Isla de la Piedra (Stone Island) ... Part of the charm of Isla de la Piedra (Stone Island) is the contrast between the workaday, touristy bustle of Mazatlan and the Isla's laid-back, rural, empty beach ambience. It might only be a few hundred meters away, but the difference is overwhelming. Isla de la Piedra is definitely country. Pigs and chickens run in the unpaved streets, tractors pass, sometimes pulling carts full of people, a sort of campesino bus service. People raise corn and coconuts. Little kids go to the UNESCO school, high school kids take the ferry to Mazatlan. It's the Third World, no question about it.

It gets more international on the beach, but not in an ugly way. For one thing, there are no hotels on Isla de la Piedra, no multi-story buildings. Apart from the first couple of hundred meters, where the palapas are built, the beach is totally empty--just 15 miles of wide sand, with coconut palms on one side and the breakers on the other. You can walk up the beach (and it's great for beachcombing and shell-spotting) and find a private place of tropical paradise any time you want.

The end of the beach on Isla de la Piedra, where Twin Towers is located is a popular spot for locals to get out of town and unwind. There are about twenty palapa restaurants along this row, all serving beer or drinks, all acceptable to families. Some specialize in receiving day tours of foreigners, so they have big sound systems and volleyball nets. Most are a swarm of Mexican kids and their parents. If you want to ride a banana boat, dance, rent horses, or mingle with the bikini set, it's all there--if not, you can just walk South and leave it all behind. And best of all, by early evening everybody goes home and leaves the beach quiet and peaceful, white egrets stalking the edges of the sunset-colored water, waves shimmering under the moon. Everybody but you--you're already home.
Places To Eat

There are LOTS of places to eat on Isla de la Piedra, ranging from small-town Mexican cenadurias to beachfront seafood restaurants, even a couple of highly unusual pizza places. "Our" end of the beach is lined with a row of palapas (palm thatch huts) that serve anything from quesadillas to shrimp to blackened red snapper. They also range from MTV -springbreak livliness/insanity to mellow, hammock-hung beachcomber dens. We highly recommend Victor's at the other end of the row: great food, good people (Victor speaks English and is a fascinating host), bodyboards for rent, and a beautiful garden. Palapa places are more expensive than typical restaurants, but one of the cheapest is right next door to us, Cecilia's, where her fisherman sons bring home fresh fish, or you can get beans and tacos. Ask if Trini has his wood-fired, home-made, igloo-looking pizza oven going.

There are also a scatter of restaurants over on SUPER-tranquil Goat Island, just a short walk away. And many more in the town of Isla de la Piedra, about a kilometer walk. If you like tortas, mexican style sandwiches on sourdough french rolls, you must give Osuna's a shot. An open palapa right in front of the ferry dock, they serve great tortas for cheap along with the usual Mexican chow and super smoothies...best known is the coconut shake.

Also near the ferry landing is a small supermarket. On weekends lots of roadside food stands pop up, such as the handburger cart by the baseball field and some delicious barbecued chicken over near the basketball court.

If you are dead set on culinary experiences beyond the countryside/weekender resources of the Isla, don't forget that Mazatlan, where just about any sort of cooking is available is just fifteen minutes away.
Facilities Available on the Island

La Isla lacks certain facilities, such as ATM's and Banks, since they are available nearby in Mazatlan. However, there are restaurants, grocery markets, a bakery, pharmacy, a laundromat, phone booths and internet connections. There are baseball fields and basketball courts.

Things To Do

La Isla might be a sleepy beach, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to occupy your time. (If you don't consider lazing in the sun to be a noble occupation.) There is swimming of course, and the calm bay off the Goat Island Beach offers a tiny taste of snorkeling. Naturally, there is all kinds of fishing. Beachcombing and looking for shells is almost second nature here.

Gateway to Island living

There are the tourist delights mentioned above, and dances every Sunday afternoon. Fans of Mexican music are sure to enjoy the strolling musicians who will play a song for you (or jam) for a handful of pesos.

And there is also some fine hiking and two jungly hills to climb (watch out for iguanas and constrictors). An ambitious all-day walk is heading south to the River (maybe even see some alligators) and back.