Travel Guide GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS Contents
DISCOVER GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS 01
GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS PROFILE 02
GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS ATTRACTIONS 03
GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS DINING 09
GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS SHOPPING 11
GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS NIGHTLIFE 13
THINGS TO DO IN GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS 14 DISCOVER GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS
Guaymas San Carlos is a beautiful tourist destination with a variety of contrasting mountain and ocean landscapes to admire. Visitors will also be treated to traditional Sonoran hospitality, making it an ideal vacation spot any time of year. They say that when you visit Guaymas San Carlos, you’re really visiting not one, but two destinations located on the shores of the spectacular Sea of Cortez.
Guaymas is the second most important port on the Pacific Coast of Mexico and this community is widely known for its port facilities and nautical and commercial industries. The city’s main source of income is fishing, which is due in part to the important biodiversity of the Sea of Cortez, which oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau called “the Aquarium of the World” for its great diversity of marine life.
Guaymas is also a colonial city founded in 1769 with stunning mountain landscapes, valleys, and coastal plains. Undoubtedly, this city has been blessed with incredible natural attractions, from the bottom of the sea to the mountain tops. It is located a few miles from San Carlos, so when we talk about Guaymas, inevitably we also have to talk about San Carlos, and vice versa.
San Carlos is the tourist area of the port of Guaymas. It is located just 10 miles away and offers quiet beaches where you can enjoy a variety of watersports. It offers a good selection of hotels, two marinas with space for more than 500 boats, a golf course, a dolphinarium, and a pristine stretch of beachfront. Currently, it is said that San Carlos is the great tourist gem of Sonora.
1 GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS PROFILE
Two tourist destinations in one: Guaymas (port and colonial city) and San Carlos (beach).
Fishing is the main source of income.
Livestock, aerospace manufacturing, and tourism are its most important industries.
It has 83% of the total docks in Sonora and a fleet of more than 1,300 vessels.
A beautiful coastal region with contrasting mountain landscapes.
A popular adventure tourism and snorkeling destination.
2 GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS ATTRACTIONS
The region of Guaymas San Carlos offers numerous natural attractions due to its unique geographical location, where the ocean, the desert, and the mountains meet to create a wonderful environment with spectacular scenery and beautiful landscapes.
As a result of the wide variety of ecosystems located in the coastal area of the state of Sonora, you can enjoy lots of water sports and recreational activities. You’ll also find stunning beaches, desert, and mountains. Other popular activities include ecotourism, adventure tourism, and visiting the historic attractions in the city.
WHALE WATCHING
The Sea of Cortez is a well-known destination for whale watching, as the whales are attracted by the abundance of food, such as plankton, and small fish for them to eat. With a little luck, you’ll spotseven of the eleven whale species that exist in the world in this one small region, either when you go out on a fishing boat, take a whale watching tour, or simply while strolling along the coastline. The chances of spotting one of these mammals are much higher during the winter and spring seasons.
3 SCUBA DIVING IN “THE AQUARIUM OF THE WORLD”
The famous oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau called the Sea of Cortez or Gulf of California, “the Aquarium of the World,” because of the amazing biodiversity (much of it unique to the region) that is found here, making it a natural laboratory for scientists and the perfect place for scuba diving and sport fishing. The ocean is home to 40% of the mammal species on the planet, including more than 900 species of fish and thelargest variety of whales and dolphins in the world.
As a result, the scuba diving in Guaymas San Carlos is outstanding, not to mention that there are also numerous caves and underwater canyons, as well as two artificial reefs (sunken tuna fishing boats) situated just 30 minutes north of San Carlos. One of the best spots for scuba diving is San Pedro Nolasco Island.
4 BEACHES
In the city of Guaymas there is only one beach, Playa Miramar Beach; however San Carlos boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the state of Sonora. The desert vegetation, the Sea of Cortez, and the fine golden sands of San Carlos offer an unparalleled setting.Playa de los Algodones Beach, named for its dunes that look like cotton, is a popular place to enjoy a variety of water sports. The largest and most visited beach is Playa San Francisco Beach, with its gentle waves and convenient location between Guaymas and San Carlos. Playa Piedras Pintas Beach is another attractive option with a quiet setting away from the crowds, making it an excellent destination for snorkeling or sunbathing.
ATTRACTIONS IN GUAYMAS
The historic center of Guaymas has numerous attractions that will appeal to anyone seeking to learn about the history and culture of Mexico. The majority of the historic buildings date back to the nineteenth century. They include the San Fernando Church, the most important church in the port which is dedicated to a king of Spain and whose construction took many years; the Sonora Bank, an urban symbol of great neoclassical architectural beauty; the City Hall, a small and beautiful stone building built in 1899, and the Old Prison of Guaymas, a medieval-looking building built of basalt (volcanic rock) that still retains its original bays, main courtyard, and tower.
5 SONORA DOLPHINARIUM
Located between San Carlos and Guaymas, this modern interactive dolphinarium has two main objectives: to offer a marine show for visitors and to provide the region with a rehabilitation and therapy center for children with neurological disorders. The dolphinarium has educational activities and interactive shows featuring dolphins and sea lions. FISHING
One of the main attractions in Guaymas San Carlos is fishing and this area is famous for its abundance of large fish. In the Sea of Cortez you can find three types of marlin–blue, black and striped–, as well as sailfish. Usually, it’s sport fisherman who catch these species, meaning that they throw them back. Conversely, if you want to catch a fish to eat for your dinner, there are sierras, bonitos, yellow fin tunas, wahoos, or dorados.
6 EL SOLDADO ESTUARY
The coast of Sonora is dotted with numerous creeks, marshes, estuaries, and wetlands. One example is the fascinating El Soldado Estuary, a coastal lagoon of exceptional beauty and rich biological diversity that is located between Guaymas and San Carlos. Some of the species that you’ll find here include blue herons, terns, crabs, mullets, and oysters. The estuary can be accessed on foot, by bike, or by non-motorized boats.
7 SCENIC LOOKOUT POINT
The scenic lookout point (Mirador Escénico) is located atop a hill of the same name in San Carlos. It is a tradition that all tourists visit this attraction to enjoy the best panoramic views overlooking the idyllic beaches of Guaymas San Carlos and the remarkable Sea of Cortez.
OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
In addition to great places for scuba diving, there are also numerous places along the coast for snorkeling, where you’ll find islands, caves, depressions, and rocky areas.Boat rides, sailing, kayaking, and other small watercraft are also incredibly popular activities in this beautiful region of contrasting natural landscapes.
Horseback riding on the beach is an activity that is slowly gaining popularity among visitors. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy mountain biking, hiking, and climbing in the numerous valleys and canyons located nearby, including beautiful Nacapule Canyon and Tetakawi Hill, a symbol of San Carlos. For golf lovers, San Carlos has a course with nice scenery.
8 GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS DINING
In general, Sonoran cuisine, and consequently the cuisine of Guaymas San Carlos, is flavorsome and uses a wide variety of fish and seafood in the preparation ofregional dishes, especially shrimp, which is often a main ingredient. You also must try the “Pescado Zarandeado”, traditional grilled fish that’s richly seasoned, wrapped in banana leaves and roasted over hot coals; or the “Caguamanta”, a filet of manta ray fried in lard. Other great options include giant shrimp (a dish that Guaymas is famous for in Mexico), callo de hacha (pinna clams), scallops, filet of flounder, oysters, andcabrilla frita (fried bass).
This is also a great place to enjoy a juicy steak, as the state of Sonora is one of the largest producers of livestock in Mexico.
9 BACANORA
Don’t pass up the opportunity to try a famous Sonoran drink “Bacanora”, which is distilled agave-derived liquor similar to mescal. In the year 2000, it was awarded the “Denominacion de Origen,” a designation that implies the product is of superior quality and carries specific characteristics of a geographical region or producer.
