Taxi to Stone Island ferry

[ladycanuck]

What should the fare be?

[Mike45LC]

I paid US $6 for four people for the very short drive from the terminal to the Stone Island ferry.  I did not try to negotiate because the distance was so short.  We had two mobility challenged people.

[wheezedr]

$5 to $6 sounds about right.  If no mobility issues then most would just walk to the “ferry”.  I throw it in quotes because it is really just a little boat but it does ferry you across the channel.

[Mike45LC]

On ‎1‎/‎31‎/‎2019 at 10:39 PM, wheezedr said:

$5 to $6 sounds about right.  If no mobility issues then most would just walk to the “ferry”.  I throw it in quotes because it is really just a little boat but it does ferry you across the channel.

Doc, you are right about the "ferry."  Just a small water taxi, but it gets the job done.  And they are always there for us!

[dlcinvest]

We did Stone Island on our own in Mazatlan.  I have not seen a review on how to do this on your own in a few years so I will describe how we did it.  After you exit through the port "arch" you turn left and walk a 2-3 blocks (you will pass a few vendors cooking on the street), and the street will come to a 'T" where you will see a dirt road with a sign that says "water taxi" on it.  It has barb wire on the top of the fences and looks a little third world.  There is some old boats and trash as you walk down the road, a little intimidating but it has always been safe for us.  At the end, about a block there is a little store with a ticket booth to the right.  You pay 30 peso (about $1.50) for a round trip ticket to stone Island.   As a side note to take a shore excursion here it will cost you about $50 bucks.  You then go down to the dock and load up with all the locals.  It is equivalent to riding the city bus.  The boat ride is about 5 minutes and lets you out on a dock then you take the little trail over the hill and there is the beach.  

We walked about a mile down the beach to a restaurant we went to 12 years ago with our kids called Victors.  You pass about 10 other restaurants.  There is hammocks out front and plastic tables.  We got there around 10:00 and I think I woke the owner up.  He was glad to start the fire and make us a great lunch.  Don't be in a hurry as this took 2 hours, he really did starts the fire! 

Victors was special to us because when we took our kids here a decade ago we told them they could have anything they wanted to drink!  A special treat.  All of our older girls ordered fancy smoothies.  When it came to our seven years old's time to order she pointed up to the top of a tree and said "I'll have a coconut".  The waiter climbed the tree with his machete and got her a coconut (and all of her sisters).  This earned a place on our family Christmas card that year.  All of us on the beach drinking from coconuts. It is a cherished memory in my mind and heart.  I was very happy my memory worked well got us both to the water taxi and our legendary Victors!

My meal this time was slow in coming but wort it.  I had the shrimp Kabobs.  I laid in the hammock and sipped my soda while I waited the 2 hours for my meal.  They brought us homemade salsa and chips that were wonderful and we enjoyed the quiet beach.  I paid my $7.50 for my meal, that I shared with my husband and went away satisfied, refreshed and nostalgic.   

If you want a little bit of local flavor, you are not intimidated by the culture I would highly recommend a trip to Stone Island by local water taxi and a day at Victors.  There are of course the local vendors that will try to sell you things but just practice "No Gracia" and they leave you alone,