I took a break from Mexico City a few weeks back and visited one of the places in Mexico that I have been wanting a closer look at – Lake Chapala. Mexico’s largest lake, at 1,100 kilometers squared, at certain angles looks endless. This lake has a lot of local lore surrounding it and it’s one of the top on the annual huichol pilgrimage in this part of Mexico.
The town of Chapala and neighboring Ajijic have also been drawing the U.S. and Canadian crowd to the lake’s shores since the early 20th century, in fact Tennessee Williams is said to have worked on his famous “Streetcar Named Desire” in Chapala in 1945. Someone once told me that there are a lot of ex-US military because supposedly it’s one of the best places to survive nuclear fall-out, but… I’m not totally sure that was reliable information. More likely is the excessively mild climate, which never drops much below 70 degrees year round, the low cost of living, and gorgeous nature. You could say something similar about Mexico City, but Lake Chapala has us beat on air quality and natural attractions.
While Lake Chapala is not (nor may ever be) the it place to be, it’s lovely for a few days or a long weekend. Here are five things I found to be the best of Lake Chapala, let me know in the comments what I am missing and what you love.
Kayaking
The lake isn’t much lauded for its swimming, but getting out on the water is still a must. There are a lot of local companies that offer kayaks + guide for a tour around the lake with information and explanation. If you’d rather explore on your own, do what we did and just rent kayaks by the hour from one of the hotels or beach clubs. We rented from Tahawi hotel (+52 333 379 2461 for kayak rentals) and they had all the equipment we needed (paddles, boats, life jackets) for about 5usd an hour. We could have spent hours out there. It’s a great way to get up close and see the incredible flora and fauna including a rainbow of lake birds. If you are sticking around any length of time I read about several kayaking clubs that meet and it seems like members have extra kayaks they are willing to loan or rent. Might be a nice way to meet some locals.
Hot Springs
I didn’t even know that the area was known for hot springs until we got there and started to do a little research. There are several large public balnearios (a complex of pools) fed by the thermal springs, but if you’re willing to pay just a little bit more (and we’re still talking less that 20 dollars), you can get a day pass at some of the local hotels that also have hot spring-fed pools. We stayed at the minimalist chic La Vita Bella that had three small pools in an intimate setting on their property perfect for enjoying the hot springs and avoiding the crowds. Just up the road from them is Monte Coxala, a Mayan-architecture themed resort, that is well-maintained even at the ripe old age of 35 and they have even more options for a soak (including a giant Olmec head with a thermal pool inside and a glassed-in pyramid sauna).
Biking
From the west end of town of Chapala to the edge of the town of San Juan Cosala there is an almost continuous paved bike lane set off of the main highway. The section between Chapala and Ajijic is the most well maintained. That’s about a 17 kilometer ride and will take around an hour depending on your speed. There are nice views of the lake along the way and a handful of lakeside restaurants if you want to ride out and then work off your lunch. When we drove through on a Sunday we saw a good amount of bikers and runners on the path, although not so many as to make it miserably crowded. There are bike rental places advertised in the town of Chapala, and I would recommend it as the most likely place to find a rental (the other towns are smaller).
Eating and Drinking
We only spent a few days on Lake Chapala and part of that we grilled out at home on our deck overlooking the water, but we did have a few eating and drinking experiences that I recommend. The micheladas at the Chapala market right next to the main city boardwalk are absolutely ridiculous, but also really fun and a nice way to cool off mid-afternoon. If you’ve never had a michelada, it’s a beer mixed with all kinds of sauces and spices (things like Maggie, Valentina, Tabasco, Clamato juice and more, a bit like a Bloody Mary but with beer instead of vodka or gin). The hawkers trying to get you to sit down at one of these places are annoying, but trust me, they are mostly the same, just find a place that looks clean and has a few other patrons.
Slightly nicer, we stopped at The Brew House by Corazón de Malta, a local craft beer company in the town of Ajijic and had flights of their more than a dozen styles. The food was very decent bar food like mini hamburgers and fish and chips. We got a 12-pack to go. I mentioned La Vita Bella boutique hotel and spa before, which I highly recommend, and they have an incredible view of the lake from their open-air dining room. The menu is traditional Mexican dishes and there’s a full bar. Beware that Saturdays and Sundays are packed with upscale locals, so make a reservation.
There are also a slew of lakeside restaurants that if you visit Lake Chapala, ring the lake from Chapala to San Juan Cosala that we didn’t try but look festive enough. We did have a great lunch at El Quetzal right on the malecon in Chapala (especially good were the grilled octopus and fish tacos). A place we wanted to try but didn’t get to? Teocintle Maiz, which I heard from a couple sources was good. Go there, let me know what you think.
Walk the Malecón
I know, it seems obvious, but honestly you could wile away a few hours just walking the different boardwalks in towns along the lake. The Chapala boardwalk is a classic, and one that a lot of tourists visit. It has a few jetties that go out into the water and the boardwalk is alive with local and foreign tourists mixing and mingling. I know I talked about the market there for micheladas, but it’s also fun to walk through the market’s long hall of crafts and do-dads. We also visited the Jocotepec boardwalk, about a 30 minute drive down the road, and it was even better than Chapala. Some of the same things – boat rides, kiddie rides – but it’s much more like a park, much less crowded and could easily be a great picnic spot. There are stands that offer food and drink but it’s much more organized that Chapala and seems better maintained.
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