JAX SNAX RESTAURANT
At this small restaurant you’ll find more than 10 styles of hamburgers made with 100% Sonoran meat. Don’t miss a visit to this traditional eatery in San Carlos that has been serving the best hamburgers in the area for more than 35 years.
EL OESTE STEAK HOUSE
A casual restaurant that’s famous in Guaymas for its succulent cuts of the state’s best meat.
10 GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS SHOPPING
In the area around Guaymas San Carlos there are no large shopping malls, except for a few department stores, but there are dozens of small shops located in downtown Guaymas and along Beltrones Boulevard in San Carlos. Founded in 1900, the municipal market of Guaymas offers a unique experience for the adventurous shopper in search of local items.
HANDICRAFTS
Among the souvenirs you can bring home are original crafts made by the indigenous Seris and Yaquis, such as figurines carved from palo fierro wood, colorful necklaces, and bracelets made of shells, snails, and desert seeds. You’ll also find stone figures representing the plant and animal life of the region, figurines carved from palo blanco wood,woven items made from straw, small Yaqui dolls, and masks.
The curio shops in San Carlos offer all kinds of crafts and folk art from the many regions of Mexico, such as alebrijes (brightly painted fantastical creatures), masks, onyx figurines, dolls, jewelry, glassware, and numerous other items from all over the country.
11 SEA OF CORTEZ PEARLS Another excellent and unique souvenir, albeit more costly, that you can find in Guaymas San Carlos, is the cultured pearl. Guaymas is home to the only pearl farm on the American continent that cultivates extraordinary pearls from the Sea of Cortez. After about two years, these beautiful pieces are acquired with the nacre, or innermost layer, measuring between 0.8 and 2.0 millimeters. The pearls have asymmetric and spherical shapes with 100% natural colors ranging from white and silver-gray to bronze or black along with different shades of green, purple, blue, gold and violet.
BACANORA
Another good gift is a bottle of Bacanora, the traditional liquor of Sonora. In the year 2000, it was awarded the “Denominacion de Origen,” a designation implying superior quality and recognizing the state of Sonora as the sole producer of this drink. This clear liquor is made from 100% agave and is similar to tequila or mescal.
OTHER PLACES TO GO SHOPPING
Galería Bellas Artes (San Carlos): Jewelry, glassware, sculptures made of bronze, stone, and wood, as well as works by local and international artists.
Lourdes Gift Shop (San Carlos): A small shop with a wide variety of women’s accessories made from different materials, as well as clay and wood figurines by local craftsman.
Kiamy’s (San Carlos): Offers a selection of Mexican crafts, figurines made of palo fierro wood, jewelry, and silver pieces.
Plaza Ley El Vigia (Guaymas): A small plaza located near the downtown area.
12 GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS NIGHTLIFE
The nightlife in Guaymas San Carlos is lively and fun, in keeping with the flavor of this peaceful region. It offers bars, pubs, cafes, pool halls, and several lounges and nightclubs, the majority of which are located in downtown Guaymas or on or around Beltrones Boulevard in San Carlos.
Bars, pubs, and pool halls are open daily, while the nightclubs are usually only open on the weekends. They stay open late and are frequented by locals and tourists alike. When you visit some of the nightspots in Guaymas San Carlos, don’t pass up the opportunity to try Bacanora, a traditional Sonoran drink that’s similar to mescal.
13 THINGS TO DO IN GUAYMAS SAN CARLOS
Go scuba diving, snorkeling, or sport fishing in the Sea of Cortez, also known as “The Aquarium of the World”
Take a whale watching tour
Explore the historic center of Guaymas
Sunbathe and relax on the beaches of San Carlos
Visit the El Soldado estuary and the Sonora Dolphinarium
Admire the natural landscape from the Scenic Lookout Point
Enjoy a traditional seafood dish like the Caguamanta (fried filet of manta ray) and the Pescado Zarandeado (traditional grilled fish) or a juicy cut of meat
Try the delicious Bacanora, the traditional liquor of Sonora
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