La Isla de la Piedra, a paradise right next to Mazatlán

Over the years, the ejido has become a place that competes with Mazatlan in terms of tourism, but with a different offer.

La Isla de la Piedra, paradise in Mazatlan

Mazatlán, Sinaloa.- For 82 years, Isla de la Piedra has received tourists from all over the world, who come to enjoy its beaches, not only during holiday periods, but all year round.

La Isla de la Piedra was constituted as an ejido, in the early XX Century. The road of Huizache-Caimanero, connects La Isla with the municipio de El Rosario.

And then, a road was built that connects with the highway that leads to the Mazatlan airport, about 20 kilometers from town.

Thanks to the boat cooperative, it only takes five minutes to cross the one and a half kilometers, that separates Mazatlan from the island. The journey is made aboard pangas.

The Stone Island (Isla de la Piedra) has not always been just a beach destination, it used to be an important economic center for the coastal zone of Sinaloa, but it was focused on another sector: Agriculture.

Tomato and other crops used to cover the area, and most of the production was sold in Mazatlán.

Unfortunately, the lack of water in the irrigation system made the change their activity. The decided to go for Tourism.

Its inhabitants have sought to take advantage of the constant arrival of tourists, mainly foreigners.

And the farmers became restaurenteurs and service providers.

According to OEM, La Isla de la Piedra has an average 4 thousand daily visitors .

La Isla de la Piedra, Mazatlán

Tourists from Mexico, United States, Canada and other countries com to the Isla de la Piedra everyday to have a bite of pescado zarandeado, a campechana or a spicey “aguachile”.

Fishing village

Being a community almost surrounded by the sea, its inhabitants are also expert fishermen, which is the second economic activity of the population.

These men of the sea make long journeys in their pangas to be able to fish in the bay of the Island of the Stone, the product that allows them to bring sustenance to their homes.

Pargo, botete, curvina and mojarra, are some of the marine species that can be obtained in La Isla.

La Isla de la Piedra, Mazatlán.

In recent years the fish known as pez pajarito, that used to be common in the Mazatleca bay, is now practically extinct.

Fishing, sports fishing, food and beverages and of course panga transportation are some of the main economic activities for the people of Isla de la Piedra.

Several families depend on the business of transportation. The passenger has to pay a transportation fee.

La Isla de la Piedra, Mazatlán

Transportation fees may vary, depending on the time of the day or the evening. It fluctuates between 30 and 100 pesos per trip.

The comisario municipal (municipal official) at la Isla de la Piedra, Víctor Manuel Aguirre Peña, stated that the people at the island are hard workers.

The official said that there are no problems of insecurity in the community, everyone know each other, and everybody works for the benefit of the people.

Residents of La Isla de Piedra are proud of their roots.

La Isla de la Piedra, un lugar paradisíaco de Mazatlán.

However, the comisiariado admitted that many young men from La Isla had decided to migrate to the United States, where they can make good money working in agriculture.

There are still many to do in La Isla de Piedra, the sewage system is something that the people of this community has been long asking for.

Residents have septic tanks, but they claim that they need a better sewage system at Laa Isla de la Piedra.

The lack of an effective sewage system has caused the over flooding of streets during the rainy season.

Amaitlán, is tehe name of an ambitious project that is currently on stand by at La Isla de la Piedra.

The ejidatarios were not OK with the project, and therefore, decided to put it on stand by…

The municipal official declared that are looking for investors, for this important project.

Amaitlán, is right by the beach area at Isla de la Piedra, where a Botanica Garden is projected.

THE FUTURE OF LA ISLA

The comisario municipal insisted that investors are needed in order to take La Isla to the next level.

Right now La isla features 50 restaurants and 4 hotels.

Aguirre Peña underlined that La Isla is sought by foreign travelers as a place where they can relax, and enjoy a good meal.

During summer or winter, there’s always activity at La Isla de la Piedra.

The Mazatlan Post