Topolobampo is a small port town in the Mexican State of Sinaloa. Boasting a deep water harbor, the town sits at the terminus of the El Chepe.
The economic importance of Topolobampo is dwarfed by its much larger neighboring city of Los Mochis, with a population of over 230,000 residents. Los Mochis is located in the “Valle del Fuerte,” a principal agricultural area of Mexico. The irrigated farms grow an abundance of crops, including sugar, cotton, rice, flowers and mangos.
The Topolobampo/Los Mochis region enjoys an arid, almost desert-like climate, with average summer temperatures in 40° C.
As you approach the small port of Topolobampo, you will see the wide strip of marshes stretching along the coast. With its hills, port and pretty offshore islands, Topolobampo sits in a setting that isn’t so dissimilar to a Mediterranean port in Southern France or a Greek island. In truth, the town itself is pretty grungy. After Pemex built an oil storage complex in the port, the shrimp population fell off, along with the jobs for fishermen. One commentator avers that “Topolobampo is like a Cinderella without a Fairy Godmother.”
Your ship will dock at the industrial pier in Topolobampo, and the day’s excursions will proceed from the pier. The estuaries on the Sea of Cortez provide another escape from Topolobampo, especially for birders. The marshes provide a resting spot for migrating bird species traveling from North America to South America.
El Chepe 