Crossing the Sea of Cortez: The Ferry to Los Mochis

April 30, 2018
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Favorites, Mexico
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When thinking about Mexico, I’m betting Los Mochis is not the first town to come to mind. Although it is the closest town to the start of El Chepe (not to be confused with El Chapo, who also has ties to Los Mochis), the Chihuahua-Pacific railroad that traipses along the stunning copper canyon, it doesn’t have a whole lot of other “attractions.” We had written Los Mochis off as a layover, a place to sleep after our ferry ride from Baja before our flight to Mexico City, but we actually fell in love with this historic sugar town.

Taking the Ferry

First, let me tell about how we got there! We had finished our ten day road trip through Baja, and were about to catch the ferry across the Sea of Cortez to the mainland. Although I was sad to say goodbye to a relaxed surf vibe, we were both really excited to see more of Mexico. As I discussed in my Baja post, we had completed all of our necessary paper work and permitting a few days prior to departure. All we needed to do was show up and make it through the inspection. The ferry is actually quite busy, as it is a common method for goods (carried by semi-trailers) to move back and forth between Baja and the mainland. At the terminal, vehicles are inspected randomly at the will of an automated machine. The vehicle passenger presses a button and the machine says to either go through or get checked. The inspection procedures include a full search of the car, which we heard can take a while. Luckily – we got the green to go.

For the full road trip through Mexico story:

Only the registered driver (Arie) is permitted to drive the vehicle onto the ferry. I was relegated to the terminal lounge to wait for our scheduled boarding. Once on the ferry, we found our assigned seats. It wasn’t too crowded, and the seats were quite comfortable. There were TV screens that played movies in Spanish. There was also a lounge area offering beers and cocktails, as well as a glitzy cabaret-like performance. After seven hours or so we docked in Topolobampo, a port town just 30 minutes drive from Los Mochis. We arrived in the evening, the disembarkment went smoothly, and we were on our way to our hotel, the Ibis Los Mochis.

Getting Acquainted with Los Mochis

Like many of our destinations, we had read about some of the cartel-related violence in Los Mochis, and weren’t sure what we would find. I also find that driving into a city at night (on the rare occasions we had to do so) usually increases the anxiety level a bit. However, as we drove into the outskirts of Los Mochis we found a crew of cyclists on fixed-gear track bikes out for an evening ride and we followed them into town. This was our first clue that Los Mochis might have more to offer than meets the eye.

The following morning we were introduced to a town in the process of renewal, and we were impressed. We had no real expectations; actually, maybe we had low expectations. Sinaloa doesn’t have the best reputation and we hadn’t heard many tourists rave about Los Mochis, which is maybe why it turned out to be one of our favorite stops. First: The Ibis was amazing, perhaps one of the best hotel stays I’ve had. The hotel was super modern and designed to be a hub for creatives with a lobby built for laptops and cocktails. The staff was extraordinarily helpful, and the shower was amazing (and it wasn’t just because we had been camping for three days, it was actually amazing; a rain shower with intense pressure that got sufficiently hot, such a rare combo).

Culinary Happiness at Lola’s

We had the better part of the day in Los Mochis before we had to catch our flight to Mexico City that evening. For breakfast we headed across the parking lot to Lola Cocina, a modern Mexican café with green smoothies, fresh baked croissants, and the best chilaquiles I have ever had. Ok, I know I’ve been using a ton of superlatives here, but they are all warranted, I promise. Back to the chilaquiles, which I believe are the origin of what we call “nachos” back in the U.S., but there is just no comparison. Chilaquiles are basically a pile of crispy tortillas, smothered in cheese and sauce, and baked until golden. I was having trouble deciding between the green and the red sauce when the waitress suggested I just do half and half, I was in heaven.

Los Mochis Botanical Gardens

After brunch we headed to the botanical gardens. We decided to walk so we could see a bit more of the town. It was hot out, and not like the dry heat in Baja, Los Mochis was muggy. We were happy when we reached the gardens and could enjoy a moment in the shade. Los Mochis really became a vibrant city in the early 1900s when an American businessman by the name of Benjamin Johnston opened a sugar mill. Environmental conditions in this region of Sinaloa are ideal for growing loads of fruits and veggies, and sugar was a very lucrative crop. Benjamin stayed in Los Mochis, building himself a large mansion surrounded by lush landscaping. These beautiful gardens are now open to the public. We wandered around for a bit, admiring the giant Iguanas living in the garden ponds. After a short while, we headed back through the palms and then towards the airport for our flight to Mexico City!

Oh, and Arie had the best charcoal grilled chicken of the trip and wanted to make sure I give proper dues: it was at Pollo Feliz (yes, it’s a chain in Mexico, but the branch in Los Mochis was the best).