Lake Chapala and Ajijic
When visiting Guadalajara in January 2020, we also wanted to find out what the hype about nearby Lake Chapala is all about. Therefore we jumped in a local bus and headed to Ajijic, on the north coast of the lake. In this post we shortly introduce Lake Chapala and the small town of Ajijic.
Lake Chapala is the largest freshwater lake of Mexico, surrounded with hilly landscapes and nature. The climate of the area is favorable, with rather hot summer season, but otherwise mild and quite dry climate around the year. Lake Chapala offers a peaceful escape from the busy city life. It’s a popular day trip destination from Guadalajara, but also sees a lot of visitors who stay longer, and many foreigners, especially retirees from the US and Canada, have set up their homes in the towns and villages on the shores of the lake.
The town of Ajijic
By the lake there is malecon, a walkway following the shoreline, popular for evening strolls and walking dogs. Malecon is lined with palm trees and other vegetation, and there are fountains, sculptures, playing areas, skateboard area and even a small amphitheatre. From along malecon you can spot different birds species, like white pelicans, egrets, ducks and cormorants, and watch the fishermen throwing their nets in the shallow waters of Lake Chapala.
To our surprise Ajijic is also home to a small craft beer brewery. If you happen to travel to Ajijic, recommendation to visit Corazon de Malta brew house and restaurant! Getting to (the north side of) Lake Chapala is easy using public transportation. Guadalajara is home to an international airport, and there are regular public buses to Lake Chapala. To the town of Chapala, next to Ajijic, there are buses roughly every 20 minutes, and all the way to Ajijic roughly once per hour. Regarding accommodation, there are options from bed & breakfasts to eco hotels. For budget travelers the options are a bit limited, but we found a good deal for a short stay from Capital O Villas of Ajijic.
How sad that the lake is polluted. Can I assume that nobody swims in it? in or near Ajijic? Are there any other clean places to swim Gracias.
Hi there! There seems to be a lot of conflicting information and studies about the state of the lake. Apparently the situation has improved lately, and it also depends on the water level of the lake. People do swim in the lake and it’s not considered dangerous, but obviously you should not drink the lake water.