![El Faro Lighthouse / Click for sightseeing homepage](images/mazatlan-sightseeing-homepage-180x270-01.jpg)
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Highest lighthouse in the Americas, Sea of Cortez beacon
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Centro Historico | Plaza Machado | Angela Peralta Theater | Museo de Arte
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Museo Arqueologico | Pedro Infante Museum | Pino Suarez Mercado Centro
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Central Mazatlan Cathedral / Basilica | The Malecon | Mazatlan Cliff Divers
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Carpa Olivera Pool | Acuario Mazatlan Aquarium | El Faro Lighthouse
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Bosque de la Ciudad | Estero del Yugo Nature Preserve
![Download a free Centro Historico walking tour map with descriptions](images/button-pdf-330x380-01.jpg)
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![View from the top of El Faro Mazatlan](images/elfaro_588x235_01.jpg)
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The view from El Faro towards Playa Sur
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A classic among Mazatlan tourist attractions, the Mazatlan City Guide recommends a visit to El the El Faro Lighthouse -- the highest lighthouse in the Americas and one of the highest operating lighthouses in the world.
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![Mazatlan's El Faro in the early 1900s before the causeway was built](images/mazatlan-el-faro-before-causeway-01.jpg)
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The first use of Isla de Creston as a site for a navigational beacon came in 1828 with the construction of a simple pavilion where fires, fueled by whale oil and wood or coconut chips, were lit at night. This unfocused light source -- although better than nothing -- was not a proper lighthouse, and was of limited value to seafarers trying to reach our port, particularly in bad weather when they needed a navigational beacon the most.
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Aerial drone video of El Faro in Mazatlán
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All of that changed with the construction of El Faro. This unique lighthouse first cast its glorious light westward over the Pacific ocean in In 1879.
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![History of El Faro lighthouse in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico](images/el-faro-lighthouse-mazatlan-1900s-01.jpg)
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This much brighter light source meant that El Faro was visible from a greater distance, but since the light was static, it was often mistaken for a star.
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In 1905 the El Faro lighthouse lamp converted to hydrogen gas and was made to revolve.
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In 1933 it was converted again -- this time to electricity, the light source you see today. Its 1000 watt bulb is focused by a fresnel lens and is equivalent to 600,000 candles!
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Video about the new vista at El Faro lighthouse in Mazatlán!
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The El Faro lighthouse beacon can be seen for 30 nautical miles, and still serves as an important navigational tool in the era of GPS. Constantly manned by fareros -- lighthouse keepers -- El Faro's beacon is powered by our electric company, CFE, has back-up generators, and has proved extremely reliable, having weathered countless storms.
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![Malecon at Olas Altas Beach with El Faro in the background](images/mazatlan-malecon-night-el-faro-01.jpg)
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You can hike to the top of El Faro at a leisurely pace and reach the top in under 30 minutes, and there is no better view of The Pearl of The Pacific than from the top!
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Volunteers have taken responsibility for the maintenance of the path which is now a well-maintained road with lighting for evening climbs -- hiking boots are not required. At most hours refreshments are sold at the summit.
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A Mazatlan City Guide favorite -- and like many great Mazatlan sightseeing attractions -- a visit to El Faro is free!
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Location At the top of Cerro del Creston
Admission Free
Map to El Faro Lighthouse / Cerro del Creston
from Google Maps
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