well organized and was disappointed."

 

Can you please be more elaborate? Did they not pick you up on time? Was the food bad, etc?

[X2M]

X2M Quote: "We did this tour last week. I felt that it was not well organized and was disappointed."

 

Can you please be more elaborate? Did they not pick you up on time? Was the food bad, etc?

 

My group named this excursion the 'hurry up and wait' day.

 

We had to wait at the pier for 45 minutes or so while a large group added more people to the excursion.

 

The transportation to the marina was ok... I understand that it is difficult to get 50 people to the marina but herding us into taxis that seat 6 at a time makes the process crazy.

 

The boat ride in the bay portion of the trip was good.

 

The trip to the beach was ok too.

 

Once we got to our hangout place for the day is when it got really disorganized. We were supposed to get to do 2 activities. We picked horse back riding and had also wanted to do the banana boat ride. We were told to wait under the tree for the horses... 20 minutes later no horses and they moved us to wait in another area... 20 minutes later still no horses and we were moved again. Finally got to ride horses on the beach after waiting for over an hour.

 

Then we were told it was time to eat so everyone moved to the tables and... you guessed it we had to wait another 45 minutes or so for our food to arrive and half of our order was wrong and the food was cold when it finally arrived.

 

So by the time we ate we couldn't do our second activity because they were all done for the day.

 

So all in all it was a bummer of a day. It didn't ruin our vacation but I won't be recommending it to anyone.

[Gingee]

Would you have a better chance of getting the horse back riding and banana boat on your own or do you think they are exclusive to excursions?

[ladyselene]

I've done that same tour thru Johann & Sandra twice. It seemed like a good deal and was enjoyable. I thought it may be nice to do it on our own but my DH has done this before when he was in Mazatlan for a week with his son, and said the water taxi drops you right in the middle of all the restaurant/bars and the vendors are on you like flies. That was not the case on the tour. We are doing it again on the Radiance on the 3/22 sailing. We like Stone Island a lot more than the Golden Zone, that is way too touristy and the vendors were obnoxious. I hope we have good weather the day we are there, it is very relaxing. As for the hurry up and wait, we just told them to chill and that we would let them know when we were ready lol.

[funcky]

I went there with a big group. I personally like Stone Island. Some in my group are snobbish and comment the place as being dirty with water not so clear and facilities are not up to their standard. If you are not picky, this will be a wonderful and inexpensive day.

[Gingee]

So the water is not pretty like the other spots there? Home come? Same ocean.

[GinDon]

The beach/water isn't like the Caribbean. Sand not as white or soft, water isn't the color of Windex like the Caribbean. Having said that, Stone Island was a nice beach, the water was warm (Oct.). We had no complaints.

[Gingee]

Can you see the bottom of the water or is it murky?

[CruiserMickey]

We went to Stone Island last week and had a wonderful time at Pizza Benji's on the right side after the boat dock. Eli was a wonderful host, arranged an ATV to be brought over to his side of the beach, the food and drinks were excellent and we had a terrific time. It was quiet and lovely. Food and drinks for 6 cost us $50 (including a hefty tip for Eli), the $2 pp water taxi ride and $10 for pulmonia rides put our cost way below what the ship would have charged ($69 pp). What a great day!

[GinDon]

Well, I wouldn't use the word "murky"........that makes it sound "ugh". But, it's not crystal clear. I can't find a word to accurately describe it....but it's nice.

[Snippy123]

Nothing in Mexico is ever a set price....everything is negotiable! My daughter went horseback riding for $10.00 for an hour, a price that dropped by half when we scoffed at paying $20.00 per hour. Stone Island was probably the best and most reasonable day we spent on our whole cruise. You will not be disappointed. Very easy to do on your own, just walk to the water taxi from the cruise ship terminal.

 

I wonder if there is some site to check the prices on Stone Island?

[Gingee]

Wow $10 a hour? Unheard of. Where did the horses take her or rather where did she take the horses? Was there a lot of people around when you "bargained"?

[boaterette]

We have used King Davids tours twice to Stone Island. we will use them again in Oct. We have a blast. I love Stone Island. It is my understanding that you can ony get mixed drinks if you use a tour company. Otherwise it is only beer and maybe Margs. Both of which I don't drink. The price is cheap to me.