Once you arrive in Mazatlan, you will find out a few things that you may not have thought of before you left. Preparation is key and if you are properly prepared, your fun factor will increase considerably. Check out a couple of my best tips for when you're planning on traveling to Mazatlan

The first thing that you will find out is that you'll be spending surprisingly little time in your hotel room. So as you are looking over hotel accommodations on the Internet bear in mind that you will be only sleeping there and that is pretty much it.

Go Casual If You Want

Great hotel accommodations right on the beach can be had for $40 a night (and sometimes a lot lower just a few blocks from the beach), so if you are on a budget this is something that you might want to consider, before you commit yourself to one of the more expensive places that are there. Casual dress is the norm in Mazatlan, so leave your houte couture at home. Shorts, sandals and comfortable cotton shirts are what you will be wearing most of the time that you are there.

Leave Your Purse and Bring a Shoulder Bag

Bring a loose shoulder bag that you can put things in, because you will most likely need it. Bottled water, souvenirs, beer and a plastic cup and snacks are a few of the things that you will find yourself dragging around. Its legal to drink in public in Mazatlan as long as the container isn't made out of glass.

Don't Forget the Tums!

Remember to bring all of the “little things” that you will need once you get down there. Sunscreen, suntan lotion, heartburn tablets and anything else that you can think of, or you may end up spending your precious time having to shop for them. Also, remember to bring a Spanish-English dictionary as it will come in handy.

Go Exploring

Lastly, once you get to Mazatlan don't be afraid to go wandering around. Even if you do get temporarily lost or disoriented all that you have to do is get your bearings to the beach “la pleya” and back you go. A great way to travel around is in the open air “pulmonias” but you must make a point of setting an agreed up price for your ride before you leave, around $5-6. If you don't, the driver is going to want $10-15 when you get to your destination.