Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. It is located on the Pacific coast, just across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.
Mazatlán, with a population of over 400,000 as of 2006, is the second-largest city in the state and Mexico's largest commercial port. It is also a popular tourist destination, its beaches lined with resort hotels. A car ferry plies its trade across the Gulf of California from Mazatlán to La Paz, Baja California Sur.
Every year Carnival is celebrated during the week before Ash Wednesday. There are a lot of festivities, including the election of a Queen, parades, and balls. This is the third largest Mardi Gras in the world, behind the celebrations held in Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans.